Awards
Page: 73
Luke Combs leads the nominations for the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards with eight nods, including entertainer of the year, male artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year, and single of the year.
Megan Moroney and Morgan Wallen are next in line with six nods each. That makes Moroney the year’s most-nominated woman. She is vying for both female artist of the year and new female artist of the year.
Wallen ties Combs for receiving nods in the most categories, including album of the year for One Thing at a Time, which spent 19 weeks at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, setting a new record for a country album. Wallen is also nominated for single of the year for “Last Night,” which is the longest-running No. 1 solo song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 with 16 weeks on top. Wallen is also nominated for male artist of the year, which he won last year for the first time.
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Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson received five nominations each, followed by Jelly Roll and Jordan Davis with four nods each and Kelsea Ballerini and Zach Bryan with three nods each.
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) and Dick Clark Productions (DCP) announced nominations for the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards on The Bobby Bones Show on Tuesday (April 9).
First-time nominee Jelly Roll’s four nods include entertainer of the year. The last artist to be nominated for entertainer of the year as part of his first set of nominations was Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992, the same year he gained fame for his smash hit “Achy Breaky Heart.”
Combs and Wilson are nominees for entertainer of the year. A win by either artist will clinch the ACM’s Triple Crown Award, which consists of an entertainer of the year win, plus wins in an act’s respective new artist and artist categories. Past ACM Triple Crown Award recipients include Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood and Kenny Chesney.
Several acts extended long streaks of nominations in their categories.
Little Big Town receives its 18th nomination for group of the year, which ties Alabama for the most nods in the category. Little Big Town has been nominated in the category every year since 2005, with the exception of 2011.
Brothers Osborne is nominated for duo of the year for the 10th year in a row. The pair has won the award four times, including last year.
Stapleton received his ninth consecutive nomination for male artist of the year, an award he has won three times in the past. Stapleton is also nominated for entertainer of the year, which he won for the first time last year.
Old Dominion is nominated for group of the year for the ninth consecutive year. The group has taken home the award every year for the last six years. Old Dominion is also the year’s only group or duo to receive multiple nominations. They are also nominated for music event of the year.
Kacey Musgraves receives her eighth nomination for female artist of the year. She won the award in 2018, the same year she won album of the year for Golden Hour.
Ballerini is nominated for female artist of the year for the seventh time. She’s also nominated for album of the year for the first time for Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good).
This is the fifth year in a row that Combs has been nominated for both male artist of the year and entertainer of the year.
This is the first time since 2018 that the new duo/group category will be presented at the ACM Awards. The nominees are Neon Union, Restless Road and Tigirlily Gold.
Other first-time artist nominees include Kassi Ashton, Tyler Childers, Ashley Cooke, Hannah Ellis, Flatland Cavalry, Jelly Roll, Kameron Marlowe, Kylie Morgan and Conner Smith.
The single of the year and visual media of the year categories will both have first-time winners in those categories this year, as there are no previous winners nominated in either category.
The eligibility period for the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards was Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2023, which explains the absence of such albums as Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter and Musgraves’ Deeper Well. They will be eligible next year.
In some cases, an artist may receive more than one nomination per category, if they are also credited as a producer, director or songwriter.
Awards are voted on by members of the Academy of Country Music, which boasts a record-high membership this year of more than 5,000 members.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions. Raj Kapoor is executive producer and showrunner, with Patrick Menton as co-executive producer. Damon Whiteside serves as executive producer for the Academy of Country Music, and Barry Adelman serves as executive producer for DCP. John Saade serves as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.
The ACM Awards, which bills itself as “Country Music’s Party of the Year,” will stream live exclusively for a global audience on Prime Video on Thursday, May 16, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The full rebroadcast will be available directly following the stream on Prime Video and also the next day for free on Amazon Freevee and the Amazon Music app.
A limited number of tickets to the 59th ACM Awards are available for purchase on SeatGeek.
