Awards
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Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, sent a letter to all members on Thursday (May 1) in which she urged them to vote “with intention, with passion and with a deep appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that define excellence in Country Music.”
Trahern wrote, in part: “Your vote is more than just a ballot. It is your voice, your expertise, and your influence in defining the legacy of this genre. With the 2025 awards season upon us, we encourage you to engage thoughtfully in this process. … Because the CMA Awards don’t just happen for the industry—they happen because of it.”
The letter was sent concurrent with the CMA releasing its full schedule of key dates for the 2025 CMA Awards, CMA Broadcast Awards, CMA Touring Awards, CMA International Awards, and CMA Industry Honors.
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Trahern’s letter echoes one that Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, sent to all voting members last July in which he stated: “you owe it to your peers to vote intentionally, deliberately, with pride and with purpose.”
Mason dramatized his point with a telling anecdote. “Last Grammy season, I heard a Grammy voter say they hadn’t taken a specific artist seriously since a performance they saw more than 10 years ago. I was shocked and disturbed by that. There is no place in our organization for such bias, grudge-holding, or careless voting. It’s about the current year and the quality of the work, period!
“There should be no other rationale for voting. If you are taking into account an artist’s older work, or their reputation, or race, or gender, what label they are on, who their manager is, how many friends participated in the project, or anything else like that, you’re not doing your job. I know most of you already do but please, just listen to the music, and evaluate it! You are the reason the Grammy Award is so special.”
Trahern, who was on Billboard‘s 2025 Women in Music list, wasn’t quite as emphatic and specific in her message (see her full letter below), but both leaders made the same point: Your vote matters. Take this seriously.
Here are the key dates, eligibility requirements, and voting processes across CMA’s annual awards cycle, followed by Trahern’s letter, in full.
2025 CMA Awards
Eligibility Period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
Voting Process: All CMA professional voting members may vote in three rounds. As of today, 6,468 professional members are eligible to vote.
Nomination Ballot: Voters write in any artist or project they think deserves a nomination. If it fits the criteria for that category, it counts.
Second Ballot: The top 20 vote-getters from the first round move forward (only the top 15 for entertainer of the year). Members may vote for up to five candidates in each category.
Final Ballot: The top five from the second round become the official nominees—and CMA members vote one last time to choose the winners. Members may vote for one nominee in each category.
Musician of the Year: Voting in all rounds remains limited to eligible voters in the following membership categories: musician, artist, composer, and producer/engineer/studio.
Song of the Year: New this year, only eligible voters in the following membership categories may vote in the nomination and second ballots: composer, artist, musician, producer/engineer/studio, and publisher/PRO. All eligible voters may vote in the final ballot.
All three rounds of voting will be conducted online by Election Services Corp. (ESC). All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
Nomination Ballot: Emailed to eligible CMA members on Monday, July 7; Closes Wednesday, July 16 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Second Ballot: Emailed on Tuesday, Aug. 5; Closes Monday, Aug. 18 at 6:00 p.m. CT; Final nominees in each of the 12 categories will be announced later this summer.
Final Ballot: Emailed on Wednesday, Oct. 1; Closes Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Membership Deadline & Information: To vote in all three rounds, prospective CMA members must apply for membership by Sunday, June 1 at CMAmember.com. Only CMA professional voting members have voting privileges. The professional voting tier is offered to industry professionals who primarily work within country music.
2025 CMA Broadcast Awards
Eligibility Period: Performances and events between June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025
Submission Process: Apply now online at broadcast.CMAawards.com. Guidelines and entry instructions are available on the site. CMA membership is not required to submit.
Eligible Categories: broadcast personality of the year and radio station of the year in four market sizes: major market, large market, medium market and small market
National broadcast personality of the year in two formats: daily and weekly
Syndicated, short-form, hub voice-tracking, digital service providers, and satellite personalities with live-stream broadcasts are eligible to apply for national broadcast personality of the year.
Submission Period: Open Thursday, May 1 through Monday, June 30 at 5:00 p.m. CT
Judging Process & Information: Entries will be reviewed and evaluated online by a panel of radio and industry professionals.; CMA Broadcast Awards winners will be notified in early October and recognized at the 59th Annual CMA Awards ceremony. All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
2025 CMA Touring Awards
Eligibility Period: Oct. 1, 2024 – Sept. 30, 2025
Nomination Ballot: A nomination ballot will be sent to current CMA professional voting members in the following member categories: affiliated, artist, composer, entertainment services, musician, personal manager, record company, talent agent, advertising/marketing/communications, venue, talent buyer/promoter and touring personnel. Each member is eligible to submit one nomination for each award category.
Second Ballot: Any candidate that meets the eligibility criteria and receives a minimum of three nominations will be placed on the second ballot. Eligible CMA members may vote for up to five candidates in each category for which they choose to vote.
Selection of Final Nominees: The Top 20 vote recipients from the second ballot will be presented to a CMA Touring Awards task force to develop a slate of at least five but no more than eight potential nominees for each of the CMA Touring Awards categories.
Final Ballot: The final ballot consisting of the approved nominees is sent to eligible CMA members for voting. Each member may vote for one nominee in each category they choose to vote.
All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
Nomination Ballot: Opens Monday, July 21. Closes Friday, Aug. 1 at 5:00 p.m. CT
Second Ballot: Opens Tuesday, Aug. 26; Closes Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 5:00 p.m. CT
Final Ballot: Opens Monday, Dec. 1; Closes Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 5:00 p.m. CT
2025 CMA International Awards
Nomination Process & Information: All CMA professional voting members may submit nominations. A CMA International Awards task force reviews the nominations and makes winner recommendations to the CMA board of directors, which approves the recipients.
There are six CMA International Award categories—Jo Walker Meador International Award, Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award, Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award, International Country Broadcaster Award, International Artist Achievement Award, and Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award.
Nomination Ballot: Open now through Saturday, May 31. Nominate now at https://CMAmember.lnk.to/IntlNomsPR.
2025 CMA Industry Honors
Nomination Process & Information: All CMA members may submit nominations for the following CMA Industry Honors —CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award, Irving Waugh Award of Excellence, Joe Talbot Award, CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award, Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, CMA Songwriter Advocate Award, and Studio Recording Icon Award.
Final recipients are selected and approved by the CMA board of directors.
Nomination Ballot: Open now through Sunday, Aug. 10. Nominate now at https://CMAmember.lnk.to/industryhonorsnomPR.
Here’s Trahern’s letter to voting members, in full:
Dear CMA Member,
At the Country Music Association, our awards and honors are more than just a moment of recognition—they are a reflection of the dedication, talent, and passion that fuel our genre. They give us the chance to celebrate one another and spotlight the very best of Country Music on a global stage. Every nomination, every win, and every honor become part of the story we’re writing together, a chapter forever etched in the history of Country Music. And at the heart of it all is you.
As a trade association, CMA exists to serve and support the people who make this industry thrive—those working day in and day out to create, promote, and elevate Country Music. The CMA Awards and our other honors are not decided by a panel of outsiders, but by those who know Country Music best: our members. Your vote is more than just a ballot. It is your voice, your expertise, and your influence in defining the legacy of this genre.
