Awards
Page: 99
Cub Sport, The Teskey Brothers and Jem Cassar-Daley will take great form into the 2024 AIR Awards, set for Thursday, Aug. 1 at Queen’s Theatre in Adelaide.
Cub Sport is hunting a triple. The Brisbane electronic pop foursome is shortlisted for best independent dance or electronica and independent album of the year for their ARIA No. 1 collection, Jesus At The Gay Bar, and their Adam Munnings-directed clip for “Keep Me Safe” is up for independent music video of the year. Cub Sport pounced for two wins at last month’s 2024 Queensland Music Awards.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Also at the AIR Awards, The Teskey Brothers, led by Josh and Sam, are up for best independent blues and roots album or EP and independent marketing team of the year (Ivy League, Mushroom).
Trending on Billboard
The Teskeys are fresh from winning the songwriter of the year at the 2024 APRA Music Awards, and best record at the 2024 Rolling Stone Australia Awards for their ARIA No. 1 album The Winding Way, and their manager, Jeremy Furze, was named manager of the year at the 2024 AAM Awards.
Meanwhile, Jem Cassar-Daley’s “King of Disappointment” could be crowned song of the year, though it faces competition from works by Genesis Owusu (“Leaving The Light”), Maple Glider (“Don’t Kiss Me”), RVG (“Nothing Really Changes”) and Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers (“I Used To Be Fun”).
Cassar-Daley, daughter of homegrown country great Troy Cassar-Daley, won a brace at the 2024 QMAs, including the night’s top honor – song of the year (for “King of Disappointment”).
Best independent label will be contested by ABC Music, Dot Dash Recordings, Ourness, Poison City Records and Spinning Top Records.
Now in its 18th year, the AIR Awards are a celebration of the best and brightest from Australia’s independent music community.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to recognize the work the independent music industry does in providing talented and emerging artists and music businesses with a platform to share their art with a wider audience,” comments minister for arts. Andrea Michaels, member of parliament.
This year’s ceremony will once more be bookended by the Indie-Con Australia conference, a gathering that focuses “on issues that are specifically relevant to the independent music sector,” say organizers, the Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR). The South Australian Music Development Office is major sponsor for the annual awards. Details on the program and lineup of speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.
Who will be the big winner at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday (May 16) night?
Luke Combs, who is hoping to land his first entertainer of the year win in his fifth nomination, leads all artists with eight nods. Should he take home entertainer of the year, he will clinch the ACMs Awards’ Triple Crown — bestowed upon acts who have also taken home the trophy for new artist and artist of the year in their eligible categories.
He is followed by Megan Moroney, who is the leading female nominee, and reigning male artist of the year Morgan Wallen, both of whom nabbed six nods. Cody Johnson, reigning entertainer of the year Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson each garnered five nominations. Wilson was last year’s big winner, along with HARDY, taking home four trophies.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Jelly Roll is up for four nominations. He is the first artist since Billy Ray Cyrus 32 years ago to be nominated for entertainer of the year in his first year of receiving any nominations. He is joined by Jordan Davis, who also received four nominations. Kelsea Ballerini and Zach Bryan garnered three nods each.
Trending on Billboard
Tracy Chapman receives her first ACM nomination as writer of song of the year nominee, “Fast Car.”
Returning for a record 17th time, Reba McEntire will host the show, which will stream for free live on Prime Video across more than 240 countries and territories from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas starting at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT and 5 p.m. PDT. The 16-time ACM Award winner will also perform. The eligibility period for nominations runs Jan. 1, 2023-Dec. 31, 2023.
Below, Billboard’s Melinda Newman and Jessica Nicholson select their picks to take home the trophy.
Entertainer of the Year
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Newman: Stapleton is the reigning champ, but even he seemed surprised when he won last year. In his fifth try, Combs is more than deserving of his first win, but faces very stiff competition from the other contenders, especially Wallen and Jelly Roll. Plus, after being the surprise winner at the CMA Awards, it’s foolish to rule out Wilson. Winner: Wallen
Nicholson: Each contender in this category has had a solid year including chart-topping singles, sold-out arena or stadium shows, and/or an array of high-profile media appearances. Having released his album Higher in November and continued his All-American Road Show tour, Stapleton could repeat last year’s entertainer win. However, Combs has been spearheading his slate of stadium concerts and several international stops, and had one of the songs of the summer with “Fast Car.” Winner: Combs
Female Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Ashley McBryde
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Newman: All these deserving women had stellar years, including Moroney, who is the rookie of the bunch, but Wilson, who took home the award last year, continues her meteoric rise and seems unstoppable. Winner: Wilson
Nicholson: Each artist here has released a stellar slate of music over the past year, including Ballerini’s post-divorce album Rolling Up the Welcome Mat and Moroney’s debut album Lucky. But Wilson’s rocketship-like career surge doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. Winner: Wilson
Male Artist of the Year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Newman: Wallen is the reigning champ and he could end up repeating, especially given the success of “Last Night,” which spent eight weeks atop the Country Airplay chart. Combs and Stapleton have also both prevailed before. But Jelly Roll has had an undeniable year. Winner: Jelly Roll
Nicholson: Combs and Wallen each scored major crossover hits over the past year, with Combs’s cover of “Fast Car” and Wallen’s “Last Night” each notching lengthy stays in the upper echelon of the Hot 100. Johnson had a solid year and just earned another chart-topper with “The Painter,” while three-time ACM male artist of the year winner Stapleton should never be counted out as a serious awards contender. Still, Jelly Roll notched three No. 1 Country Airplay hits last year, including the four-week chart-topper “Need a Favor,” while leading a headlining tour and becoming a seemingly ubiquitous media presence over the past year. Winner: Jelly Roll
Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War and Treaty
Newman: Dan + Shay and Brothers Osborne have traded off winning this award for the last several years and there’s no reason to think they’d stop now, despite the warranted rising acclaim for The War & Treaty, who continue to build their following. The slight edge goes to Dan + Shay, who rose back to the top of the charts with “Save Me the Trouble,” headlined a sold-out arena tour and joined The Voice. Winner: Dan + Shay
Nicholson: Since 2017, Brothers Osborne has taken home the gold here four times, while Dan+Shay have thrice earned the trophy in this category. While The War and Treaty saw their career continue to rise over the past year thanks to high-profile performances and their collaboration with Zach Bryan on “Hey Driver,” look for Dan+Shay to take the lead here. Dan +Shay nearly broke up, only to experience a career renaissance by earning a couple of top 5 Country Airplay hits over the past year and expanding their audience through their work on The Voice. Winner: Dan+Shay
Group of the Year
Flatland Cavalry