The following is the full list of nominees for the Main Awards, Studio Recording Awards, and Industry Awards categories:
Entertainer of the year
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Female artist of the year
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Male artist of the year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Duo of the year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
Group of the year
Flatland Cavalry
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
New female artist of the year
Kassi Ashton
Ashley Cooke
Hannah Ellis
Kylie Morgan
Megan Moroney
New male artist of the year
ERNEST
Kameron Marlowe
Dylan Scott
Conner Smith
Nate Smith
New duo or group of the year
Neon Union
Restless Road
Tigirlily Gold
Album of the year
[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs; Producer: Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs; Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
Higher – Chris Stapleton; Producer: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton; Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville
Leather – Cody Johnson; Producers: Trent Willmon; Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville LLC
One Thing at a Time – Morgan Wallen; Producers: Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett; Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) – Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment
Single of the year
[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
“Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum; Producer: Jon Randall; Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Record Company-Label: River House Artists / Columbia Nashville
“Last Night” – Morgan Wallen; Producer: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome; Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury Records
“Need a Favor” – Jelly Roll; Producer: Austin Nivarel; Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
Song of the year
[Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; Songwriters: Tracy Chapman; Publishers: Purple Rabbit
“Heart Like a Truck” – Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson; Publishers: Sony / ATV Countryside; Songs of Riser House; Songs of Wild Cat Well Music
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Songwriters: Chase McGill, Greylan James, Jordan Davis, Josh Osborne; Publishers: Family Farm Songs; Hold On Can I Get A Number 1 Music; Songs of Universal Inc.
“The Painter” – Cody Johnson; Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins; Publishers: Big Music Machine; BMG Platinum Songs US; Nashblonde Music; Pompano Run Music; Songs for Ellie May; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Group; Well That Was Awkward Music
“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney; Songwriters: Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins; Publishers: 33 Creative; Bone Bone Creative; Sony / ATV Tree Publishing
Music event of the year
[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
“Can’t Break Up Now” – Old Dominion, Megan Moroney; Producers: Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Ross Copperman, Kristian Bush; Record Company-Label: Three Up Three Down, LLC / Columbia Nashville
“Different ‘Round Here” – Riley Green (Ft. Luke Combs); Producer: Dann Huff; Record Company-Label: BMLG Records
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (feat. Kacey Musgraves); Producer: Zach Bryan; Record Company-Label: Belting Bronco Records / Warner Records, Inc
“Man Made a Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church); Producer: Joey Moi; Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Mercury Records / Republic Records
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson); Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens; Record Company-Label: Stoney Creek Records / BMG Nashville
Visual media of the year
[Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
“Burn It Down” – Parker McCollum; Producers: Christen Pinkston &Wesley Stebbins-Perry; Director: Dustin Haney
“Human” – Cody Johnson; Producer: Christen Pinkston &Wesley Stebbins-Perry; Director: Dustin Haney
“In Your Love” – Tyler Childers; Producer: Kacie Barton, Whitney Wolanin, Nicholas Robespierre, Ian Thorton, Silas House; Director: Bryan Schlam
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Producer: Jamie Stratakis; Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)
“Tennessee Orange – Megan Moroney; Producer: Lauren Starr, Saul Levitz, Laura Burhenn; Director: Jason Lester
Songwriter of the year
Jessie Jo Dillon
Ashley Gorley
Hillary Lindsey
Chase McGill
Josh Thompson
Artist-songwriter of the year
Zach Bryan
ERNEST
HARDY
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
The 2024 ACM Studio Recording Awards and Industry Awards will be presented to recipients at the 17th Academy of Country Music Honors, a special event held annually in August in Nashville.
