People’s Choice Country Awards
Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lady A, Parker McCollum and The War and Treaty have been added as performers for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, which will air Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock. Kane Brown, who is set to receive the Country Champion Award, and Miranda Lambert, who is set to receive the Country Icon Award, had already been announced as performers.
The two-hour show, hosted by Shania Twain, will air live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. A two-hour red-carpet pre-show, Live From E!: People’s Choice Country Awards, will kick off the night at 6 p.m. ET/PT on E!.
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Ballerini, Lady A and The War and Treaty received CMA Awards nominations in key categories on Monday (Sept. 9). Ballerini is nominated for female vocalist of the year, Lady A for vocal group of the year, and The War and Treaty for vocal duo of the year. A strong performance on the People’s Choice Country Awards could conceivably help them in the CMA voting. (CMA final-round voting opens on Tuesday, Oct. 1, five days after the People’s Choice Country Awards, and extends for four weeks.)
Additionally, Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, Little Big Town and comedian Nate Bargatze have been announced as presenters. Additional names will be announced.
A limited number of show tickets and VIP packages are available now at Opry.com.
People’s Choice Country Awards is produced by Den of Thieves. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski will executive produce along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner.
The pre-show is produced by Den of Thieves with executive producers Ignjatovic, Prager and Bialkowski.
Here are all the performers and presenters that have been announced. This will be updated when additional names are announced.
Performers
Kane Brown
Keith Urban
Kelsea Ballerini
Lady A
Miranda Lambert
Parker McCollum
The War and Treaty
Presenters
Carly Pearce
Dan + Shay
Little Big Town
Nat Bargatze
Kane Brown has been chosen to receive the Country Champion Award at the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards. The show, hosted by Shania Twain, is set to air live on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
Wynonna Judd received the Country Champion Award at last year’s inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards.
“Since the beginning of his career, Kane Brown has ensured that his legacy will extend beyond music,” Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment, said in a statement. “His dedication to empowering and supporting younger generations is nothing short of inspiring, and we’re thrilled to honor him with the Country Champion Award.”
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Brown, 30, has amassed 11 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and three on Hot Country Songs. He has had two No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums and one on the Billboard 200.
Brown’s awards shelf is a little bare for someone with so much success. He has won two ACM Awards (video of the year for “Worldwide Beautiful” and an ACM International Award), but he has yet to win a CMA Award (despite four nods) and has yet to even be nominated for a Grammy.
As previously announced, Miranda Lambert is this year’s other honorary award recipient. She will receive the Country Icon Award, which went to an ailing Toby Keith last year.
Winners are chosen entirely by fans at the People’s Choice Country Awards. Voting is now closed. Performers and presenters for this year’s show will be revealed in the coming weeks. A limited number of show tickets and VIP packages are available now at Opry.com.
The 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards is produced by Den of Thieves. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski will executive produce along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner.
The “Live From E!: People’s Choice Country Awards” red carpet event will kick off the night at 6 p.m. ET/PT on E!. That pre-show is produced by Den of Thieves with executive producers Ignjatovic, Prager and Bialkowski.
Miranda Lambert will receive The Country Icon Award at the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, which are slated for Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Lambert will be honored for her 23-year career (dating back to the release of her self-released debut album), “during which she’s built an authentic, female-forward brand of country that has shaped the industry,” in the show’s words.
Last year, an ailing Toby Keith received The Country Icon Award at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards. He died a little more than four months later of stomach cancer.
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Lambert will receive award two weeks after the release of her ninth solo studio album, Postcards from Texas, which is due Sept. 13.
“A tour de force in country music for more than 20 years, Miranda Lambert’s groundbreaking albums continue to capture the hearts of fans around the world,” Jen Neal, evp, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment, said in a statement. “We’re so excited to celebrate her career, fierce individualism and innovation in the industry with the Country Icon Award.”
Lambert has long been an awards magnet. She has won a record 35 Academy of Country Music Awards, 14 Country Music Association Awards (more than any other woman) and three Grammys.
She has also been a major force on the Billboard charts, with five No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs, seven No. 1s on Country Airplay, seven No. 1 albums on Top Country Albums and one No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
She has conquered Las Vegas with her twice-extended “Velvet Rodeo” residency and blurred genre lines with her work with such varied artists as Leon Bridges, Enrique Iglesias, The B-52s, Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Elle King as well as her inclusive anthem “Y’all Means All” for Netflix’s Queer Eye.
In addition to her musical pursuits, Lambert is a restaurateur, businesswoman, New York Times best-selling author and, perhaps most importantly to her, shelter animal advocate. She has raised nearly $10 million to date for rescue animals via her MuttNation Foundation.
Last year, the People’s Choice Country Awards presented a second special honor, the Country Champion Award, to Wynonna Judd. The show has not yet announced who, if anyone, will receive that award this year.