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
Newman: In an era where labels are more focused on developing solo artists than groups, Old Dominion is going for its seventh group of the year trophy, and there’s no reason to believe they won’t succeed as they continue their deserved dominance in this category. Winner: Old Dominion
Nicholson: Coming off of the success of their 2023 album Memory Lane, with the title track and their Megan Moroney collaboration “Can’t Break Up Now” both heating up Country Airplay chart over the past year, the group seems poised to once again take home the trophy here. However, it is nice to see some newcomers represented in the category, with the inclusion of Texas group Flatland Cavalry. Winner: Old Dominion
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 NashvilleHigher– Chris Stapleton; Producer: Chris Stapleton, Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton; Record Company-Label: Mercury NashvilleLeather – Cody Johnson; Producers: Trent Willmon; Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville LLCOne Thing at a Time– Morgan Wallen; Producers: Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett; Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records / Mercury RecordsRolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good)– Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment
Newman: Five very worthy entries, all showcasing artists at different stages in their careers. Stapleton tends to be a lock in this category for good reason, and can never be discounted. But this year Wallen has the tailwind, given One Thing at a Time’s record-breaking status as the country album with the most weeks spent at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200, its singles’ dominance at radio and the lift the set has given country music — in addition to being chock-full of catchy songs. Winner: One Thing at a Time
Nicholson: Each finalist here issued an award-worthy project. In terms of pure consumption and fan devotion, Wallen’s presence in this category with One Thing at a Time is undeniable, though some ACM Awards voters could be turned off due to some of Wallen’s recent non-musical activities. Ballerini, Johnson and Combs have also put out some of the strongest projects of their careers, while Stapleton is deservedly a mainstay in this category. Winner: Higher
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
Newman: Is there a truer line than “I only talk to God when I need a favor?” In an extremely competitive category, all five of these songs were well-produced and well-sung, but the marriage of the message and Jelly Roll’s urgent vocal delivery provided the strongest gut punch. Winner: “Need a Favor”
Nicholson: With “Fast Car” and “Last Night” pulling such strong showings over the past year and going head-to-head in this category, either could pull off the win here. “Next Thing You Know” and “Burn It Down” are also both excellent. But Jelly Roll’s emotional plea and four weeks at No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart is the top contender to bring in the trophy. Winner: “Need a Favor”
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
Newman: All five songs were milestone recordings for the artists who performed them, and it’s a little hard to pick a 36-year-cover as the winner — but “Fast Car” checks all the boxes of what a truly great country song should do. All these years later, it still hits in the feels with its emotional tale of wanting a better life and all the stalled dreams in the world can’t make it happen. Plus, Combs’ delivery rings beautifully poignant. Winner: “Fast Car”
Nicholson: Each of these contenders has made a strong showing on Billboard’s country charts. But while the songs from Wilson, Davis, Johnson and Moroney each offer up distinct takes on love and romance, Combs’s version of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” highlighted the enduring power of Chapman’s poetic-yet-unfiltered storytelling, and her signature song of aspirations and dreams dashed by poverty and alcoholism. Winner: “Fast Car”
DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.
Jason Aldean will pay tribute to the late Toby Keith by performing Keith’s 1993 debut hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” on the Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday, May 16. The song was Keith’s first hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It reached No. 1 that June, his first of 20 No. 1 country hits. Keith died on Feb. 5 at age 62 following a two-year battle with stomach cancer.
Aldean’s performance will be a case of one ACM entertainer of the year paying tribute to another. Keith won the award in 2003 and 2004. Aldean won it three years running from 2016-18.
Trending on Billboard
Keith won 14 ACM Awards. Aldean has won 15, including artist of the decade for the 2010s.
Hosted by 16-time ACM Award-winner Reba McEntire, the ACM Awards will stream live for a global audience on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday, May 16, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. A Prime membership will not be required to watch live. The full rebroadcast will be available directly following the stream on Prime Video and available the next day for free on Amazon Freevee and the Amazon Music app.
The 2024 ACM Awards will feature collaboration performances by Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan; Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani; and Nate Smith featuring Avril Lavigne. In addition, Post Malone is booked for the show. He is expected to perform “I Had Some Help,” his new single featuring Morgan Wallen, though that has not yet been announced.
The show will also feature performances by McEntire, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson.
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 continues to serve as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.
DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.
Welcome back.
Neon Union, Restless Road and Tigirlily Gold are all nominated for the first time in the 59th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. But their arrival on the final ballot marks a return of the new vocal group or duo of the year trophy for the first time in five years.
LANCO took home the hardware when it was last presented in 2019, but it’s been a veritable desert for qualifying acts since then. The ACM requires a minimum of three eligible nominees to field each of its three new artist categories — new male, new female and new group or duo — and while there were duos and groups in circulation during the interim years, they didn’t quite meet the criteria. The key data point was the ACM’s requirement that an artist needed to hit the top 40 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart or in Mediabase. The only act that met that goal was now-defunct Gone West, who reached the top 30 in 2020, but since member Colbie Caillat was already an established artist, the group was not eligible.
For this year’s ballot, the ACM expanded the criteria to top 50 and — voilà! — three artists made the grade as finalists for the May 16 ceremony.
“That was a really big topic of discussion with our awards voting and membership committee,” says ACM chief of staff/vp of artist and industry relations, board administration and governance Tommy Moore. “At the Academy, we really try to pride ourselves on being on the forefront of inclusivity for new artists and really want to give them the opportunity to shine.”
Trending on Billboard
Not surprisingly, the nominees in the category appreciate that opportunity.
“We had heard through the grapevine that they were bringing back the new duo or group of the year category, but we still thought it would be a long shot to get nominated,” Neon Union’s Andrew Millsaps notes.
The lack of new duo or group options is a glaring reality. The prospects have been so glum during the last four years that even if the ACM had loosened the chart requirement to the top 50 during that window, the industry still would not have mustered three qualifying entries.