With the 2025 awards season upon us, we encourage you to engage thoughtfully in this process. Take the time to reflect on the music and achievements that have moved our industry forward. Vote with intention, with passion, and with a deep appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that define excellence in Country Music. Because the CMA Awards don’t just happen for the industry—they happen because of it.
The official 2025 CMA ballot schedule is now available, outlining key dates for voting, submissions, and nominations. In addition to the CMA Awards, we recognize excellence across all aspects of our business, from the CMA Broadcast Awards and the CMA International Awards to the CMA Touring Awards and various Industry Honors. Each of these programs is a cornerstone of CMA’s commitment to honoring the people and moments that propel Country Music to new heights.
We encourage all industry professionals who are shaping our genre to take advantage of this opportunity and make their voices heard. If you know someone who is not yet a CMA member, please invite them to apply by Sunday, June 1, to qualify for full voting eligibility in the 2025 CMA Awards cycle.
As we look ahead to another year of recognizing excellence, we remain grateful for your ongoing commitment to our format and this community. Thank you for being part of this important tradition.
Sarah Trahern
Chief Executive Officer
Country Music Association
What’s the greatest leading role in Broadway history? Based on Tony nominations, which date to 1947, the answer is Rose in Gypsy.
Every actress who has played the part on Broadway has at least been nominated for the Tony for best actress in a musical – from Ethel Merman, who originated the role in 1959, to Audra McDonald, who stars in the current revival, and whose nomination was announced Thursday (May 1) morning.
Angela Lansbury, who starred in a 1974-75 revival, and Tyne Daly, who starred in a 1989-90 revival, both won Tonys for their performances. (Linda Lavin, who replaced Daly, wasn’t nominated, but replacements in a production aren’t eligible.) Bernadette Peters, who starred in a 2003-04 revival, was nominated, and Patti LuPone, who starred in a 2008-09 revival, won.
No other lead character – across both musicals and plays – has led to six Tony nominations. Here are the runners-up: Five actors have been nominated for best actor in a musical for playing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. Five actresses have been nominated for best actress in a play for playing Josie Hogan in A Moon for the Misbegotten.
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In addition, actresses who have played Rose on both large and small screens have won Golden Globes for their performances. Rosalind Russell won actress in a leading role – musical or comedy in 1963 – for the previous year’s film. Bette Midler won best performance by an actress in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television in 1994 for playing the role in a 1993 TV movie for CBS. Midler also received a Primetime Emmy nod for her performance.
It’s easy to see why the role of Rose has led to so many awards and nominations. The actress who plays the role gets to sing some of the greatest songs ever written for a Broadway musical, including “Some People,” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Rose’s Turn” and “Small World” (the latter a Grammy nominee for song of the year in 1960). Jule Styne and a young Stephen Sondheim collaborated on the song score.
The 1959 original cast album to Gypsy has been voted into both the Grammy Hall of Fame and the National Recording Registry.
Gypsy also includes one of the greatest featured roles in Broadway history – Rose’s daughter, Louise. Six actresses have been nominated for playing her, more than any other featured role. Sandra Church was nominated for originating the role. Joy Woods was nominated for the latest revival. In between, Zan Charisse, Crista Moore, Tammy Blanchard and Laura Benanti were nominated. (Benanti won.)
The latest revival of Gypsy was nominated for best revival of a musical. It’s the fourth time the show has been nominated in that category (or in a predecessor category, best revival). No other musical has been nominated four times in that category. Sharing second place, with three nods each, are Cabaret, Company, Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, Peter Pan and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Only one play, Arthur Miller’s A View from a Bridge, has been nominated four times for best revival of a play.
McDonald, 54, is Broadway royalty, having won six Tonys in competitive categories, more than any other performer. She won featured actress in a musical for both Carousel and Ragtime; featured actress in a play for both Master Class and A Raisin in the Sun; actress in a musical for Porgy and Bess; and actress in a play for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.
This is McDonald’s 11th nomination, which is again more than any other performer. She pulls ahead Julie Harris and Chita Rivera, who landed 10 each. (Harris died in 2013; Rivera died in 2024.)
The eligibility period for the 2025 Tony Awards was April 29, 2024 through April 27, 2025. The 78th Tony Awards, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, will be held on June 8. The ceremony will be held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, airing live coast-to-coast on CBS.
Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her and Maybe Happy Ending are the leading nominees for the 2025 Tony Awards, with 10 nods each. They are followed by Dead Outlaw, John Proctor Is the Villain, Sunset Blvd. and The Hills of California with seven nods each. The nominations were announced on Thursday morning (May 1).
Buena Vista Social Club, which features music recorded by Buena Vista Social Club, is nominated for best musical, along with Dead Outlaw, Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending and Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.
Buena Vista Social Club is set in Havana, Cuba and follows the lives of four musicians, and their eventual collaboration in 1997 on the landmark , Grammy-winning album Buena Vista Social Club. The music in the show is presented entirely in Spanish. The original album was inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2022 and the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2024. This musical is based on a 1999 documentary about the making of the album that received an Oscar nod for documentary (feature).
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The musicians who make up the band in Buena Vista Social Club are set to receive a Special Tony Award on the show. They are: Marco Paguia (Music Director, Conductor/Piano); David Oquendo (Associate Music Director, Guitar); Renesito Avich (Tres); Gustavo Schartz (Bass); Javier Díaz, Román Diaz, Mauricio Herrera (Percussion); Jesus Ricardo (Trumpet); Eddie Venegas (Trombone); Hery Paz (Woodwinds); Leonardo Reyna (Piano).
Death Becomes Her is based on the 1992 film of the same name starring Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis and Goldie Hawn that was directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis. Maybe Happy Ending is based on a South Korean one-act musical. The musical follows two life-like helper-bots, who discover each other in Seoul in the late 21st century.
The four nominees for best revival of a musical are Floyd Collins, Gypsy, Pirates! The Penzance Musical and Sunset Blvd. The original production of Gypsy, starring Ethel Merman, was nominated for best musical in 1960. The original production of Sunset Blvd., starring Glenn Close won in 1995. The Joseph Papp production of The Pirates of Penzance, starring Rex Smith, Linda Ronstadt and Kevin Kline, won best revival of a musical in 1981. (The Gilbert & Sullivan operetta was more than a century old at that point.)
Gypsy has been nominated for best revival of a musical (or in a predecessor category, best revival) four times, more than any other show. Audra McDonald is nominated for best actress in a musical for her role this latest revival of Gypsy. It’s her 11th nomination, which is more than any other performer. She pulls ahead Julie Harris and Chita Rivera, who landed 10 Tony nods each. (Harris died in 2013; Rivera died in 2024.)
McDonald is the sixth actress to receive a Tony nomination for playing Rose in Gypsy. No other lead character – across plays and musicals – has netted six Tony nominations.