Hosted by Shania Twain, the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards will air live on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock. Voting for the fan-voted show is open now and runs through Friday, Aug. 23 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Fans can vote online at www.votepcca.com. A limited number of show tickets and VIP packages are available now at Opry.com.
People’s Choice Country Awards is produced by Den of Thieves. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski will executive produce along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner.
A pre-show, Live From E!: People’s Choice Country Awards, will kick off the night at 6 p.m. ET/PT on E! The pre-show is produced by Den of Thieves with executive producers Ignjatovic, Prager and Bialkowski.
Zach Bryan and Beyoncé are the leading nominees for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, with 19 and 17 nods, respectively. They are followed in the nominations tally by Kacey Musgraves (15), Shaboozey (12), Kane Brown and Morgan Wallen (11 each) and then Luke Combs (10).
Thus, three of the top six nominees are Black, something that would have seemed unlikely at a country music awards show not too many years ago.
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Wallen was the leading nominee for last year’s inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, with 11 nods, though he received just three awards. Jelly Roll was last year’s top winner, with four awards.
The show has added six new categories this year, all of them song categories: female song, male song, group/duo song, cover song, new artist song and storyteller song.
Nine of this year’s 18 categories are devoted to songs. Six are artist awards and one each are for albums, music videos and concert tours.
Hosted by Shania Twain, the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards will air live Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Twain is the only woman in the running for The Concert Tour of 2024. She is nominated for Shania Twain: Come on Over – The Las Vegas Residency – All the Hits!
Three of the eight artists nominated for the top award, The People’s Artist of 2024, are women: Beyoncé, Musgraves and Lainey Wilson. This is up from two women in the finals in this category last year. The five men nominated in the category this year are Brown, Combs, Wallen and Bryan (who were also nominated in this category last year) plus Jelly Roll (who is nominated in this category for the first time).
Bryan has two of the eight nominees for The Song of 2024: “I Remember Everything” (feat. Musgraves) and “Pink Skies.” He also has two of the eight nominees for The Collaboration Song of 2024: “I Remember Everything” (feat. Musgraves) and “Hey Driver” (feat. The War and Treaty).
Beyoncé has two of the eight nominees for The Female Song of 2024: “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ’Em.” She also has two of the eight nominees for The Cover Song of 2024: her updates of The Beatles’ “Blackbiird” and Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”
Post Malone has two of the eight nominees for The Music Video of 2024: “I Had Some Help” (feat. Wallen) and “Pour Me a Drink” (feat. Blake Shelton). Musgraves has two of the eight nominees for The Storyteller Song of 2024: “Deeper Well” and “Too Good to Be True.”
With 12 nominations, Shaboozey is the likely front-runner to win The New Artist of 2024 (which Jelly Roll won last year). He faces Chase Matthew, Chayce Beckham, Dasha, Koe Wetzel, Nate Smith, Tucker Wetmore and Warren Zeiders.
The show bills itself as “an award show for the people and by the people.” Winners are chosen entirely by the fans. Voting begins now and runs through Friday, Aug. 23, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Fans can vote online at VotePCCA.com. Votes cast on Turbo Tuesday, Aug. 20, from midnight to 11:59 p.m. ET, will count twice, equaling a maximum of two votes per day, per category. (Complete rules can be found here.)
A limited number of show tickets and VIP packages are available now at Opry.com.
The People’s Choice Country Awards are produced by Den of Thieves. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski will executive produce, along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner.
A red carpet pre-show, Live From E!: People’s Choice Country Awards, will kick off the night at 6 p.m. ET/PT on E! The pre-show is produced by Den of Thieves with executive producers Ignjatovic, Prager and Bialkowski.
Here are the nominees for the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards. (Last year’s winner in artist categories identified.)