Part of that dearth is the nature of the beast. Particularly in the digital era, it’s much easier for a solo artist to make simple videos and post them on YouTube or TikTok and start building a following. The effort required to form a band or duo, schedule rehearsals and plan marketing schemes is far more challenging for an ensemble. And handling relationships — both inside the act and with a larger ring of family and associates — creates more tension, making it harder during the hungry years when meager earnings are split.
“Being a group or duo is such a delicate dynamic,” Tigirlily Gold’s Krista Slaubaugh says. “You can’t just slap two people together and call them a duo. You have to stick it out through the hard years because it’s not always going to be easy.”
Even filling out the new group/duo field is challenging. To get three nominees this year, the ACM allowed Restless Road into the category, even though it did not have a top 50 single in 2023. It had reached that level in 2022, and the group is currently charting with “Last Rodeo” (No. 58, Country Airplay).
“There’s been a slower rollout of bands, but I’m definitely starting to notice a lot more,” says Restless Road’s Zach Beeken. He cites Flatland Cavalry, which secured its first ACM vocal group nomination this year.
Notably, The Red Clay Strays could have been considered for new group or duo on the strength of “Wondering Why,” which hit No. 18 on the Hot Country Songs chart dated Dec. 30, 2023. But, Moore says, no one submitted them for consideration.
The ACM’s three new artist categories differ from the Country Music Association, which has a single new artist of the year field. And it’s advantageous, since it means more artists get their first major nomination from the ACM. All of 2024’s new group or duo finalists are first-time nominees, and they’ll always associate that with the ACM.
“We try to get them into the fold early on,” Moore says, “and we find that the more we can educate them on the Academy and the charitable aspect of ACM Lifting Lives, the more inclined they are to stick with us throughout the years.”
Despite their first-time-nominee status, the three new group or duo contenders should feel a bit at home. They all attended 2023’s ACMs in Frisco, Texas, and they will return to the same venue this year, trodding familiar turf as they perform at the ACM Kickoff Concerts and walk the same red carpet. But they’ll be doing it as finalists, which presents its own uncertainties. The winner will perform at the show, though they won’t know who that is until two days before the event. All the acts have musicians on hold in case they’re needed. They’ll also discover, perhaps for the first time, what it’s like performing a truncated version of a song for their peers.
“Obviously, I’d be focusing so much on doing a good job,” Slaubaugh says, “but then you look at, like, Chris Stapleton in the crowd? I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
Subscribe to Billboard Country Update, the industry’s must-have source for news, charts, analysis and features. Sign up for free delivery every weekend.
The line-up of performers and presenters for the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards is just about set, and the key word is collaboration. Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan will team up for a performance, as will Blake Shelton and wife Gwen Stefani and also Nate Smith featuring Avril Lavigne. In addition, Post Malone is booked for the show. He is expected to perform “I Had Some Help,” his new single featuring Morgan Wallen, though that has not yet been announced.
Presenters include Alabama (most awarded group in Academy history with 22 ACM Awards), Carin León (two-time Latin Grammy Award winner), Dion Pride (son of country legend Charley Pride), Rozene Pride (Pride’s widow), Richard Sherman (Super Bowl XLVIII Champion & Thursday Night Football analyst), Charissa Thompson (host, Thursday Night Football) and Randy Travis (11-time ACM Award-winning artist).
Trending on Billboard
Hosted by 16-time ACM Award-winner Reba McEntire, the ACM Awards will stream live for a global audience on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Thursday (May 16) at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. A Prime membership will not be required to watch live. The full rebroadcast will be available directly following the stream on Prime Video and available the next day for free on Amazon Freevee and the Amazon Music app.
The ACM Awards will kick off with the Official ACM Awards Red Carpet Show hosted by Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton (co-hosts, Country Heat Weekly podcast), Makho Ndlovu (host, Amazon Live), and Elaina D. Smith (host, Nights With Elaina), with Katie Neal (host, Katie & Company) serving as a correspondent from the carpet. Presented by Prime Video and Amazon Music, the Red Carpet Show will also feature a performance by Megan Moroney (this year’s most nominated female artist with six nods), and air on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Plus, Bobby Bones, five-time ACM Awards winner for national on-air personality of the year, will be featured throughout the night. His segment, “Backstage with Bobby Bones,” will showcase intimate artist interviews and special moments of the show.
Fans can also experience a week of pre-ACM livestream celebrations hosted by Kelly Sutton and Amber Anderson courtesy of Amazon Music. Broadcasting live on the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, the festivities will kick off on Tuesday (May 14) at 9 p.m. ET with Live from the ACM Awards: ACM New Artist Winners Celebration from Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star, which will feature musical performances and special guests, as well as the presentation of the ACM new male artist, new female artist, and new duo or group of the year.
On Wednesday (May 15) at 9 p.m. ET, fans will be able to stream Live from the ACM Awards: Backstage with Kelly & Amber. Amber and Kelly will also release three ACM-themed Country Heat Weekly podcasts on Thursdays, starting on May 9 with the duo’s interview with McEntire.
Fans can also stream the Official ACM Awards playlist available now on Amazon Music in celebration of this year’s nominees. Fans can listen to Country Music’s biggest stars directly on the Amazon Music app.
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 continues to serve as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.
Here are the performers and presenters for the 2024 ACM Awards. Any additional performers will be added to the list as they are announced.
Performers
Jason Aldean
Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan
Kane Brown
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Miranda Lambert
Post Malone
Parker McCollum
Reba McEntire
Thomas Rhett
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani
Nate Smith featuring Avril Lavigne
Chris Stapleton
Lainey Wilson
Presenters
Alabama
BRELAND
Tyler Cameron
Jordan Davis
Sara Evans
Carin León
Little Big Town
Ashley McBryde
Dion and Rozene Pride
Noah Reid
Richard Sherman
Charissa Thompson
Randy Travis
Clay Walker
Four pop stars — Post Malone, Gwen Stefani, Noah Kahan and Avril Lavigne — are set to perform on the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday May 16, but the show’s producers stress that the performances came about organically.