Two artists who have made various Billboard charts over the years are nominated. Darren Criss, who was part of the chart-conquering Glee phenomenon and has had such solo successes as A Very Darren Crissmas, is up for best actor in a musical for Maybe Happy Ending. Nicole Scherzinger, who had four top 10 hits on the Hot 100 with The Pussycat Dolls, is up for best actress in a musical for Sunset Blvd.
Criss is competing with, among others, Jonathan Groff for Just in Time and James Monroe Iglehart for A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical. Groff was last year’s winner in the category for the revival of Merrily We Roll Along. The versatile Criss won a Primetime Emmy for his role as Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018).
George Clooney received his first Tony nod for best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play for Good Night, and Good Luck. Clooney was nominated for Oscars for directing and co-writing (but not acting in) the 2005 film. Clooney is a two-time Oscar winner and the recipient of an honorary Emmy Award, the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
A Special Tony Award will be presented to The Illusions & Technical Effects of Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Jamie Harrison, Chris Fisher, Gary Beestone & Edward Pierce).
As previously announced, the 2025 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to Great Performances, Michael Price, New 42, and The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. The Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award will be presented to Celia Keenan-Bolger. Harvey Fierstein will receive the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
The 2024/2025 eligibility season began April 26, 2024 and ended April 27, 2025. The Tony Awards will be voted in 26 competitive categories by 840 designated Tony voters within the theatre community.
The Tony Awards are produced in collaboration with Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League, and White Cherry Entertainment. Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss are executive producers and showrunners for White Cherry Entertainment. Weiss will serve as director.
The 78th Annual Tony Awards will return to Radio City Music Hall in New York City next month. Hosted for the first time by Cynthia Erivo, The American Theatre Wing’s Tony Awards will broadcast live to both coasts on Sunday, June 8, 2025 (8:00 – 11:00 p.m. ET/5:00 – 8:00 p.m. PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.
CBS and Pluto TV will present The Tony Awards: Act One, a pre-show of live, exclusive content leading into the 78th Annual Tony Awards.
Here’s the full list of 2025 Tony nominations:
Best Musical
Buena Vista Social Club – Producers: Orin Wolf, John Styles, Jr., Barbara Broccoli, Atlantic Theater Company, Viajes Miranda, LaChanze, David Yazbek, John Leguizamo, David F. Schwartz, Zak Kilberg, J. Todd Harris, Cabo Productions, Roy Furman, Hannah Rosenthal, Jamie deRoy/Marvin Rosen, Grove • REG & Frank Marshall, F.K.R.J. Productions, Patrick Milling-Smith/Brian Carmody, DJ Stage Productions, Palitz Wiesenfeld Productions, Richard & Roberta Shaker, Front Row Productions, Cathy Dantchik, Brooke & Brian Devine, Gilad Rogowsky, MacPac Entertainment, No Guarantees Productions, Rhythm & Rain Productions, Hadley Schnuck, James Francis Trezza, Yonge Street Theatricals, Patrick Daly, Olympus Theatricals/Firemused Productions, Ioana Alfonso/Eric Stine, William Berlind/W.M. Klausner, Creative Endeavor Office/Untitled Theatricals, Ruth Hendel/The Kaplans, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra/Philip Van Dijk, Debbie Ohanian/Stone Arch Theatricals, Composite Capital Partners, Larry Levien, Matt Murphy, Marc Platt, Sandy Robertson, Iris Smith, Thomas Steven Perakos/Douglas A. Fellman, Brad Blume/The Klaes’, Ankit Agrawal/Constance Cincotta, Independent Presenters Network, Nick & Nicky Gold, HoriPro Inc., Playful Productions UK, The Shubert Organization, Frederick Zollo, John Gore Organization, Nederlander Presentations Inc., Marco Ramirez, Allan Williams
Dead Outlaw – Producers: Lia Vollack Productions, Sonia Friedman Productions, Roy Furman, Ken & Janet Schur, Cue to Cue Productions, James Bolosh/Hillary Wyatt, Carl Moellenberg/Ricardo Hornos, Carl & Jennifer Pasbjerg/H2H Concord Theatricals, Masquerade Partners, Douglas Denoff, John Gore Organization, GFour Productions, Brian Hedden, KFRJ Productions, Lang Entertainment Group, James L. Nederlander, Marvin Rosen, Stanely S. Shuman, James L. Walker, Jr., Winkler & Smalberg, 42nd.club/Aligned Theatricals, Craig Balsam/Richard Batchelder, Jane Bergère/Willette and Manny Klausner, The Broadway Investor’s Club/Eastern Standard Time, Barbara Chiodo/Adam Cohen, Merrie L. Davis/Tony Spinosa, Noah Eisenberg/Sue Drew, Robin Gorman Newman/Laurence Padgett Productions, LLPR Productions/Patinogal, Mary Maggio/Janet Rosen, Thomas Swayne, Lawryn LaCroix, Audible
Death Becomes Her – Producers: Universal Theatrical Group, James L. Nederlander, Steven Spielberg & Kate Capshaw, Jason Blum & James Wan, Debra Martin Chase, John Gore Organization, Marc Platt, Lowe Cunningham, Marcia Goldberg
Maybe Happy Ending – Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Hunter Arnold, Darren Criss, Dr. Pam Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, NHN Link Corporation, Greg & Lisa Love, Kayla Greenspan, Jayne Baron Sherman, Louise Gund, Spencer Ross, Yonge Street Theatricals, Ruth Hendel, Kaplan-Gopal-MMC, Adam Zotovich, At Rise Creative, Broadway Strategic Return Fund, Curt Cronin, Fahs Productions, Greg Field, Paul Gavriani/Michael Patrick, Rebecca Gold, Grace Street Creative Group, John Gore Organization, Willette & Manny Klausner, Kent Knudsen, James L. Nederlander, Salmira Productions, The Shubert Organization, Jacob Stuckelman & John Albert Harris, Wooran Foundation, You Should Smile More Productions, Mark and David Golub Productions, Diego Kolankowsky, Takonkiet Viravan, Brad Blume, Will Aronson & Hue Park, Hugo Six, Clarissa Cueva, Ali Daylami, Maia Kayla Glasman, Patrick W. Jones, Brandon J. Schwartz, Allan Williams
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical – Producers: Avalon, SpitLip, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen-Turner, Bryan McCaffrey, Walport Productions, LeftNoRing Productions, Barbara Chiodo, Feuille Dooley North Productions, The Shubert Organization, Ken Davenport, Steve & Paula Reynolds, Concord Theatricals, Byron Grote & Susan Miller, John Gore Organization, M. Kilburg Reedy, Sony Music Entertainment, You Should Smile More Productions, Tom Smedes & Peter Stern, Judith Ann Abrams Productions/The Broadway Investor’s Club, Lang Entertainment Group, Alli Folk/Evelyn Hoffman & Gregory Stern, Nick Flatto/Evan & Claudia Caplan Reynolds, Larry Hirschhorn & Ricardo Hornos/Carl & Jennifer Pasbjerg, Independent Presenters Network/Lloyd Tichio Productions, Kendall Kellaway III/Megan Minutillo, Blume Johnson Rubin & Silver, Russell Citron, The Council, Jamie deRoy & Brian Rooney/Corey Brunish & Matthew P. Hui, Dodge Hall Productions, 42nd.club, IJB Productions, Mickey Liddell & Pete Shilaimon, Stephanie P. McClelland, James L. Simon, Mark Weinstein, Adam Cohen/Nick Padgett, Vibecke Dahle Dellapolla/Lynnette Barkley, Willette & Manny Klausner/Elizabeth Faulkner Salem, Michael Page/Burnt Umber Productions, Wallace-Phoebe/Laurie Oki & Alexander Oki, Margot Astrachan/TT Partners, Andrew Fell