Bass player of the year
Tony Lucido
Steve Mackey
Lex Price
Jimmie Lee Sloas
Craig Young
Drummer of the year
Fred Eltringham
Evan Hutchings
Greg Morrow
Jerry Roe
Nir Z
Acoustic guitar player of the year
Todd Lombardo
Danny Rader
Bryan Sutton
Ilya Toshinskiy
Charlie Worsham
Piano/keyboards player of the year
Jim “Moose” Brown
David Dorn
Charlie Judge
Billy Justineau
Alex Wright
Specialty instrument player of the year
Dan Dugmore
Paul Franklin
Josh Matheny
Justin Schipper
Bryan Sutton
Electric guitar player of the year
Tom Bukovac
Kris Donegan
Jedd Hughes
Rob McNelley
Sol Philcox-Littlefield
Audio engineer of the year
Drew Bollman
Jeff Braun
Jim Cooley
Jason Hall
Buckley Miller
F. Reid Shippen
Producer of the year
Charlie Handsome
Dann Huff
Joey Moi
Jon Randall
Derek Wells
Casino of the year – theater
Choctaw Grand Theater – Durant, OK
Deadwood Mountain Grand – Deadwood, SD
Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, CT
Lucas Oil Live at WinStar World Casino and Resort – Thackerville, OK
Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
Casino of the year – arena
Golden Nugget Lake Charles – Lake Charles, LA
Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena – Atlantic City, NJ
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT
Mystic Lake Casino Showroom – Prior Lake, MN
Festival of the year
Carolina Country Music Fest – Myrtle Beach, SC
CMC Rocks – Ipswich, Queensland
Crash My Playa – Riviera Cancun, Mexico
Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Windy City Smokeout – Chicago, IL
Fair/rodeo of the year
Auburn Rodeo – Opelika, AL
Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, WY
Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, IA
Minnesota State Fair – Falcon Heights, MN
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – San Antonio, TX
Club of the year
8 Seconds Saloon – Indianapolis, IN
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
Georgia Theatre – Athens, GA
Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL
Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO
Theater of the year
Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
The Franklin Theatre – Franklin, TN
Moody Theater – Austin, TX
Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
Tabernacle – Atlanta, GA
Outdoor venue of the year
Ascend Amphitheater – Nashville, TN
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
Saint Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL
Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL
Arena of the year
Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX
Hertz Arena – Estero, FL
KFC Yum! Center – Louisville, KY
T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO
Don Romeo talent buyer of the year
Gil Cunningham
Andrew Fortin
Nicole More
Stacy Vee
Ed Warm
Promoter of the year
Jered Johnson
Patrick McDill
Brian O’Connell
Aaron Spalding
Adam Weiser
DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldrige. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.
The Libertines are on target for the U.K. albums chart title, their first in 20 years.
Based on midweek sales and streaming data tallied by the Official Charts Company, the critically adored indie-rock outfit takes the lead with All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade (via EMI), their fourth studio album.
The British act, comprising Carl Barât, Pete Doherty, John Hassall and Gary Powell, opened their chart account with their celebrated 2002 debut Up The Bracket (peaking at No. 35), then, following a tide of glowing features in the music press, hit No. 1 with their eponymously-titled sophomore album from 2004. Their 2015 comeback album, Anthems For Doomed Youth, also cracked the top 10, peaking at No. 3.
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All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade leads an all-new top 4 on the chart blast.
Coming in at No. 2 on the midweek tally is British band The K’s debut LP I Wonder If The World Knows? (LAB), while U.S. singer and songwriter Conan Gray is predicted to complete the podium with Found Heaven (Island), which features production from Swedish maestro Max Martin. It’s new at No. 3 on the Official Chart Update.
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Meanwhile, British indie rock veterans Feeder is targeting an 11th top 10 appearance with Black/Red (Big Teeth), new at No. 4 on the chart blast, while U.S. blues-rockers the Black Keys’ could snag a sixth U.K. top 10 with their 12th record Ohio Players (Nonesuch), new at No. 6 on the chart blast.
J. Cole has been in the headlines of late. The U.S. rapper and songwriter surprise-dropped Might Delete Later (Interscope) last week, which included a Kendrick Lamar diss track, “7 Minute Drill,” a track he promptly apologized for. Might Delete Later might start at No. 7, based on midweek data, and should collect a third top 10 for Cole following 2018’s KOD (No. 2) and 2021’s The Off-Season (No. 2).