“Our goal is always country-first,” Raj Kapoor, who is the show’s executive producer and showrunner, told Billboard. “We’re not actively going out to pursue artists [who are] out-of-genre. I think the most important thing is that it fits in a very natural way. We’re not asking people to come in who don’t have relationships or haven’t wanted to work together or don’t have projects together. We always want to stay authentically country. Those bonds that bring people together need to exist already.”
Trending on Billboard
Post Malone will perform a song from his upcoming country album, possibly “I Had Some Help,” a collab with Morgan Wallen. Stefani and Blake Shelton will perform their single “Purple Irises.” Kahan and Kelsea Ballerini — who, Kapoor notes, were in the studio together — will perform her “Mountain with a View” and his smash “Stick Season.” Lavigne and Nate Smith will perform Smith’s song “Bulletproof.”
This is a heavier slate of pop performers than on last year’s ACM Awards, where there was just one: Ed Sheeran, who joined Luke Combs to perform Sheeran’s song “Life Goes On.”
Menton, who is serving as co-executive producer, notes, “Yes, Post is definitely a kind of pop/hip-hop performer, but in a way, he’s almost genre-less. Post spent a lot of time in Nashville on this record and kind of dove back into his roots. He’s a country traditionalist at heart. He’s from Texas, so he grew up on this. Having heard some of the album, this is a real country album. This is an artist who’s really honoring the genre.
Menton adds: “This is such a global genre now. Country artists are selling out stadiums in the U.K. and Europe and all over the world. So, I think there is that conversation of they want it to be a bit boundary-less. They want those guardrails to open up a little bit. Yes, for us to be focused on country and celebrate the genre, but we really do welcome these other genres coming in because [country] really has exploded into this global genre and we want to celebrate that.”
The 59th ACM Awards, to be hosted by Reba McEntire, will stream globally on Prime Video on Thursday May 16 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Also performing on the show are Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson, as well as McEntire and, most likely, one or two more artists not yet named. “There may be some surprises,” Menton teases.
Kapoor was one of three executive producers of the Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, along with Ben Winston and Jesse Collins. He also served as executive producer and showrunner of the Oscars on March 10. Menton was a co-executive producer of the Grammys.
“I think my job is to make each show unique,” Kapoor says, “because they have such different DNA. That’s really what I strive for. They’re brands almost. They’re all actually [put on by] academies. It’s so different from just a pop show. There’s so many eyeballs on what we do. I guess I didn’t realize the complexities of that before I took on these positions. I’m much more aware of what goes on behind-the-scenes because it’s not just about our show. It’s really about these year-round programs that they all do and how many people are so invested.”
Kapoor and Menton have worked together on six Grammy telecasts – four in their current positions. They share a philosophy of producing a show, one that may sound a bit soft, but which is obviously working. Last year’s ACM Awards was the third-highest-rated awards show of 2023, behind just the Oscars and the Grammys (which they also worked on).
“We both lead with kindness,” Menton says. “That’s our rule of thumb, across-the-board. It’s creating space for these artists to come to us and feel safe. It’s not a case of we tell them what we want on the show. That’s not at all the way we work. It’s ‘What do you want to do on the show?’, ‘What’s going to create a moment?’ We’re all about the artist first and making sure they have a space to really create and collaborate in a safe space.”
Some awards show producers are known for taking a much firmer hand; for dictating what they want the artist to perform and who they want them to perform it with.
“We always believe it’s a conversation,” Kapoor says. “Obviously, we’re there to help guide sometimes. ‘Why don’t we try this?’ ‘What would you think about this?’ Sometimes we will push if we have a really strong belief about something, but it’s always a conversation, always a collaboration.
“Sometimes these moments really help define people’s careers,” he continues. “They can go viral. They are things that people will talk about for years to come. Last year [on the ACMs], everyone talked about Luke and Ed. Earlier this year [on the Grammys], I think everyone was talking about Luke and Tracy [Chapman, who teamed on “Fast Car].”
Kapoor believes the ACMs’ move to Amazon in 2022 helped give it a unique personality that sets it apart from the three other televised country award shows, the CMA Awards, the CMT Music Awards and the People’s Choice Country Awards.
“Our show is very fast-paced – two hours with very little commercials. So, you have back-to-back music performances. You still have a lot of awards, but our show moves very quickly. One thing I’ve really taken away since we’ve been on Amazon is how punchy and exciting it feels. We’re literally moving all the time. One performance leads into another. Sometimes, we’ve done three performances back-to-back.”
Menton says the partnership with Amazon has affected the show in another way. “It has allowed us to open those guardrails up and take chances. We’ve leaned into new artist development a lot more, we lean into diversity. We lean into something that’s completely out of the box; [that] other shows may feel a bit uncomfortable trying to do. Amazon gives us that ability to move and shake a bit differently. But I also think the industry comes to us with those out-of-the-box ideas. I think it’s because we’re open to it, Amazon is open to it and the Academy has always been that place where we’re the party of the year. We’re a little bit more fun. We try to let everyone just let their hair down.”
The ACM Awards are different in that respect from the Grammys and the Oscars, which are the official “shows of record” for the music and film industries. The CMA Awards probably better fit that description for country music, which led to the ACM Awards instead billing itself as country music’s party of the year.
As for new artist development, the show will feature performances by this year’s winners of the three new artist awards, male artist, female artist and duo/group. The latter category is being awarded for the first time in five years.
Bobby Bones will be featured throughout the show with the artist interview segment “Backstage with Bobby Bones,” which was introduced on last year’s show. This takes advantage of Bones’ close relationships with many country stars, but Kapoor reveals that the segments also serve a practical function on the show.
“Because we are live/live with all these performances, Bobby is also a great backup plan when we need him to be. You would never know it, like if we need an extra 30 seconds [to set the stage for the next performer], Bobby is there to help us if we need it, which we are very grateful for.”
Menton says they approached last year’s hosts, Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, about returning to host the show again this year, but the superstar duo declined. “They were ready to take a step down,” he says. “They had such a rocking year last year, they probably felt like it [would be] hard to top.”
Fortunately for the show, another country legend, McEntire, was willing to return to the show for a 17th time as host or co-host. McEntire is closing in on the all-time record for most times hosting or co-hosting a major awards show. That record has long been held by Bob Hope, who hosted or co-hosted the Academy Awards 19 times between 1940-78.