Best Revival of a Musical
Floyd Collins – Book/Additional Lyrics: Tina Landau; Music & Lyrics: Adam Guettel; Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Adam Siegel, Naomi Grabel, Ira Weitzman, Creative Partners Productions, Mark Cortale & Charles D. Urstadt
Gypsy – Producers: Tom Kirdahy, Mara Isaacs, Kevin Ryan, Diane Scott Carter, Wendy Federman & Heni Koenigsberg, Roy Furman, Viajes Miranda, Kerry Washington, Peter May, Thomas M. Neff, Cynthia J. Tong, Adam Hyndman, A Perfect Team Productions, Cue to Cue Productions, Da Silva Stone, DMQR Productions, Grant Spark Productions, Marguerite Steed Hoffman, KarmaHendelMcCabe, James L. Nederlander, Janet and Marvin Rosen, Archer Entertainment, Dale Franzen, 42nd.club, Rob Acton, All That JJAS, Mike Audet, Patty Baker, Cohen Soto, Concord Theatricals, Creative Partners Productions, Crumhale Taylor Productions, Ken Davenport, DJD Productions, Flipswitch Entertainment, Frankly Spoken Productions, Roy Gabay, Happy Recap Productions, Sandra and Howard Hoffen, John Gore Organization, Johnson Maggio Productions, Willette and Manny Klausner, Kors Le Pere Theatricals, LaCroix Eisenberg, David Lai, Little Lamb Productions, Bill and Sally Martin, Mohari Media, No Guarantees Productions, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra and Stephen Della Pietra, Regian Davison, Lamar Richardson, Patti and Michael Roberts, RTK Rose, Score 3 Partners, Silva Theatrical Group, Some People, Stone Arch Theatricals, Storyboard Entertainment LE, Mary and Jay Sullivan, The Adams Hendel Group, The Array VI, The Broadway Investor’s Club, Theatre Producers of Color, Tom Tuft, TreAmici Gooding, Waiting in the Wings Productions, Whitney Williams, Sara Beth Zivitz, Jamila Ponton Bragg, The Industry Standard Group
Pirates! The Penzance Musical – Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Scott Ellis, Sydney Beers, Christopher Nave, Steven Showalter, James L. Nederlander, Fran and Paul Turner, ATG Productions/Gavin Kalin Productions
Sunset Blvd. – Producers: The Jamie Lloyd Company, ATG Productions, Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals, Gavin Kalin Productions, Wessex Grove, Christopher Ketner, Aleri Entertainment, Sonia Friedman, Roth-Manella Productions, Winkler Smalberg, Caitlin Clements, 42nd.club, Abrams Johnson, Aron on Broadway, The Array V, At Rise Creative, Bad Robot Live, Craig Balsam, Greg Berlanti, Boardman Cannova Productions, Bob Boyett, Burnt Umber Productions, Patrick Catullo, Crane McGill Trunfio, Core Four Productions, Nicole Eisenberg, The Factor Gavin Partnership, Federman Jenen Koenigsberg, Forshaw Turchin, John Gore, Jake Hine, LAMF Secret Hideout, Jack Lane, Lang Entertainment Group, Lelli Armstrong, Alex Levy, Luftig Reade St. Kawana, Mary Maggio, Jay Marcus, Stephanie P. McClelland, James L. Nederlander, No Guarantees Productions, P3 Productions, Thomas Steven Perakos, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra, Shari Redstone, Regian Davison Buckman, Sand & Snow Entertainment, SBK Productions, The Shubert Organization, Smedes Stern Productions, Tilted, Willowrow Entertainment, WMKlausner
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Darren Criss, Maybe Happy Ending
Andrew Durand, Dead Outlaw
Tom Francis, Sunset Blvd.
Jonathan Groff, Just in Time
James Monroe Iglehart, A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jeremy Jordan, Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Megan Hilty, Death Becomes Her
Audra McDonald, Gypsy
Jasmine Amy Rogers, BOOP! The Musical
Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Blvd.
Jennifer Simard, Death Becomes Her
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, SMASH
Jeb Brown, Dead Outlaw
Danny Burstein, Gypsy
Jak Malone, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical
Taylor Trensch, Floyd Collins
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Natalie Venetia Belcon, Buena Vista Social Club
Julia Knitel, Dead Outlaw
Gracie Lawrence, Just in Time
Justina Machado, Real Women Have Curves: The Musical
Joy Woods, Gypsy
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Dead Outlaw, Music & Lyrics: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Death Becomes Her, Music & Lyrics: Julia Mattison and Noel Carey
Maybe Happy Ending, Music: Will Aronson; Lyrics: Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, Music & Lyrics: David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical, Music & Lyrics: Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez
Best Book of a Musical
Buena Vista Social Club, Marco Ramirez
Dead Outlaw, Itamar Moses
Death Becomes Her, Marco Pennette
Maybe Happy Ending, Will Aronson and Hue Park
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical, David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts
Best Direction of a Musical
Saheem Ali, Buena Vista Social Club
Michael Arden, Maybe Happy Ending
David Cromer, Dead Outlaw
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Blvd.
Best Choreography
Joshua Bergasse, SMASH
Camille A. Brown, Gypsy
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Jerry Mitchell, BOOP! The Musical
Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club
Best Orchestrations
Andrew Resnick and Michael Thurber, Just in Time
Will Aronson, Maybe Happy Ending
Bruce Coughlin, Floyd Collins
Marco Paguia, Buena Vista Social Club
David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Blvd.
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Rachel Hauck, Swept Away
Dane Laffrey and George Reeve, Maybe Happy Ending
Arnulfo Maldonado, Buena Vista Social Club
Derek McLane, Death Becomes Her
Derek McLane, Just in Time
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite, Buena Vista Social Club
Gregg Barnes, BOOP! The Musical
Clint Ramos, Maybe Happy Ending
Paul Tazewell, Death Becomes Her
Catherine Zuber, Just in Time
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Jack Knowles, Sunset Blvd.
Tyler Micoleau, Buena Vista Social Club
Scott Zielinski and Ruey Horng Sun, Floyd Collins
Ben Stanton, Maybe Happy Ending
Justin Townsend, Death Becomes Her
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Jonathan Deans, Buena Vista Social Club
Adam Fisher, Sunset Blvd.