The People’s Artist of 2024
Beyoncé
Jelly Roll
Kacey Musgraves
Kane Brown
Lainey Wilson
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen (2023 winner)
Zach Bryan
The Female Artist of 2024
Beyoncé
Carly Pearce
Dolly Parton
Kacey Musgraves
Kelsea Ballerini
Lainey Wilson (2023 winner)
Megan Moroney
Miranda Lambert
The Male Artist of 2024
Bailey Zimmerman
Chris Stapleton
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll (2023 winner)
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Zach Bryan
The Group/Duo of 2024
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay (2023 winner)
Old Dominion
Ole 60
The Red Clay Strays
The War and Treaty
Tigirlily Gold
Zac Brown Band
The New Artist of 2024
Chase Matthew
Chayce Beckham
Dasha
Koe Wetzel
Nate Smith
Shaboozey
Tucker Wetmore
Warren Zeiders
The Social Country Star of 2024
Bailey Zimmerman
Beyoncé
Dolly Parton
Jelly Roll
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Reba McEntire
The Album of 2024
Cowboy Carter – Beyoncé
Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves
Fathers & Sons – Luke Combs
Higher – Chris Stapleton
Highway Desperado – Jason Aldean
Leather – Cody Johnson
Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going – Shaboozey
Zach Bryan – Zach Bryan
The Song of 2024
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey (Songwriters: Collins Obinna Chibueze, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Mark Williams, Nevin Sastry, Sean Cook)
“Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” – Dasha (Songwriters: Adam Wendler, Anna Dasha Novotny, Cheyenne Rose Arnspiger, Kenneth Travis Heidelman)
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen (Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Austin Post, Chandler Paul Walters, Ernest Smith, Hoskins, Louis Bell, Morgan Wallen, Ryan Vojtesak)
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves (Songwriters: Kacey Musgraves, Zach Bryan)
“Miles on It” – Marshmello & Kane Brown (Songwriters: CASTLE, Connor McDonough, Earwulf, Jake Torrey, Kane Brown, Marshmello, Nick Gale, Riley McDonough)
“Pink Skies” – Zach Bryan (Songwriter: Zach Bryan)
“Texas Hold ‘Em” – Beyoncé (Songwriters: Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq)
“Wild Ones” – Jessie Murph feat. Jelly Roll (Songwriters: Feli Ferraro, Gregory Aldae Hein, Jason Deford, Jeff Gitelman, Jessie Murph)
The Female Song of 2024
“16 Carriages” – Beyoncé(Songwriters: Atia Boggs, Beyoncé, Dave Hamelin, Ink, Raphael Saadiq)
“Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” – Dasha (Songwriters: Adam Wendler, Anna Dasha Novotny, Cheyenne Rose Arnspiger, Kenneth Travis Heidelman)
“Deeper Well” – Kacey Musgraves (Songwriters: Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves)
“Hang Tight Honey” – Lainey Wilson (Songwriters: Driver Williams, Jason Nix, Lainey Wilson, Paul Sikes)
“hummingbird” – Carly Pearce (Songwriters: Carly Pearce, Jordan Reynolds, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally)
“No Caller ID” – Megan Moroney (Songwriters: Connie Harrington, Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon, Megan Moroney)
“Texas Hold ‘Em” – Beyoncé (Songwriters: Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nathan Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq)
“Wranglers” – Miranda Lambert (Songwriters: Audra Mae, Evan McKeever, Ryan Carpenter)
The Male Song of 2024
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey (Songwriters: Collins Obinna Chibueze, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Mark Williams, Nevin Sastry, Sean Cook)
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma (From Twisters: The Album)” – Luke Combs (Songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Jonathan Singleton, Luke Combs)
“Bulletproof” – Nate Smith (Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson (Songwriter: Josh Phillips)
“I Can Feel It” – Kane Brown (Songwriters: Gabe Foust, Jaxson Free, Kane Brown, Phil Collins)
“Let Your Boys Be Country” – Jason Aldean (Songwriters: Allison Veltz Cruz, Jaron Boyer, Micah Wilshire)
“Pink Skies” – Zach Bryan (Songwriter: Zach Bryan)
“Take Her Home” – Kenny Chesney (Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Michael Hardy, Zach Abend)
The Group/Duo Song of 2024
“Break Mine” – Brothers Osborne (Songwriters: John Osborne, Pete Good, Shane McAnally, TJ Osborne)
“Different About You” – Old Dominion (Songwriters: Brad Tursi, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Zach Crowell)
“For the Both of Us” – Dan + Shay (Songwriters: Andy Albert, Dan Smyers, Jordan Reynolds)
“I Tried a Ring On” – Tigirlily Gold (Songwriters: Josh Jenkins, Kendra Jo Slaubaugh, Krista Jade Slaubaugh, Pete Good)
“Love You Back” – Lady A (Songwriters: Emily Weisband, James McNair, Lindsay Rimes)
“smoke & a light” – Ole 60 (Songwriters: Jacob Ty Young, Justin Eckerd, Ryan Laslie, Tristan Roby)