“Reba is one of the most kind and hard-working artists out there, and to have her hosting our show, having an icon like that — we’re so lucky,” Menton says.
Barry Adelman, a mainstay at Dick Clark Productions, is serving as executive producer of this year’s show for DCP. Adelman has worked on the ACMs for more than 30 years.
Anyone can watch the ACM Awards, whether they have a Prime subscription or not. Did ACM CEO Damon Whiteside push for that? “Oh, I think we all did,” Menton says. “We want everyone to see this. It’s a country music show. We don’t want to have that paywall in front of us. The fact that everyone can watch it, whether you have Prime or not, we’re so grateful.”
Kapoor says they are already thinking ahead to next year’s show, which will be the 60th ACM Awards. “Everybody is already strategizing leading to that event. We’ll be returning to Amazon. I hope on this show we set the foundation for what’s going to be an amazing 60th show.”
DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.
Put those “Golden Popcorn” statues back in storage. The MTV Movie & TV Awards have been put “on pause” this year, and “will return with a reimagined format in 2025,” according to a spokesperson.
The show, originally dubbed the MTV Movie Awards, was a yearly fixture from 1992 to 2019, but has lost some momentum in recent years. The show wasn’t held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, MTV aired MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time, a clip show hosted by Vanessa Hudgens, which featured highlights from past ceremonies.
The show took place in 2021 and 2022, but the 2023 show was stymied by the Writers Guild of America strike. Drew Barrymore was set to host that year’s show. Barrymore has achieved success in both movies and TV and would have been an ideal host, but when the WGA went on strike on May 2, 2023 – just five days before the show was set to take place at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. – Barrymore and most of the planned guests dropped out. As a result, the traditional ceremony didn’t take place. It was replaced by a pre-recorded virtual ceremony with no host.
Trending on Billboard
The MTV Movie & TV Awards were once a hot pop-culture show. Hosts in the show’s prime included such A-list stars as Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Ben Stiller, Mike Myers, Jimmy Fallon and Sarah Jessica Parker, the latter at the height of her Sex and the City fame. But the show has lost some allure in recent years.
The two post-pandemic shows that made it to air were co-hosted by Leslie Jones and Nikki Glaser, followed by Hudgens and Tayshia Adams. No shade to these performers, but they’re not Eddie Murphy or Will Smith.
This isn’t the first time MTV has pulled the plug on a show. The 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards were scheduled to take place on Nov. 5, 2023 at the Paris Nord Villepinte in Paris. The ceremony was cancelled on Oct. 19 due to the Israel–Hamas war, becoming the first EMAs to be cancelled in its 30-year history. Despite that setback, voting remained open until Oct. 31. The winning artists were revealed on Nov. 5.
Two months after its Los Angeles counterpart, the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards hit New York City on Saturday (May 11) to reveal the rest of the winners and honor Orville Peck with the Vito Russo Award (presented by Jennifer Lawrence, no less). Additionally, Red, White, and Royal Blue received the GLAAD Media Award for queer fan favorite, presented by Cody Rigsby and Beanie Feldstein.
Billboard was among the winners, earning the award for outstanding print article for Pride Editor Stephen Daw’s June 2023 cover story, which found Maren Morris don Willie Nelson drag and go deep with drag artists Eureka O’Hara, Landon Cider, Sasha Colby and Symone about the proliferation of drag bans around the country. The honor comes six years after Billboard won its first GLAAD Media Award for outstanding magazine overall coverage in 2018.
Trending on Billboard
Here’s a list of the categories that were presented at the Midtown Hilton Hotel on Saturday night, with winners marked. You can see the winners announced at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles here.
Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode
“Certainty” Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts (Disney+)
“Chaos, Law, and Order” The Problem With Jon Stewart (Apple TV+)
“Cynthia Nixon and Kim Petras” Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
“Dulcé Sloan & Sasha Colby Talk What It Means to Be A Happy Trans Person” The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
“Elliot Page Opens Up In New Memoir: ‘It Felt Like The Right Time’” The View (ABC)
“The Hardest Fight Is the Fight Against Status Quo” The Conversations Project (Hulu)
“I’m Not Just Gay, I’m Your Son” Karamo (syndicated)
WINNER: “Jennifer Hudson Surprises HIV Activist with $10,000” The Jennifer Hudson Show (syndicated)
“Trace Lysette & Patricia Clarkson, Laverne Cox” The Kelly Clarkson Show (syndicated)
“Unapologetically Me” Tamron Hall (syndicated)
Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
“11th Hour: Transgender Athletes and What People Don’t Understand” The 11th Hour (MSNBC)
“19-Year-Old Designer CJ King Gets Second Chance to Walk the Runway” GMA3 (ABC)
“The All in Y’all” (KEYE-TV CBS Austin)
“Anti-LGBTQ+ Law in Uganda that Threatens the Death Penalty Sparks International Outcry” PBS Newshour (PBS)
“Bringing Queer Joy into the World of Hip-Hop” ABC News Live Prime (ABC News Live)
“Des Moines LGBTQ Community Hosts First-Ever ‘People’s Pride’” (WOI-TV Local 5 Des Moines)
“Geena Rocero Talks About Her New Memoir ‘Horse Barbie’ and the Power of Living Unapologetically” CBS Mornings (CBS)
“How Eco-Drag Queen Pattie Gonia Defines What It Means to Fight for the Environment” Nightline (ABC)
WINNER: “New York City Gay Bar Deaths Classified as Homicides” (NBC News Now)