Peter Hylenski, Just in Time
Peter Hylenski, Maybe Happy Ending
Dan Moses Schreier, Floyd Collins
Best Play
English – Author: Sanaz Toossi; Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Scott Ellis, Sydney Beers, Christopher Nave, Steven Showalter, Atlantic Theater Company
The Hills of California – Author: Jez Butterworth; Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, No Guarantees Productions, Neal Street Productions, Brian Spector, Sand & Snow Entertainment, Stephanie P. McClelland, Barry Diller, Reade St. Productions, Van Dean, Andrew Paradis/We R Broadway Artists Alliance, Patty Baker, Wendy Bingham Cox, Bob Boyett, Butcher Brothers, Caitlin Clements, Kallish Weinstein Creative, Michael Scott, Steven Toll & Randy Jones Toll, City Cowboy Productions/Jamie deRoy, JKVL Productions/Padgett Ross Productions, Koenigsberg Riley/Tulchin Bartner Productions, Todd B. Rubin/Carlos Medina, Silly Bears Productions/Omara Productions, Michael Wolk/Cali e Amici, Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Chris Jennings
John Proctor is the Villain – Author: Kimberly Belflower;Producers: Sue Wagner, John Johnson, John Mara, Jr., Runyonland, Eric Falkenstein, Jillian Robbins, Jen Hoguet, Rialto Productions, Corets Gough Kench Cohen, The Shubert Organization, James L. Nederlander, John Gore Organization, Patty Baker, Cue to Cue Productions, Echo Lake Entertainment, Harris Rubin Productions, Klausner & Zell, Jennifer Kroman, Mickey Liddell & Pete Shilaimon, Mahnster Productions, Nathan Winoto, The Cohn Sisters & Stifelman-Burkhardt, Astro Lab Productions, Creative Partners Productions, Sarah Daniels & Christopher Barrett, Frimmer & Benmosche, Joan Rechnitz, Melissa Chamberlain & Michael McCartney, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, McCaffrey & Demar, Alan & Peggy Mendelson, Newport & Smerigan, Jamie deRoy, Jaime Gleicher, Wes Grantom, Meena Harris & Jessica Foung, Los Angeles Media Fund, Corey Steinfast, SunnySpot & Valentine, Turchin Clements, Jane Bergère & Douglas Denoff, Amy Wen & Meister Leonard, 7th Inning Stretch & Stella La Rue, Indie Slingshot, Annaleise Loxton
Oh, Mary! – Author: Cole Escola; Producers: Kevin McCollum & Lucas McMahon, Mike Lavoie & Carlee Briglia, Bob Boyett, The Council, Jean Doumanian Productions, Nicole Eisenberg, Jay Marcus & George Strus, Irony Point, Richard Batchelder/Bradley Reynolds, Tyler Mount/Tommy Doyle, Nelson & Tao, Palomares & Rosenberg, ShowTown Productions
Purpose – Author: Branden Jacobs-Jenkins; Producers: David Stone, Debra Martin Chase, Marc Platt, LaChanze, Rashad V. Chambers, Aaron Glick, Universal Theatrical Group, Eastern Standard Time, Trate Productions, Nancy Nagel Gibbs, James L. Nederlander, John Gore, ATG Entertainment, The Shubert Organization, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Best Revival of a Play
Eureka Day – Author: Jonathan Spector; Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Chris Jennings
Romeo + Juliet – Producers: Seaview, Harbor Entertainment, Kevin Ryan, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Roth-Manella Productions, Kate Cannova, J + J Productions, Julie Boardman, Alexander-Taylor Deignan, Atekwana Hutton, Bensmihen Mann Productions, Patrick Catullo, Chutzpah Productions, Corets Gough Willman Productions, Dave Johnson Productions, DJD Productions, Hornos Moellenberg, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, Mark Gordon Pictures, Oren Michels, No Guarantees Productions, Nothing Ventured Productions, Strus Lynch, Sunset Cruz Productions, Dennis Trunfio, Stephen C. Byrd, Fourth Wall Theatricals, Level Forward, Soto Productions, WMKlausner
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town – Producers: Jeffrey Richards, Samsational Entertainment, Louise Gund, Eric Falkenstein, Suzanne Grant, Patty Baker, Daryl Roth/Tom Tuft, Ronald Frankel, Rebecca Gold, Gabrielle Palitz, Brunish-Rooney-Hui/Laura Little, Thom and Karen Lauzon, Pamela Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, Score 3 Partners, Secret Hideout, David S. Stone, Craig Balsam, John Gore Organization, Caiola Productions, Concord Theatricals, Melissa & Bradford Coolidge, Irene Gandy, Kenny Leon, Willette & Manny Klausner, Andrew Marderian-Davis, Ellen Susman, Leslie Rainbolt, Randy Jones Toll & Steven Toll, James S. Levine, Hank & Kara Steinberg, Alexander “Sandy” Marshall, Ken & Rande Greiner/David Schwartz & Trudy Zohn, Patrick W. Jones, Maia Kayla Glasman, Brandon J. Schwartz, The Shubert Organization
Yellow Face – Author: David Henry Hwang; Producers: Roundabout Theatre Company, Todd Haimes, Scott Ellis, Sydney Beers, Christopher Nave, Steven Showalter
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
Cole Escola, Oh, Mary!
Jon Michael Hill, Purpose
Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face
Harry Lennix, Purpose
Louis McCartney, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Laura Donnelly, The Hills of California
Mia Farrow, The Roommate
LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Purpose
Sadie Sink, John Proctor is the Villain
Sarah Snook, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Glenn Davis, Purpose
Gabriel Ebert, John Proctor is the Villain
Francis Jue, Yellow Face
Bob Odenkirk, Glengarry Glen Ross
Conrad Ricamora, Oh, Mary!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Tala Ashe, English
Jessica Hecht, Eureka Day
Marjan Neshat, English
Fina Strazza, John Proctor is the Villain
Kara Young, Purpose
Best Direction of a Play
Knud Adams, English
Sam Mendes, The Hills of California
Sam Pinkleton, Oh, Mary!
Danya Taymor, John Proctor is the Villain
Kip Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Marsha Ginsberg, English
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Marg Horwell and David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Miriam Buether and 59, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Scott Pask, Good Night, and Good Luck
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brenda Abbandandolo, Good Night, and Good Luck
Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Rob Howell, The Hills of California
Holly Pierson, Oh, Mary!