Finally, a string of recording are poised for top 40 berths. Among them, releases from Khruangbin (A LA SALA at No. 8 via Dead Oceans), Vampire Weekend (Only God Was Above Us at No. 9 via Columbia), Bob Vylan (Humble As The Sun at No. 11), Benson Boone (Fireworks & Rollerblades at No. 16 via Warner Records), Hawkwind (Stories From Time And Space at No. 20 via Cherry Red), Palace (Ultrasound at No. 22 via Fiction), Bryson Tiller (Bryson Tiller at No. 28 via Relentless), and Cock Sparrer (Hand On Heart at No. 33 via Cherry Red).
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday, April 12.
Kelsea Ballerini took the stage at the 2024 CMT Music Awards on Sunday night (April 7) to perform her throwback hit, “Love Me Like You Mean It,” but not everyone was a fan of her bold fashion choice. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The 30-year-old country […]
Maren Morris was nominated for performance of the year with Hozier for their 2023 duet on his song “Take Me to Church” from CMT Crossroads at Sunday night’s (April 7) 2024 CMT Awards. But in a pair of Instagram Story videos posted earlier in the day the 33-year-old “The Bones” singer told fans she would […]
You don’t want to miss Elton John & Bernie Taupin: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, which will air in primetime on PBS stations nationwide on Monday (April 8). (Check local listings.)
The two-hour special was taped during a tribute concert at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. on March 20. Billboard had a (lucky) correspondent in the room, who filed this report.
The success of the show is a tribute to the quality and range of the songs written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, of course, and also to smart production choices by Ken Ehrlich, who executive produced and wrote the show. Ehrlich, who oversaw the annual Grammy telecast for 40 years, incorporated talk segments with both songwriters, as well as Elton’s long-time music director Davey Johnstone; past Gershwin Prize recipients Sir Paul McCartney (the only previous British honoree), Carole King, Stevie Wonder and Emilio & Gloria Estefan; and Robert Hilburn, the former Los Angeles Times pop music critic whose rave review of Elton’s 1970 show at the Troubadour in L.A. gave the singer a big boost.
Those talk segments provide much context and insight. In one, Elton said how much American music has always meant to him. “Thank you, America, for the music you’ve given us all over the world. It’s an incredible legacy that you have – all the wonderful blues, the jazz, classical, all the songs the Gershwin brothers [George and Ira] wrote. It’s just incredible. … I’m so proud to be British and to be here in America to receive this award, because all my heroes were American.”
Elton also put his music with Bernie in the context of the Great American Songbook. “We write songs that we hope will last. And our songs have lasted – and so have the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hammerstein, all those wonderful people. The Cole Porters of the world. They wrote classic songs, and once you write a classic that people love, it never goes away.”
Elton’s band backed the various artists, leading Elton to say “This is the first time in my life where I have sat in the audience and listened to my band. And I know they’re good, but they’re amazing!” He also paid the ultimate tribute to his partner. “He gives me the lyrics and then I write the song. Without the lyrics, I’d be working in any record store in the world.”
Elton John and Bernie Taupin: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song is a co-production of WETA Washington, D.C.; Ken Ehrlich Productions, Inc.; and the Library of Congress. It will be available via broadcast and streaming on PBS.org and the PBS App.
An end title card dedicated the show to Tony Bennett, the 2017 Gershwin Prize recipient, who died in July at 96. The show honoring Bennett and last year’s show honoring Joni Mitchell both received Primetime Emmy nods. This show also deserves Emmy consideration.
All but one of the 14 songs performed on the show appeared on Billboard’s 2022 ranking The 75 Best Elton John Songs: Staff List, which was keyed to the star’s 75th birthday that year. If you missed it, here it is. Read it before or after the show, but not during. You don’t want to miss a moment.
Here are all the performances on the show ranked from least to most memorable. (Three artists performed multiple songs. We listed their songs together.) No shade to the performers who aren’t ranked high: The competition for “best of the night” honors was fierce. And how can Elton not be No. 1 on his own tribute? We’ve all heard him sing his songs many times, so there was no element of surprise there like there was with the top three selections.