“One-on-One with the President of the American Medical Association (AMA)” The CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell (CBS)
Outstanding TV Journalism – Long-Form
“Beyond Limits: Who I Am” CBS Sports (CBS)
“CBS Reports: A Nation in Transition” CBS News (CBS)
“Club Q One Year Later” (KKTV CBS 11 Colorado)
“Freedom to Exist” Soul of a Nation (ABC)
“It’s Ok To Ask Questions – Pidgeon Pagonis” (WMAQ-TV NBC 5 Chicago)
“Marty’s Place: Where Hope Lives” (+Life Media with KGO-TV & ABC Localish)
WINNER: “Our America: Who I’m Meant to Be” (ABC Owned Television Stations)
“Proud Voices: A NY1 Special” (Spectrum News NY1)
“Serving in Secret: Love, Country and ‘Dont Ask Don’t Tell’” (MSNBC)
“VICE Special Report – Out Loud // Big Freedia Presents: Young Queer Artists To Look Out For” (Vice News)
Outstanding Live TV Journalism – Segment or Special
“Capehart on SCOTUS rulings: ‘My Possibilities are Up to Them, Not Up to Me’” The Last Word (MSNBC)
“CNN’s Anderson Cooper Speaks With Lauri Carleton’s Daughter, Ari Carleton, About Her Mother’s Legacy” Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)
“Flipping the Script: Live Interviews on LGBTQ+ Community” Morning News NOW (NBC News Now)
“Gio Benitez Interviews Sasha Velour on Her Book and the Climate of Drag in America” Good Morning America (ABC)
WINNER: “Indiana Students Put on LGBTQ-Themed Play Themselves After it’s Canceled By the School” Yasmin Vossoughian Reports (MSNBC)
“José Díaz-Balart Reports: A Texas Mother’s Fight: the Case for Gender-Affirming Care” José Díaz-Balart Reports (MSNBC)
“One-on-One with Eureka O’Hara” The Reid Out (MSNBC)
“Pride Across America” (ABC News Live)
“TikTok Sensations ‘The Old Gays’ Talk About How They Became Friends and Their New Docuseries” TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (NBC)
“Two Anti-LGBTQ Bills Advance to Louisiana House” Breakdown (WWL-TV CBS New Orleans)
Outstanding Print Article
WINNER: “As Drag Bans Proliferate, Maren Morris Goes Deep With Drag’s Biggest Stars on Why the Show Must Go On” by Stephen Daw (Billboard)
“Black Queer History is American History” by Myeshia Price (TIME)
“‘But Most of All I’m Human’: These 3 Transgender Teens Prove Identity Stretches Beyond One Label” by Susan Miller (USA TODAY)
“The Dancer” by Matt Kemper (The Atlanta-Journal Constitution)
“Heroism Overpowers Hate” by John Sotomayor (Embrace Magazine)
“Kim Petras Is Breaking the Mold” by Jeff Nelson (People)
“Pop Icons Are ‘Mothers’ Now. The LGBTQ Ballroom Scene Wants Credit.” by Samantha Cherry (The Washington Post)
“Stop Bad Hair and Uglier Legislation (The New Classics)” by Karen Giberson (AC Magazine)
“Transgender Youth: ‘Forced Outing’ Bills Make Schools Unsafe” by Hannah Schoenbaum and Sean Murphy (AP)
“We Have the Tools to Stop HIV. So Why Is It Still Spreading?” by LZ Granderson (Los Angeles Times)
Outstanding Online Journalism Article
WINNER: “The AP Interview: Pope Francis Says Homosexuality Not a Crime” by Nicole Winifield (AP.com)
“Book Banners Came for This Colorado Town. They Didn’t Anticipate Resistance.” By Jeff Fuentes Gleghorn (LGBTQNation.com)
“Evidence Undermines ‘Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria’ Claims” by Timmy Broderick (ScientificAmerican.com)
“From Drag Bans to Sports Restrictions, 75 Anti-LGBTQ Bills Have Become Law in 2023” by Jo Yurcaba (NBCNews.com)
“How the Latinx Drag Queens of Brooklyn Are Finding Freedom through Their Cultures” by Juan De Dios Sanchez Jurado (TeenVogue.com)
“Pedro Zamora, ‘Real World’ Star Who Died of AIDS, ‘Humanized the Disease for a Generation,’ Say Activists” by David Artavia (Yahoo.com)
“Pride Month Feels Different As Threats, Fear of Violence Grows” by Brooke Migdon (TheHill.com)
“Some Trans Kids Are Being Forced to Flee America for Their Safety” by Nico Lang (HuffPost.com)
“Stochastic Terrorism: Links between the GOP, Right-Wing Influencers & Neo-Nazi Violence” by Christopher Wiggins (Advocate.com)
“What Does Queer Gen Z Want on TV? Everything under the Rainbow” by Jude Cramer (INTOMore.com)
Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia
WINNER: “7 Remarkable Trans Elders Share Lessons for the Next Generation” (them.us)
“Brave Spaces” (PBS.org)
“CANS Can’t Stand” (NewYorker.com)
“Club Q: Stronger Together” (NFL.com)
“‘I’ve Always Known I Was Different’: Four Trans People Share Their Stories” (WashingtonPost.com)
“Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Calls Out the New York Times’ Anti-Trans Coverage & Advice for Trans Youth” (Variety.com)
“Moving Isa” (Insider.com)
“People Come Out to Their Parents | Truth or Drink” (Cut.com)
“Protecting Pride: Resilience after Tragedy – Club Q Survivors Fight to Project Their Community” (GoodMorningAmerica.com)
“Transnational” (Vice.com)
Outstanding Blog
Charlotte’s Web Thoughts
WINNER: Erin in the Morning
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
LawDork
Mombian
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
The Queer Review
The Randy Report
The Reckoning
Outstanding Reality Program
Bargain Block (HGTV)
WINNER: Family Karma (Bravo)
I Am Jazz (TLC)
Living for the Dead (Hulu)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo)
Selling Sunset (Netflix)
Swiping America (Max)
TRANSworld Atlanta (Tubi)
The Ultimatum: Queer Love (Netflix)
Outstanding Broadway Production
Fat Ham, by James Ijames
How to Dance in Ohio, by Jacob Yandura and Rebekah Greer Melocik
WINNER: Melissa Etheridge: My Window, by Melissa Etheridge
Once Upon a One More Time, by Jon Hartmere
The Sign in Sydney Brustein’s Window, by Lorraine Hansberry
Outstanding Podcast
Finding Fire Island (Broadway Podcast Network)
Gay and Afraid with Eric Sedeño (Past Your Bedtime)
WINNNER: Las Culturistas (iHeart)
NPR’s Embedded (NPR)
Queen of Hearts (Wondery)
Rooted Recovery Stories (Promises Behavioral Health)
Sibling Rivalry (Studio 71)
That Conversation With Tarek Ali (Buzz Sprout)
This Queer Book Saved My Life (This Queer Book Productions, LLC)
TransLash (TransLash Media)
Outstanding Film – Streaming Or TV