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Natasha Chivers, The Hills of California
Jon Clark, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Heather Gilbert and David Bengali, Good Night, and Good Luck
Natasha Katz and Hannah Wasileski, John Proctor is the Villain
Nick Schlieper, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Best Sound Design of a Play
Paul Arditti, Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Palmer Hefferan, John Proctor is the Villain
Daniel Kluger, Good Night, and Good Luck
Nick Powell, The Hills of California
Clemence Williams, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Buena Vista Social Club – 10
Death Becomes Her – 10
Maybe Happy Ending – 10
Dead Outlaw – 7
John Proctor is the Villain – 7
Sunset Blvd. – 7
The Hills of California – 7
Floyd Collins – 6
Just in Time – 6
Purpose – 6
The Picture of Dorian Gray – 6
English – 5
Good Night, and Good Luck – 5
Gypsy – 5
Oh, Mary! – 5
Stranger Things: The First Shadow – 5
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical – 4
BOOP! The Musical – 3
Yellow Face – 3
Eureka Day – 2
Real Women Have Curves: The Musical – 2
SMASH – 2
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical – 1
Glengarry Glen Ross – 1
Pirates! The Penzance Musical – 1
Romeo + Juliet – 1
Swept Away – 1
The Roommate – 1
Thornton Wilder’s Our Town – 1
Gold House has announced its 2025 A100 list, with honorees including Bruno Mars, Tyla and Billboard CEO Mike Van. On Thursday (May 1), Gold House unveiled its annual A100 list, which honors the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific leaders across multiple industries. The A100 list also includes special Gold Legend honors for lifetime achievements and […]
Past Grammy nominees Kassa Overall and Brandee Younger are among the six recipients of the 2025 Doris Duke Artist Awards. The award is the largest cash prize in the U.S. dedicated to individual performing artists, specifically those in theater, jazz, and dance.
How large? Each artist is awarded a life-changing $525,000 in unrestricted funds allocated over seven years and an incentive of up to $25,000 to save for retirement. Including the 2025 recipients, the foundation has the distributed a total of more than $40 million to nearly 150 artists through the Doris Duke Artist Awards program.
Overall, 42, was nominated for a Grammy four years ago for best jazz instrumental album as a member of Social Science for Waiting Game, a collab with Terri Lyne Carrington (who was a Doris Duke Award winner in 2019).
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Younger, 41, was nominated for best instrumental composition three years ago for “Beautiful Is Black.” She was the first Black woman to be nominated in that category, which dates to the first Grammy presentations in 1959.
Here’s a quick look at this year’s six Doris Duke Artist Award recipients:
Kassa Overall: Jazz drummer, producer, rapper and bandleader. He has released three studio albums – Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz, I Think I’m Good and Animals. He melds avant-garde experimentation with hip-hop production techniques to tilt the nexus of jazz and rap in unmapped directions.
Brandee Younger: American harpist who blends classical, jazz, soul, and funk influences into her music. Early in her career, Younger worked with a diverse range of artists, including Pharoah Sanders, Common, John Legend, The Roots, and Lauryn Hill. In April 2019, Younger’s original composition “Hortense” was featured Beyoncé’s Netflix concert documentary Homecoming. In 2024, she won the 2024 NAACP Image Award for outstanding jazz album for Brand New Life.
Trajal Harrell: American dancer and choreographer best known for a series entitled “Twenty Looks or Paris is Burning” at The Judson Church. He is considered one of the most important choreographers working in contemporary dance today.
Raja Feather Kelly: Brooklyn-based choreographer known for his surrealist productions. He’s worked on such shows as Fairview and A Strange Loop, and he serves as artistic director for The Feath3r Theory and the New Brooklyn Theatre.
Aya Ogawa: Brooklyn-based playwright, director, performer and translator. Their work explores cultural identity and the immigrant experience, challenging traditional notions of American aesthetics. They use a collaborative process and incorporate diverse perspectives and languages into their performances.
Kaneza Schaal: New York City-based artist working in theater, opera, and film. Her work Flight Into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876–Now was The Met’s first live performance as an integral part of a major exhibition.
This year, the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) is reaffirming its commitment to and investment in the performing arts with $6.2 million in grants to support the national Creative Labor, Creative Conditions campaign.
“We are so proud to announce the 2025 Artist Awards and to stand alongside these artists — and the broader arts community — in their fight for a future where artists have the resources and opportunities they need to live and work,” Ashley Ferro-Murray, arts program director at DDF, said in a statement. “DDF has long supported the performing arts. With Creative Labor, Creative Conditions, we’re building on that commitment — highlighting how artists fuel culture, community, and entire industries, even as their contributions are too often undervalued.”
Doris Duke was a billionaire tobacco heiress, philanthropist, and socialite. She died in 1993 at age 80.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were passed over for an Oscar nomination for their acclaimed score for Challengers, but Reznor’s fellow members of the ASCAP composer and songwriter community voted that score the year’s best — and on Wednesday (April 30), Reznor was honored with the ASCAP Composers’ Choice Award for film score of the year at the 2025 ASCAP Screen Music Awards, held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
Elsewhere, Jeff Toyne won two ASCAP Composers Choice Awards — television score of the year and television theme of the year, both for his work on work on Apple TV+’s Palm Royale. Toyne earlier won a Primetime Emmy in September for outstanding original main title theme music for his work on the show. He was also nominated for a second Primetime Emmy for outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score).
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Chosen by the ASCAP composer and songwriter community, ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards are presented in five categories. Here’s a complete list of this year’s winners:
● Film Score of the Year: Challengers – Trent Reznor
● Television Score of the Year: Palm Royale – Jeff Toyne
● Television Theme of the Year: Palm Royale – Jeff Toyne
● Documentary Score of the Year: Jim Henson: Idea Man – David Fleming
● Video Game Score of the Year: Tales of Kenzera: Zau – Nainita Desai
In other categories, Andrea Datzman was honored with top box office film of the year for the animated family film Inside Out 2. Composer Jeff Cardoni earned top network television series for the sitcom Young Sheldon, while John Sereda received top cable television series for the historical drama When Calls the Heart. David Vanacore was the top winner in the most performed themes & underscore category.
In addition, ASCAP recognized some of the top composers of the past year’s hit streaming series and films. The top streaming series winners include Bear McCreary for the epic fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Michael Abels for his tone-setting score in the sci-fi mystery-thriller The Acolyte, Jamie Jackson and WAZ for the comedy crime drama Bad Monkey, and Rupert Gregson-Williams for his score and Josh Kear & Meghan Trainor for their theme to the whodunit crime drama The Perfect Couple.
Among the top streaming films winners, Hans Zimmer was honored for his score to the historical World War II drama Blitz, Lorne Balfe received recognition for the action thriller Carry-On, Amelia Warner was recognized for the biographical sports film Young Woman and the Sea, and Siddhartha Khosla was celebrated for the romantic book-to-film adaptation of The Idea of You.
The complete list of winners is available on the ASCAP website: www.ascap.com/screenawards25.
Barbra Streisand fans woke up to wonderful news Wednesday morning (April 29): The diva of all divas is releasing a new studio album, The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two, on her longtime label Columbia Records on June 27. To say the album is star-studded is an understatement. Her duet partners on the 10 tracks include Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande, James Taylor and Sting.
The album appears to be an instant front-runner to win the Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album. If it does score a W, it will be Streisand’s first Grammy win in 39 years, since she won best pop vocal performance, female for The Broadway Album in 1987. That would be an extraordinarily long gap between Grammys for an artist of Streisand’s stature, but she has endured it without complaint.
