Kelsea Ballerini performs onstage at Crypto.com Arena on March 21, 2025 in Los Angeles.
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for ABA
Many of the nominations for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards went just about as expected. The five nominees for male artist of the year – Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen – are a replay of last year’s nods in that category. Six of the seven nominees for entertainer of the year are repeats from last year, as are four of the five nominees for both female artist of the year and duo of the year.
There was more turnover in the nominations for group of the year. Flatland Cavalry, Little Big Town and Old Dominion repeated from last year’s list, but Rascal Flatts and The Red Clay Strays took the slots occupied last year by Lady A and Zac Brown Band. This was the first nod for The Red Clay Strays and the first since 2017 for Rascal Flatts.
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help” – both of which had long runs at No. 1 on both Hot Country Songs and the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 – are both nominated for single of the year, as expected.
This doesn’t mean there were no surprises in the ACM nominations. “Snubs and surprises,” as they have come to be called, are par for the course at all awards shows. To every artist who was deemed a “Snub” this year, keep in that mind that this setback might just set you up for a Comeback of the Year designation in a future year.
Here are the snubs and surprises in the 60th ACM Awards nominations.
The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
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Surprise: Ella Langley
Langley has certainly had a breakout year, so much so that she goes from never previously receiving an ACM nod to being the top nominee this year with eight entries including both new female artist of the year and female artist of the year. The multi-talent also benefits from getting two nods for song of the year as both the artist and co-writer for “You Look Like You Love Me.” Same with visual media of the year, where she receives dual nominations as both artist and co-director for the hit.-M.N.
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Snub: Miranda Lambert
Lambert has won more ACM Awards than anyone else in history, but this is the second year in a row she has been shut out in the nominations. She didn’t have a new album in 2023, but she did in 2024 (Postcards From Texas). This doesn’t mean ACM voters have soured on Lambert. It may just mean they think she’s won enough for now and it’s time to reward other artists.-P.G.
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Surprise: Muscadine Bloodline
The duo has been steadfast in keeping things independent since they started making music nearly a decade ago, including albums such as The Coastal Plain and their upcoming …And What Was Left Behind, as well as their fist-shaking 2022 song “Dispatch to 16th Ave,” which criticizes the Music Row establishment for valuing profits over creativity. Now, the duo’s Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton aregoing up against duo/group of the year category (and major label) mainstays Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay and The War and Treaty.-J.N.
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Surprise: Kelsea Ballerini
Ballerini, who is also nominated for female artist of the year and music event of the year (as artist and producer), is no stranger to ACM nominations, having been nominated more than a dozen times before and winning new female vocalist of the year nine years ago. But this marks her first entertainer of the year nomination, which comes on the heels of her successful headlining arena tour that included stops at Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles’ Crypto.Com Arena.-M.N.
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Snub: Beyoncé
Cowboy Carter’s Grammy win for best country album Grammy, as well as Beyoncé’s duet with Miley Cyrus, “II Most Wanted,” taking home the award for best country duo/group performance, win wasn’t enough to sway ACM members to vote for the superstar’s country-leaning album, even though voting didn’t start until two weeks after the Feb. 2 Grammys. Just as she was with the CMA Awards in November, the superstar finds herself locked out of the ACMs. -M.N.
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Surprise: Zach Top
Newcomer Zach Top has swiftly become one of country music’s most heralded new artists, thanks to his song “I Never Lie,” which is in the top 10 on the Country Airplay chart (and reached No. 34 on the all-genre Hot 100), and his breakthrough country single “Sounds Like the Radio.” So, it’s no shock that he’s cemented his first ACM new male artist of the year nomination this year. However, fans have gravitated toward the totality of his debut country album Cold Beer and Country Music, earning Top a coveted album of the year nomination.-J.N.
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Snub: Luke Combs
Combs has three nominations this year – entertainer of the year, male artist of the year and artist-songwriter of the year. So, it’s surprising that his latest album, Fathers & Sons, came up short in the album of the year category. Combs’ three prior studio albums were nominated for the award. And Fathers & Sons was nominated for album of the year at the CMA Awards in November.-P.G.
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Surprise: Rascal Flatts
As Rascal Flatts reunites for a 25th anniversary tour after a long hiatus as well as plans a duets album with guests recreating the trio’s biggest hits, Rascal Flatts earns its first nomination for group of the year in eight years. They are no stranger here, having first won in 2003 and then winning six more consecutive years. They were last nominated in the category in 2017.-M.N.
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Snub: Lady A
This is only the second time since the co-ed trio earned its first vocal group of the year nomination in 2008 that Lady A has not been nominated. They were also passed over in 2016. The snub is no doubt due to the lack of a new album since 2021’s What A Song Can Do. The group took home the award three times previously, most recently in 2012.- M.N.
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Snub: Ashley McBryde
McBryde has been nominated in the female artist of the year category for the past four years, so it is surprising that she didn’t continue with that streak by picking up another nomination in the category heading into this year’s ACM Awards. She’s also picked up three ACM wins, including music event of the year in 2022 for “Never Wanted to Be That Girl” (with Carly Pearce), and in 2020 for the multi-artist collaboration “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.” Though McBryde didn’t release a new album in 2024, she did release the new song “Ain’t Enough Cowboy Songs,” and has been on tour supporting Cody Johnson. Given the new music, it seems likely McBryde will have a comeback ACMs year in 2026.-J.N.