Cassandro (Amazon Prime Video)
Christmas on Cherry Lane (Hallmark Channel)
Friends & Family Christmas (Hallmark Channel)
Frybread Face and Me (Array Releasing)
Nuovo Olimpo (Netflix)
Nyad (Netflix)
Red, White, and Royal Blue (Amazon Prime Video)
Runs in the Family (Indigenous Film Distribution)
WINNER: Rustin (Netflix)
You’re Not Supposed To Be Here (Lifetime Television)
Outstanding Documentary (Multiple winners)
WINNER: Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later (MTV Documentary Films)
Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate (Netflix)
Every Body (Focus Features)
WINNER: Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures)
Little Richard: I Am Everything (Magnolia Pictures)
Orlando, My Political Biography (Janus Films)
Rainbow Rishta (Amazon Prime Video)
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (HBO Documentary Films)
WINNER: The Stroll (HBO)
“UYRA – The Rising Forest“ POV (PBS)
Outstanding New Series
The Buccaneers (Apple TV+)
Class (Netflix)
Culprits (Hulu)
Deadloch (Amazon Prime Video)
Everything Now (Netflix)
Found (NBC)
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+)
WINNER: The Last of Us (HBO)
The Other Black Girl (Hulu)
Tore (Netflix)
Outstanding Kids & Family Programming or Film – Live Action
WINNER: Heartstopper (Netflix)
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)
Jane (AppleTV+)
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury (Netflix)
XO, Kitty (Netflix)
Outstanding Online Journalism Article (Spanish Language)
“Abogan por una política pública contra la violencia hacia la comunidad trans en Puerto Rico” por Carolina Gracia (ElVocero.com)
“La activista trans que sepulta a sus amigas olvidadas: ‘Los primeros cuerpos los velaba yo sola, solita’” por Daniel Alonso Viña (ElPais.com)
“Carlos Adyan nos invita a su boda civil con Carlos Quintanilla: ‘Todo ha pasado como yo soñaba’” por Lena Hansen (PeopleEnEspanol.com)
“El eterno desafío de ser un hombre o mujer trans en El Salvador” por María Teresa Hernández (APnews.com)
“Familias latinas con menores trans temen a nuevas leyes que limitan el acceso a tratamientos médicos: ‘Es lo que ha mantenido a mi hija viva’” por Anagilmara Vílchez y Lourdes Hurtado (Telemundo.com)
“‘Hemos huido de algo muy cruel’: las familias que buscan una vida mejor para sus hijos transgénero en otros estados de EE.UU.” por Leire Ventas (BBC.com)
WINNER: “Personas mayores LGBTQIA+ ‘tienen que regresar a un clóset para poder buscar vivienda’” por David Cordero Mercado y Joaquín A. Rosado Lebrón (PeriodismoInvestigativo.com & ElNuevoDia.com)
“Quiero que todo el mundo pueda decir libremente ‘así soy yo’” por Maria Mercedes Acosta (Sentiido.com)
“Reconocimiento a medias también es estigmatizante: RAE agrega ‘no binario/a’ a su diccionario” por Alex Orue (Homosensual.com)
“Wendy Guevara, la ‘perdida’ que lo ganó todo” por Jonathan Saldaña y Mari Tere Lelo de Larrea (Quien.com)
Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia (Spanish Language)
WINNER: “Conoce a la primera diputada negra y trans de Brasil” por Natalia Barrera Francis, Joyce García, David von Blohn, Paula Daibert y Claudia Escobar (Descoloniza – AJ+ Español)
“La increíble historia de cómo ‘Mami Ruddys’ refugió a decenas de jóvenes LGBTIQ en Puerto Rico” por Marcos Billy Guzmán y Pablo Martínez Rodríguez (El Nuevo Día)
“Mi novio vive con VIH y yo no: ser una pareja serodiscordante” por Mariana Escobar Bernoske y Daniela Rojas (La Disidencia – El Espectador)
“This gay cowboy convention celebrates sexual freedom — and Mexican identity” por Jackeline Luma, Kate Linthicum y Maggie Beidelman (Los Angeles Times)
“Villano Antillano cuenta todo de la realidad Queer de su música” por Yollotl Alvarado, René Barreto, Alfredo Castellanos, Sofía Reyes, Rai Irizarry, Arjun Demeyere, Luis Ramírez, Florencia Botinelli, Iván Juárez y Sebastian Fernández (GQ México y Latinoamérica)
“Praise You Anywhere” hitmaker Brandon Lake, CCM and country musician Anne Wilson and music collective Elevation Worship are among the artists topping the list of nominees for the fan-voted, 11th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards, which is set to return to the Grand Ole Opry House on Sunday, May 26, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Fan voting for the awards opens at 6 p.m. CT on Monday (May 13) and runs through 6 p.m. CT on May 24 at klovefanawards.com.
Trending on Billboard
Lake leads this year’s nominees with four nominations, including nods for artist of the year, male artist of the year, song of the year (“Praise You Anywhere”). Wilson, Elevation Worship, Phil Wickham, Matthew West and TobyMac each earned three nominations. Wilson is up for artist of the year, female artist of the year, and song of the year (“Strong”).
Among Elevation Worship’s nominations are group of the year and worship song of the year (“Praise”), while Wickham picked up nominations in categories including artist of the year and worship song of the year (“I Believe”). West, a 12-time Billboard Christian Airplay chart-topper, has nominations in categories including artist of the year and song of the year (“Don’t Stop Praying”) while 13-time Billboard Christian Airplay chart-topper TobyMac’s nominations include song of the year (“Faithfully”) and artist of the year.
Among those with first-time nominations in various categories are Stephen McWhirter (“Come Jesus Come”), Housefires featuring JWLKRS and Ryan Ellis (“I Thank God”), “Counting My Blessings” singer Seph Schlueter, “Good Day” hitmaker Forrest Frank, Caleb & John (“Hallelujah Feeling”) and Josiah Queen (“The Prodigal”), as well as Terrian, who earned her first nomination as female artist of the year, as well as a nomination for breakout single, for “Big God.”
The awards ceremony, hosted by Lake and Sadie Robertson Huff, will broadcast on TBN on May 31. In addition to music-related categories, the awards highlight impactful films, television series, books, and podcasts.