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Streisand has gone so long without a Grammy win that she has never won for best traditional pop vocal album. The category was introduced at the 1991 ceremony. She has been nominated in that category 13 times, second only to Tony Bennett, who was nominated 17 times.
Streisand won her first two Grammys in 1964, so a win early next year would give her a 62-year span of Grammys. That would set a new record for the longest span of Grammy wins (in any category). Bennett’s wins spanned 59 years, from 1963 to 2022, when he won best traditional pop vocal album for Love for Sale, his collab with Lady Gaga.
The roster of guest stars on the new album includes three past winners in the category: McCartney, who won in 2013 for Kisses on the Bottom; Taylor, who won in 2021 for American Standard and Laufey, who won in 2024 for Bewitched.
Three other guest stars on the album have been nominated in that category, though they haven’t won yet. Dylan and Josh Groban have each been nominated three times. Seal has been nominated once.
Before this long Grammy drought, Streisand was a frequent Grammy winner. In 1964, at age 22, she won album of the year for her debut album, The Barbra Streisand Album. She was the youngest winner in that category until 1996, when Alanis Morissette won at age 21 for Jagged Little Pill. The record is currently held by Billie Eilish, who was just 18 in 2020 when she won for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Streisand has received six album of the year nominations, which was the record for a female artist until Taylor Swift landed her seventh nod late last year.
Streisand won the Grammy Award for best female pop vocal performance three years running (1964-66), matching Ella Fitzgerald’s threepeat from 1959 to 1961. No one else has ever won three years in a row in that category or its gender-neutral successor category, best pop solo performance.
The new album includes “One Heart, One Voice,” a collab with Carey and Grande. The collab features three of the greatest singers of their respective generations: Streisand, 83; Carey, 56; and Grande, 31. In a way, it echoes a three-way collab on The Judy Garland Show in October 1963, when Streisand, then just 22, teamed with Judy Garland, then 41, and Ethel Merman, then 55, to sing Irving Berlin’s “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”
Groban is the only guest on The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two who was also featured on Partners. The two stars team to sing “Where Do I Go From You?” on the new album. They sang “Somewhere” from West Side Story on Partners.
The new album includes a collab with country star Tim McGraw. Partners, likewise, included a collab with a country star — Blake Shelton. Streisand teamed with country great Vince Gill in 1999 to record “If You Ever Leave Me” for her album A Love Like Ours.
The new album’s Grammy pedigree is also shown by the opening track, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Roberta Flack’s original version won record of the year in 1973. The song, written in 1957 by Ewan MacColl, also won song of the year.
In titling this album The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two, Columbia is glossing over Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway, which was Streisand’s follow-up to Partners. Like its predecessor, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and received a Grammy nod for best traditional pop vocal album.
Will Streisand’s long Grammy draught end early next year? Place your bets.
The Tony Awards, in partnership with Audience Rewards, Broadway’s loyalty program for theater fans, has announced the return of the Official Tony Awards Challenge game. Beginning at noon ET on Thursday (May 1), following the announcement of the 2025 Tony Award nominations, Broadway fans can participate in an interactive ballot-style game in which they try to predict the winners of the Tony Awards in each of the 26 categories. Fans will have a chance to win a number of prizes, including a Dream Week on Broadway that includes airfare, hotel and tickets to five Broadway shows of their choice.
This year, all entrants who complete a ballot will automatically receive 500 Audience Rewards ShowPoints, regardless of the number of correct guesses. That’s enough points to redeem for an orchestra seat to a Broadway show for as low as $36. To play, visit the Tony Awards Challenge’s website. Players must be Audience Rewards members to enter. The program is free to join.
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“Audience Rewards brings theater fans insider access to Broadway tickets and theater experiences all season long, with the Tony Awards Challenge as the exciting grand finale to a wonderful year,” Katie Dalton, executive vice president of Audience Rewards, said in a statement. “This is always a fan-favorite, and this year is even more exciting since participants will get points just for participating!”
“We’re so excited to partner with Audience Rewards once again for the Official Tony Awards Challenge, which is an amazing opportunity for Broadway fans to become part of the action,” said Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, president and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “We hope that all theater lovers all over will participate in the Challenge and continue to support the wide array of incredible Broadway productions.”
By guessing all 26 categories correctly, one grand prize winner could receive a Dream Week on Broadway, including:
Roundtrip airfare for the winner and a guest to New York City
Seven days/six nights in the Tony Awards Terrace Suite at Sofitel New York
Tickets to five Broadway shows of the winner’s choice for that person and a guest
Tickets to the Museum of Broadway and a gift card for iconic Broadway eatery Sardi’s
In addition to the grand prize winner, the runner-up will receive 20,000 Audience Rewards ShowPoints redeemable for Broadway tickets, merchandise and exclusive experiences of their choice.
Hosted by Tony Award-winner Cynthia Erivo, the 78th Annual Tony Awards will return to Radio City Music Hall in New York City, broadcasting live to both coasts, Sunday, June 8 (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) on CBS, and streaming on Paramount+.
Audience Rewards is Broadway’s Official Loyalty Program, providing benefits and rewards for more than 3 million members. Free and easy to join, Audience Rewards allows ticket buyers to earn ShowPoints on every purchase, to be redeemed for free tickets, theater collectibles, unique experiences and more. Founded in 2008 by Broadway’s prominent theater owners, including Nederlander, Shubert and ATG, Audience Rewards has offered members first-access presales to more than 100 Broadway shows and 200 VIP experiences and events.
See below for rules and guidelines:
The Official Tony Awards Challenge, hosted by Audience Rewards in partnership with The Tony Awards, will begin on Thursday, May 1, at approximately 12 p.m. ET.
To play, entrants must either be pre-existing Audience Rewards members, or they can join the program for free to participate.
Players will guess/predict who they think will win in each of the 26 Tony categories. The grand prize for correctly guessing all 26 categories is the Dream Week on Broadway package.
Once players complete their ballot, they can adjust their predictions until 3 p.m. ET on Tony Sunday, June 8.
Submit your guesses online and then tune in to the Tony Awards live on Sunday, June 8 to see how many you guessed correctly!
Full terms and conditions are available at the Tony Awards Challenge site.
The Red Clay Strays were notified that they had won the ACM Award for new duo or group of the year on Monday (April 28) while recording with producer Dave Cobb in Savannah, Ga. Cobb also produced their first major-label album, Made by These Moments, which reached No. 9 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 29 on the all-genre Billboard 200.
The news was revealed to the band by the winningest artist in ACM history, Miranda Lambert, via a congratulatory phone call. Lambert previously informed Ella Langley of her win for new female artist of the year.
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Restless Road and Treaty Oak Revival were the other nominees for new duo or group of the year. This was the second nomination in the category for Restless Road, which means they cannot compete in this category again. Because the major country music awards shows allow artists two nominations in new artist categories, Treaty Oak Revival can.
The Red Clay Strays are also nominated for group of the year, where they are squaring off with Flatland Cavalry and three past winners in the category – Little Big Town, Old Dominion and Rascal Flatts.