Charlie Puth, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” (1974)
We look at all the performances featured during Sunday night’s (April 7) CMT Music Awards in Austin, Texas.
To hear Jelly Roll tell it, the three prizes he took home at Sunday’s (April 7) 2024 CMT Music Awards don’t hold a candle to his ultimate reward: seeing Bunnie XO, his wife of eight years, getting all the shine she deserves.
In an interview with Billboard News’ Tetris Kelly on the CMT red carpet Sunday, Jelly Roll beamed when asked about how amazing it was to see Bunnie doing a hosting gig backstage and her other solo endeavors.
“The coolest moment I’ve had this entire process is … when I walked out, they had a placard with my name for where my seat was and then her placard,” Jelly said proudly. “I was like, ‘You’re not a plus-one no more, baby! You’re a seat!’”
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Jelly was the biggest winner at Sunday night’s CMT Awards, heading into the show with a leading three nominations and leaving with all three awards — his second year in a row to take home a trio of hardware at the CMTs. The singer/songwriter was especially honored to be facing some very friendly competition for video of the year in Cody Johnson and Kelsea Ballerini, the night’s host; Jelly Roll eventually took home the fan-voted top prize, for “Need a Favor.”
“The coolest part is, Kelsea’s my friend. Cody’s my friend,” he told Billboard News. “And I don’t mean in the way we say friends in the industry – because we’re all ‘friends’ here, right? – but in a real way, of like, I’ve spent real time with them. I’ve spent hours on the phone with Cody, multiple dinners, hung out with him multiple times. I’ve spent real time with Kelsea and Chase,” he said, referencing Ballerini’s Outer Banks star boyfriend Chase Stokes. “These are my friends. So it’s cool.”
Before setting out for his triple-win night, Tetris asked Jelly to describe his breakthrough year in one word.
“Unbelievable,” he said without hesitation. “I’m going to look back one day on all this and be like, ‘What the f— was going on in that decade?’”
Watch Jelly Roll’s interview below:
After a tumultuous youth that found him in and out of jail, Jelly Roll’s winning streak continued at the 2024 CMT Music Awards on Sunday (April 7) at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The country breakthrough took the stage three times during the awards broadcast to accept trophies, winning every award he was up for that night.
“I want to thank my beautiful wife and my daughter at home,” Jelly Roll said after winning his first on-camera award, for CMT performance of the year. “I sang ‘Need a Favor’ for the first time on national television right here… in that last year you have changed my life in every way I never thought my life could be changed.”
Later that night, Minnie Driver revealed Jelly Roll had won male video of the year for “Need a Favor.” Shaking his head in disbelief, Jelly Roll kissed his wife, Bunnie XO, hugged Cody Johnson (the two pals even kissed each other on the cheeks) and walked up to the stage as the crowd erupted in cheers.
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“My brother, Cody Johnson – ‘The Painter,’ that was one of the best music videos I’ve ever seen in my life,” Jelly Roll raved after besting Johnson for the award. “I’m having one of the greatest nights of my life,” he noted. But the hitmaker’s speech wasn’t just about himself. True to form, he gave an emotional shout-out out the current residents of one of the jails he spent time in growing up, as well as those doing time at Austin’s juvenile detention center. “It’s important that I stand up here tonight and represent those looking for second chances. The kids back in the Metro-Davidson Detention Facility and the kids down here in the Austin Juvenile Detention Facility watching this tonight, I’m cheering y’all boys on. You can be this guy. You can change. You can turn it around. I promise you can, baby.”
Jelly Roll was back on stage after winning the video of the year award, which Billy Bob Thornton handed to him.
“Billy Bob Thornton just gave me my third trophy of the night, y’all!” he shouted. “Cody Johnson, I’m not going to tell you anything up here I don’t tell you on the phone, but I love you brother. You are my favorite cowboy forever and ever and one of my best friends in the business. Kelsea Ballerini, you know what I think of you – you go baby.”
