Morgan Wallen is the leading nominee for the 2024 CMA Awards, as determined by eligible voting members of the Country Music Association. He received seven nods. Cody Johnson and Chris Stapleton follow with five nods each, while Post Malone and Lainey Wilson each nabbed four. Louis Bell, Luke Combs, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney and Kacey Musgraves each secured three nominations.
Wallen hasn’t won at the CMAs since he was crowned new artist of the year four years ago. Less than three months after that breakthrough moment, he was caught on video using a racial slur, an incident which almost certainly cost him some major awards.
Stapleton received his eighth nod for entertainer of the year, an award he has yet to win. (He has amassed more nods without a win in that category than any other artist in CMA history.) Also nominated are Combs (his fifth nod in the category), Wallen (his third), Wilson (her second) and Jelly Roll (his first).
The eligibility period for the 2024 CMA Awards is July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. That means such high-profile albums as Zach Bryan’s The Great American Bar Scene, Wilson’s Whirlwind and Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion won’t be eligible until next year.
All five albums for album of the year reached the top five on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. The biggest surprise among them is Jelly Roll’s Whitsitt Chapel, which was released on June 2, 2023, nearly a month before the close of last year’s eligibility period. CMA explains “It is eligible because the majority of its consumption occurred in the [current] eligibility period,” a rule that was introduced last year and is now in its second year.
Starting Over is Stapleton’s fifth consecutive studio album to be nominated for album of the year – his entire solo discography to date. Fathers & Sons is Combs’ fourth consecutive album to receive a nomination in that category.
Beyoncé is conspicuous by her absence on the ballot. CMA voters seemed to agree with the superstar’s statement on Instagram back in March in which she confirmed the imminent release of Cowboy Carter: “This ain’t a Country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.” In that same Instagram post, Beyonce said: “This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t.” That comment was widely seen as a reference to Beyoncé’s appearance with The Chicks (then Dixie Chicks) at the CMA Awards in November 2016, where they performed “Daddy Lessons,” a song from Bey’s Lemonade album.
Both of the top two Songs of the Summer on Billboard’s recently published all-genre seasonal recap – “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Wallen and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – are nominated for single of the year. (The No. 2 Song of the Summer for 2023, Luke Combs’ “Fast Car,” won the CMA award for single of the year last year.)
“I Had Some Help” and Johnson’s “Dirt Cheap” are each nominated for single, song and music video of the year. Stapleton’s “White Horse” is nominated for the first two of those awards, but it wasn’t nominated for music video of the year.
The nominees for new artist of the year are Moroney, Shaboozey, Nate Smith, Mitchell Tenpenny, Zach Top and Bailey Zimmerman. Moroney was also nominated in the category last year. Zimmerman was nominated two years ago. (CMA rules allow artists to be nominated in this category twice).
Shaboozey is the fifth Black artist to be nominated in this category (or the horizon award, as the award was known from its inception in 1981 through 2007). Music legend Ray Charles was nominated in 1985 when he made a country market breakthrough, followed by Darius Rucker (2009) and Jimmie Allen and Mickey Guyton (both 2021). Rucker and Allen both won.
Miranda Lambert failed to receive a nod for female vocalist of the year, breaking a 17-year streak of nominations in that category. Carly Pearce broke a three-year string of nods in that category. Midland wasn’t nominated for vocal group of the year, breaking a six-year streak. (The Red Clay Strays took that spot.) Carrie Underwood wasn’t nominated for entertainer of the year, breaking a five-year streak of nods in that category. (Jelly Roll took that spot.)
Musgraves got her CMA mojo back. She’s up for female vocalist of the year for the first time in five years. She’s also up for album of the year after failing to get a nod in that category for her previous album, Star-Crossed.
The nominations in two key categories – male vocalist of the year and vocal duo of the year – were exactly the same as last year.
Winners of the 58th Annual CMA Awards will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting CMA members. The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA professional members on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends Tuesday, Oct. 29 (6:00 p.m. CT).
CMA Broadcast Awards winners will be determined by a final round of judging this month. Entries are judged by a panel of broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions. The winners will be revealed in October and recipients will be honored at the CMA Awards.
The 58th Annual CMA Awards is set to broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 20 (8:00–11:00 p.m. ET) on ABC and next day on Hulu. The CMA has yet to announce the show’s host. Luke Bryan has hosted the last three years, the last two in tandem with Peyton Manning
The 58th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer, Alan Carter is the director and Jon Macks is the head writer.
Tickets go on sale on Friday Sept. 13th starting at 10:00 a.m. CT through Ticketmaster.
Here’s a full list of nominations for the 58th annual CMA Awards.