The Red Clay Strays won emerging artist of the year at the 2024 Americana Music Honors & Awards. They were nominated for vocal group of the year at the 2024 CMA Awards.
The group has had some big breaks, including having a song (“Caddo County”) on the best-selling Twisters: The Album, and opening selected dates on The Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds tour.
Hailing from Mobile, Alabama, the band is comprised of Brandon Coleman (lead vocals, guitar), Drew Nix (guitar and vocals), Zach Rishel (guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass), John Hall (drums), and Sevans Henderson (keys).
Langley and Zach Top, the winner for new male artist of the year, are set to perform on the 60th ACM Awards. The Red Clay Strays will probably also join the line-up of performers, though for now we are told only that they “will be celebrated” on the show.
The 60th ACM Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will stream live exclusively for a global audience on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch on Thursday, May 8 at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. A limited number of tickets to the landmark 60th ACM Awards are available for purchase on SeatGeek.
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.
Australian punks Amyl and The Sniffers have taken out the song of the year at the 2025 APRA Music Awards, held Wednesday (April 30) at Melbourne Town Hall.
The Melbourne group received the coveted peer-voted award for their track “U Should Not Be Doing That,” which was released as the lead single for their 2024 album Cartoon Darkness. The record itself became the group’s second consecutive release to hit No. 2 on the ARIA charts, while the single received a nomination for best video at the 2024 ARIA Awards.
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The award caps off an impressive run for the four-piece, having recently wrapped up two weekends at Coachella as part of their North American tour, and taking out both best live act and best LP/EP at the 2025 Rolling Stone Australia Awards.
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Troye Sivan, meanwhile, was named songwriter of the year, just shy of the one-year anniversary of “Rush” being named song of the year at the 2024 ceremony.
“Songwriting is my favorite thing that I get to do. I think it’ll be something that I do for the rest of my life,” Sivan said of his win. “I feel like it’s, one of the greatest gifts that I was born with. Not even the ability to write a good song, just the ability to create at all.”
While Otis Pavlovic and Royel Maddell of Royel Otis received the emerging songwriter of the year award just months after winning four trophies at the ARIA Awards, Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker emerged as the night’s big winner, being honored in the categories of most performed Australian work and most performed pop work.
In both instances, Parker’s win was for Dua Lipa‘s “Houdini,” which he co-wrote alongside Lipa and international writers Caroline Ailin, Danny Harle and Tobias Jesso Jr. Released in November 2023, the single topped the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, and reached a respectable No. 11 on the Hot 100.
Sia‘s “Unstoppable” was named most performed Australian work overseas, while Tate McRae’s “Greedy” took out most performed international work. King Stingray, Ziggy Alberts, Make Them Suffer, Kaiit, Lithe, and Dom Dolla also emerged victorious in their respective genre categories, while Kylie Minogue took out the previously-announced Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music.
The 2025 edition of the APRAs cemented “another huge year for Australian music, both at home and overseas,” comments APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston.
“It’s heartwarming to see so many first-time winners this year, showcasing the incredible breadth of talent Australia produces, and it’s a testament to the opportunity of Australia becoming a global songwriting powerhouse,” he added.
“With an election just days away, we hope that both sides of government can see the immense talent we have here, and the opportunities to build a stronger, fairer, more vibrant future for Australian music, recognising our music as the global cultural powerhouse and valuable export that it so clearly is.”
Established in 1982, the Australasian Performing Right Association’s annual songwriters’ ceremony is one of the Australian music industry’s most treasured events, a worthy counterpart to Britain’s Ivor Novello Awards.
Full List of 2025 APRA Music Awards winners:
Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year
Title: U Should Not Be Doing ThatArtist: Amyl and The SniffersWriters: Declan Mehrtens / Fergus Romer / Amy Taylor / Bryce Wilson
Songwriter of the Year
Writer: Troye SivanPublisher: Universal Music Publishing
Emerging Songwriter of the Year
Writers: Otis Pavlovic & Royel Maddell (Royel Otis)Publishers: Kobalt Music Publishing obo Ourness Songs
International Recognition Award
Keanu Torres (Keanu Beats)
Most Performed Australian Work
Title: HoudiniArtist: Dua LipaWriters: Kevin Parker / Dua Lipa*^ / Caroline Ailin / Daniel Harle / Tobias Jesso Jr.^Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music* / Universal Music Publishing^
Most Performed Australian Work Overseas
Title: UnstoppableArtist: SiaWriter: Sia Furler / Christopher Braide*Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Concord Music Publishing ANZ*
Most Performed Alternative Work
Title: ParadiseArtist: CoterieWriters: Brandford Fisher / Conrad Fisher / Joshua Fisher / Tyler Fisher / Robby De Sa*Publishers: Concord Music Publishing ANZ / Sony Music Publishing*
Most Performed Blues & Roots Work
Title: New LoveArtist: Ziggy AlbertsWriter: Ziggy AlbertsPublisher: Kobalt Music Publishing
Most Performed Country Work
Title: Take Forever (Hally’s Song)Artist: Cooper AlanWriters: Kylie Sackley* / Timothy Cooper^ / Justin Morgan+Publishers: I Love You More Music Worldwide* / BMG^ / SHOUT! Music Publishing+
Most Performed Dance/Electronic Work
Title: Saving UpArtist: Dom DollaWriters: Dominic Matheson / Clementine Douglas* / Toby Scott^ / Caitlin Stubbs^Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Mushroom Music Publishing* / Kobalt Music Publishing^
Most Performed Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Work
Title: EpitaphArtist: Make Them SufferWriters: Sean Harmanis / Nicholas McLernon / Jordan Mather / Alexandra Reade / Jeff DunneCooking Vinyl Publishing
Most Performed Hip Hop / Rap Work
Title: Fall BackArtist: LitheWriters: Josiah Ramel* / Omid KhasrawyPublisher: Concord Music Publishing ANZ obo Boss Level*
Most Performed International Work
Title: Greedy Artist: Tate McRae Writers: Tate McRae / Amy Allen* / Jasper Harris^ / Ryan TedderPublishers: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music* / Concord Music Publishing ANZ^
Most Performed Pop Work
Title: HoudiniArtist: Dua LipaWriters: Kevin Parker / Dua Lipa*^ / Caroline Ailin / Daniel Harle / Tobias Jesso Jr.^Publishers: Sony Music Publishing / Warner Chappell Music* / Universal Music Publishing^
Most Performed R&B / Soul Work
Title: SpaceArtist: KaiitWriters: Kaiit Waup / Jake Amy / Anthony Liddell / Jaydean Miranda / Justin Smith
Most Performed Rock Work
Title: Through The TreesArtist: King StingrayWriters: Theo Dimathaya Burarrwanga / Roy Kellaway* / Campbell Messer / Yirrŋa Gotjiringu Yunupingu* / Yimila Gurruwiwi / Lewis StilesPublisher: Sony Music Publishing*
Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Service to Australian Music
Kylie Minogue
Licensee of the Year
Lazybones Lounge Restaurant & Bar