The awards ceremony, sponsored by Coca-Cola Consolidated, will conclude the K-LOVE Fan Awards weekend, which launches with a Friday evening (May 24) kickoff concert, a Worship in the Round event, emerging artist showcase, songwriter’s showcase and a Sunday morning worship service.
See the full list of 2024 K-LOVE Fan Awards nominees below:
Artist of the year
Anne Wilson
Brandon Lake
Casting Crowns
for King & Country
Lauren Daigle
Matthew West
Phil Wickham
TobyMac
Song of the year
“Come Jesus Come” – Stephen McWhirter
“Don’t Stop Praying” – Matthew West
“Faithfully” – TobyMac
“I Thank God” – Housefires f/JWLKRS & Ryan Ellis
“Praise” – Elevation Worship
“Praise You Anywhere” – Brandon Lake
“Somebody To You” – Rachael Lampa f/Andrew Ripp
“Strong” – Anne Wilson
Male artist of the year
Brandon Lake
Chris Tomlin
Crowder
Jeremy Camp
Matthew West
Phil Wickham
Tauren Wells
TobyMac
Female artist of the year
Anne Wilson
CeCe Winans
Katy Nichole
Lauren Daigle
Natalie Grant
Rachael Lampa
Tasha Layton
Terrian
Worship song of the year
“Fear is Not My Future” – Maverick City Music
“Firm Foundation” – Cody Carnes
“Holy Forever” – Chris Tomlin
“I Believe” – Phil Wickham
“I Thank God” – Housefires f/JWLKRS & Ryan Ellis
“Praise” – Elevation Worship
“Praise You Anywhere” – Brandon Lake
Breakout single
“Big God”- Terrian
“Come Jesus Come” – Stephen McWhirter
“Counting My Blessings” – Seph Schlueter
“Good Day” – Forrest Frank
“Hallelujah Feeling” – Caleb & John
“The Prodigal” – Josiah Queen
Group of the year
CAIN
Casting Crowns
Big Daddy Weave
Elevation Worship
Maverick City Music
MercyMe
We Are Messengers
We The Kingdom
Film impact
Sound of Freedom
The Shift
After Death
The Chosen Season 4 (Theatrical Release)
Big George Foreman
The Blind
Journey to Bethlehem
Ordinary Angels
TV/streaming impact
Jonathan & Jesus
Chasing CAIN
Eleanor’s Bench
Going Home (Season 2)
The Wingfeather Saga
Book impact
Mostly What God Does – Savannah Guthrie
Like A River – Granger Smith
Untangle Your Emotions – Jennie Allen
Practicing the Way – John Mark Comer
Rescue Story – Zach Williams
The Digital Fast – Dr. Darren Whitehead
Upon Waking – Jackie Hill Perry
The Awe of God – John Bevere
Podcast impact
Cooper Stuff – John Cooper
WHOA That’s Good – Sadie Robertson Huff
That Sounds Fun – Annie F. Downs
Made for This – Jennie Allen
The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast – Candace Cameron Bure
Back Porch Theology – Lisa Harper
On Saturday (May 11), there was only one show on planet Earth that could boast more queer energy than the Eurovision Song Contest, and that was the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards in New York City at the Midtown Hilton Hotel.
And not unlike this year’s Eurovision in Malmö, Sweden, the event was not without protestors. A small group of protestors accusing Israel of genocide against the Palestinian people picketed outside the hotel’s entrance during the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards; more notably, at the top of the show itself, one attendee interrupted the opening monologue by host Ross Matthews to repeatedly declare “GLAAD is complicit in genocide” before being escorted out.
“That was uncomfy for everybody,” Matthews said after a pause. “But you know what? We have to fight for everyone’s rights – and that’s one of them.”
Trending on Billboard
While the Israel-Hamas War didn’t come up again that night, politics were still central to the GLAAD Media Awards, as always. New York Attorney General Letitia James made an appearance to celebrate LGBTQ New Yorkers and speak out for trans rights; GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis urged attendees to use their “platform and privilege” to ensure that the next U.S. president will be a human who values LGBTQ rights — and warned that the Supreme Court “will roll back our legal marriages like they rolled back Roe v. Wade” in a powerful, fiery speech; and one very famous Oscar winner took a couple of hilarious pot shots at a former U.S. vice president during the show.
Jennifer Lawrence (rocking a Veronica Lake haircut) appeared to celebrate “my favorite musician and good friend Orville Peck,” who was receiving the Vito Russo Award (named after the late activist and author of The Celluloid Closet) at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards.
“I love seeing so many humans who can top their field while still being power bottoms,” Lawrence cracked. Talking about her love for the gay community, Lawrence said she once fell in love with a gay man, but soon realized her advances were for naught. “Conversion therapy doesn’t work,” she said. “Did you hear me, Mike Pence? I said conversion therapy is not real – even though you think it worked on you.”
Accepting the award, Peck talked about being a singer-songwriter in a genre that’s not always been the most open to the LGBTQ community. “I’m one of many of us here who have felt excluded or held back because of who we are,” Peck said, adding that queer people nevertheless manage to “turn tragedy into art, humor and culture.”
Peck also spoke on the “responsibility for visibility” when it comes to all minority communities and what it means to the next generation “to allow some kid in a small town who loves country music to see themselves in me or Mickey Guyton or T.J. Osborne.”
Earlier in the night, Jennifer Hudson – who already has an EGOT – added another award to her trophy room when she hit the stage to accept the GLAAD for outstanding variety or talk show episode, for an episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show in which she surprised HIV activist Ian Haddock (of the Normal Anomaly Initiative) with $10,000.
After a fundraising portion that raised more than $350,000, Loren Allred took the stage to perform an emotional version of “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman, as well as the upbeat “Come Alive.” The latter was a duet, with Scott Hoying (of Pentatonix and Superfruit) joining her on the lightly funky vocal showcase.
Toward the end of the night, Billboard (and Billboard‘s Pride Editor Stephen Daw) were honored when GLAAD named Billboard‘s 2023 Pride Issue cover story the outstanding print article of the year. The (now award-winning) article, written by Daw, is a wide-ranging, in-depth interview with Maren Morris and four drag artists about the proliferation of drag bans in the United States. You can read it here.