Entertainer of the year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Single of the year
Award goes to artist(s), producer(s) and mix engineer(s)
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey; Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry; Mix Engineer: Raul Lopez
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
“Watermelon Moonshine” – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“White Horse” – Chris Stapleton; Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
Album of the year
Award goes to artist, producer(s) and mix engineer(s)
Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves; Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian; Mix Engineers: Shawn Everett, Konrad Snyder
Fathers & Sons – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
Higher – Chris Stapleton; Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
Leather – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke
Whitsitt Chapel – Jelly Roll; Producers: Andrew Baylis, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Jesse Frasure, David Garcia, Kevin “Thrasher” Gruft, Austin Nivarel, David Ray Stevens; Mix Engineers: Jeff Braun, Jim Cooley
Song of the year
Award goes to songwriter(s)
“Burn It Down”; Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose
“Dirt Cheap”; Songwriter: Josh Phillips
“I Had Some Help”; Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters
“The Painter”; Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins
“White Horse”; Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson
Female vocalist of the year
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Male vocalist of the year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Vocal group of the year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
The Red Clay Strays
Zac Brown Band
Vocal duo of the year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War and Treaty
Musical event of the year
Award goes to artists and producer(s)
“Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini (with Noah Kahan); Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (ft. Kacey Musgraves); Producer: Zach Bryan
“Man Made a Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church); Producer: Joey Moi
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley (feat. Riley Green); Producer: Will Bundy
Musician of the year
Tom Bukovac – Guitar
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Rob McNelley – Guitar
Charlie Worsham – Guitar
Music video of the year
Award goes to artist(s) and director(s)
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson; Director: Dustin Haney
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen); Director: Chris Villa
“I’m Not Pretty” – Megan Moroney; Directors: Jeff Johnson, Megan Moroney
“The Painter” – Cody Johnson; Director: Dustin Haney
“Wildflowers and Wild Horses” – Lainey Wilson; Director: Patrick Tracy
New artist of the year
Megan Moroney
Shaboozey
Nate Smith
Mitchell Tenpenny
Zach Top
Bailey Zimmerman
Weekly national
“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Cumulus/Westwood One
“Country Gold with Terri Clark” (Terri Clark) – Westwood One
“Crook & Chase Countdown” (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) – Jim Owens Entertainment
“Highway Hot 30 with Buzz Brainard” (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM
“Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence” (Tracy Lawrence and Patrick Thomas) – Silverfish Media
Daily national
“The Bobby Bones Show” (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, “Lunchbox” Dan Chappell, Eddie Garcia, Morgan Huelsman, “SZN Raymundo” Ray Slater, “Mike D” Rodriguez, Abby Anderson, “Kick Off Kevin” O’Connell, and Stephen “Scuba Steve” Spradlin) – iHeartMedia
“Michael J On Air” (Michael J. Stuehler) – iHeartMedia
“Nights with Elaina” (Elaina Smith) – Westwood One / Cumulus Media
“PickleJar Up All Night with Patrick Thomas” (Patrick Thomas) – PickleJar / Cumulus Media
“Steve Harmon Show” (Steve Harmon) – Westwood One / Cumulus Media
Major market
Major market
“The Andie Summers Show” (Andie Summers, Jeff Kurkjian, Donnie Black, and Shannon Boyle) – WXTU, Philadelphia, Pa.
“Chris Carr & Company” (Chris Carr, Kia Becht, and Sam Sansevere) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
“Frito & Katy” (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas
“The Morning Wolfpack with Matt McAllister” (Matt McAllister, Gabe Mercer, and “Captain Ron” Koons) – KKWF, Seattle, Wash.
“The Most Fun Afternoons With Scotty Kay” (Scotty Kay) – WUSN, Chicago, Ill.
Large market
Large market
“Dale Carter Morning Show” (Dale Carter) – KFKF, Kansas City, Mo.
“Heather Froglear” (Heather Froglear) – KFRG, Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.
“Jesse & Anna” (Jesse Tack and Anna Marie) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
“Mike & Amanda” (Mike Wheless and Amanda Daughtry) – WQDR, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
“On-Air with Anthony” (Anthony Donatelli) – KFRG, Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif.
Medium market
Medium market
“Brent Michaels” (Brent Michaels) – KUZZ, Bakersfield, Calif.
“Joey & Nancy” (Joey Tack, Nancy Barger, and Karly Duggan) – WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.
“New Country Mornings with Nancy and Woody” (Nancy Wilson and Aaron “Woody” Woods) – WHKO, Dayton, Ohio
“Scott and Sarah in the Morning” (Scott Wynn and Sarah Kay) – WQMX, Akron, Ohio
“Steve & Gina In The Morning” (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa
Small market
Small market
“Dan Austin Show” (Dan Austin) – WQHK, Fort Wayne, Ind.
“Dave and Jenn” (Dave Roberts and Jenn Seay) – WTCR, Huntington-Ashland, W. Va.
“The Eddie Foxx Show” (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.
“Hilley & Hart” (Kevin Hilley and Erin Hart) – KATI, Columbia, Mo.
“Officer Don & DeAnn” (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Ky.
Major market
Major market
KCYY – San Antonio, Texas
KKBQ – Houston, Texas
KYGO – Denver, Colo.
WXTU – Philadelphia, Pa.
WYCD – Detroit, Mich.
Large market
Large market
WIRK – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla.
WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.
WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
WSIX – Nashville, Tenn.
WWKA – Orlando, Fla.
Medium market
Medium market
KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa
WBEE – Rochester, N.Y.
WIVK – Knoxville, Tenn.
WLFP – Memphis, Tenn.
WUSY – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Small market
Small market
WCOW – La Crosse, Wis.
WKML – Fayetteville, N.C.
WKXC – Augusta, Ga.
WXFL – Florence-Muscle Shoals, Ala.
WYCT – Pensacola, Fla.