The star also thanked his manager, John Meneilly, his publicist, Jennifer Vessio, his label, Stoney Creek, and of course wife, Bunnie XO. “I am blessed to have you as a best friend, I am blessed to have you as a partner,” he said. He also provided a good-natured heads-up to Gayle King, who co-hosts CBS Mornings. “Gayle King, I’m gonna be a little late in the morning, because we’re gonna party, Austin.”
After that, he took the stage one final time to rip through a performance of “Halfway to Hell,” a top 15 Country Airplay hit from his album Whitsitt Chapel.
Jelly Roll really is on a roll. The powerful singer and colorful personality won a night-leading three awards at the 2024 CMT Music Awards for the second year in a row. The awards, hosted by Kelsea Ballerini, were presented at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday (April 7) and broadcast on CBS.
Jelly Roll took video of the year, male video of the year and CMT performance of the year, all for “Need a Favor.” Last year, he won male video of the year, male breakthrough video of the year and CMT digital-first performance of the year, all for “Son of a Sinner.”
“Need a Favor” reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. This is the third year in a row that the music video of the year winner was a top 15 hit on Billboard’s flagship all-genre songs chart. Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown’s “Thank God,” last year’s winner, also reached No. 13. Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood’s “If I Didn’t Love You,” the 2022 winner, reached No. 15.
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Jelly Roll is the first artist to win back-to-back awards for male video of the year since Blake Shelton won in 2013 and 2014 for “Sure Be Cool If You Did” and “Doin’ What She Likes,” respectively.
Jelly Roll’s award for CMT performance of the year was for his rendition of “Need a Favor” on last year’s CMT Music Awards. This year, he closed the show with a performance of “Halfway to Hell.”
Lainey Wilson won female video of the year for the second year in a row. She took the award for “Watermelon Moonshine,” having won last year for “Heart Like a Truck.” She’s the first woman to win in this key category two years running since Carrie Underwood won six years in a row from 2015-20. Wilson’s win here was hardly a surprise. She has amassed seven awards at the CMA Awards in the past two years.
In addition to her win, Wilson performed two songs on the show – her own “Country’s Cool Again” and a cover version of Toby Keith’s 1999 hit “How Do You Like Me Now?!” in a tribute to the late singer.
Dan + Shay won duo/group video of the year for “Save Me the Trouble.” The duo previously won duo video of the year three years running for “Tequila” (2018), “Speechless” (2019) and “I Should Probably Go to Bed” (2020). (The CMT Awards’ separate duo and group categories were combined in 2021. Now that they have three hours to fill, they should make them separate awards again, so they conform with the CMA Awards and the ACM Awards.)
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” by Carly Pearce featuring Chris Stapleton won collaborative video of the year. Both artists are past winners of the award for breakthrough video of the year. Pearce won in 2018 for “Every Little Thing”; Stapleton in 2016 for “Fire Away.”
Ashley Cooke and Warren Zeiders won the awards for breakthrough female and male video of the year, respectively. Many past winners in the CMT new artist category have gone on to very substantial careers, including Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt and Ashley McBryde, in addition to the previously-mentioned Stapleton, Pearce and Jelly Roll.
Trisha Yearwood received the June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award. “June Carter Cash was a force, and she was also married to a force – and I know a little bit about that,” she said in accepting the award. She added the she and her husband, Garth Brooks, try to live by the saying “Those to whom much is given, much is expected.” Yearwood also performed the tender ballad “Put It in a Song.”
Host Ballerini was nominated for three awards – video of the year, female video of the year and CMT performance of the year – but didn’t win. But she scored with a performance of “Love Me Like You Mean It.”
Dasha brought her viral hit “Austin” to the 2024 CMT Music Awards on Sunday night (April 7) — and she admitted that it was the first time she had ever been in the song’s namesake city. The singer/songwriter gave the song its live television debut at Austin, Texas’ Moody Center, wearing double denim in a […]