“Tie Up” – Zac Brown Band (Songwriters: Ben Simonetti, Chris Gelbuda, Jonathan Singleton, Josh Hoge, Zac Brown)
“Wanna Be Loved” – The Red Clay Strays (Songwriters: Dakota Coleman, Matthew Coleman)
The Collaboration Song of 2024
“Blackbiird” – Beyoncé, Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy & Reyna Roberts (Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
“Can’t Break Up Now” – Old Dominion & Megan Moroney (Songwriters: Emily Weisband, Matthew Ramsey, Tofer Brown, Trevor Rosen)
“Chevrolet” – Dustin Lynch feat. Jelly Roll (Songwriters: Chase McGill, Hunter Phelps, Jessi Alexander, Mentor Williams)
“Hey Driver” – Zach Bryan feat. The War and Treaty (Songwriter: Zach Bryan)
“I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves (Songwriters: Kacey Musgraves, Zach Bryan)
“Mamaw’s House” – Thomas Rhett feat. Morgan Wallen (Songwriters: Chase McGill, Matt Dragstrem, Morgan Wallen, Thomas Rhett)
“The One (Pero No Como Yo)” – Carin Leon & Kane Brown (Songwriters: Bibi Marin, Edgar Barrera, Elena Rose, Johan Sotelo, Jonathan Capeci, Julio Ramirez, Kane Brown, Oscar Armando Diaz de Leon)
“you look like you love me” – Ella Langley feat. Riley Green (Songwriters: Aaron Raitiere, Ella Langley, Riley Green)
The Cover Song of 2024
“Blackbiird” – Beyoncé, Brittney Spencer, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy & Reyna Roberts (Songwriters: John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
“Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other” – Orville Peck & Willie Nelson (Songwriter: Ned Sublette)
“Dancing With Myself” – Maren Morris (Songwriters: Billy Idol, Tony James)
“Jolene” – Beyoncé (Songwriter: Dolly Parton)
“Perfectly Lonely” – Parker McCollum (Songwriter: John Mayer)
“Sun to Me” – mgk (Songwriters: Zach Bryan)
“Take Me Home, Country Roads” – Lana Del Rey (Songwriters: Bill Danoff, John Denver, Taffy Nivert)
“Three Little Birds (Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired by the Film)” – Kacey Musgraves (Songwriters: Bob Marley & The Wailers)
The Crossover Song of 2024
“Better Days” – Zach Bryan feat. John Mayer (Songwriter: Zach Bryan)
“Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini feat. Noah Kahan (Songwriters: Alysa Vanderheym, Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan)
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen (Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Austin Post, Chandler Paul Walters, Ernest Smith, Hoskins, Louis Bell, Morgan Wallen, Ryan Vojtesak)
“II Most Wanted” – Beyoncé & Miley Cyrus (Songwriters: Beyoncé, Michael Pollack, Miley Cyrus, Ryan Tedder)
“Lonely Road” – mgk feat. Jelly Roll (Songwriters: Bill Danoff, Brandon Allen, Colson Baker, John Denver, Mary Danoff, Nick Long, Steve Basil, Taffy Nivert Danoff, Travis Barker)
“Midnight Ride” – Kylie Minogue, Orville Peck & Diplo (Songwriters: Christopher Stracey, Kylie Minogue, Marta Cikojevic, Orville Peck)
“Miles on It” – Marshmello & Kane Brown (Songwriters: CASTLE, Connor McDonough, Earwulf, Jake Torrey, Kane Brown, Marshmello, Nick Gale, Riley McDonough)
“My Fault” – Shaboozey feat. Noah Cyrus (Songwriters: Bailey Bryan, Collins Obinna Chibueze, Doug Walters, Nevin Sastry, Noah Cyrus, PJ Harding, Sean Cook)
The New Artist Song of 2024
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey (Songwriters: Collins Obinna Chibueze, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Mark Williams, Nevin Sastry, Sean Cook)
“Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” – Dasha (Songwriters: Adam Wendler, Anna Dasha Novotny, Cheyenne Rose Arnspiger, Kenneth Travis Heidelman)
“Betrayal” – Warren Zeiders (Songwriters: Ali Tamposi, Blake Pendergrass, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Justin Ebach, Warren Zeiders)
“Bulletproof” – Nate Smith (Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Ben Johnson, Hunter Phelps)
“Devil You Know” – Tyler Braden (Songwriters: Graham Barham, Jon Hall, Sam Martinez, Zack Dyer)
“Sweet Dreams” – Koe Wetzel (Songwriters: Amy Allen, Gabe Simon, Josh Serrato, Ropyr Wetzel, Sam Nelson Harris)
“Tennessee Don’t Mind” – Kameron Marlowe (Songwriters: Charles Kelley, Daniel Tashian)
“Wind Up Missin’ You” – Tucker Wetmore (Songwriters: Chris LaCorte, Thomas Archer, Tucker Wetmore)
The Storyteller Song of 2024
“16 Carriages” – Beyoncé (Songwriters: Atia Boggs, Beyoncé, Dave Hamelin, Ink, Raphael Saadiq)
“Deeper Well” – Kacey Musgraves (Songwriters: Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves)
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson (Songwriter: Josh Phillips)
“Pink Skies” – Zach Bryan (Songwriter: Zach Bryan)
“Sorry Mom” – Kelsea Ballerini (Songwriters: Alysa Vanderheym, Hillary Lindsey, Jessie Jo Dillon, Karen Fairchild, Kelsea Ballerini)
“The Little Things” – George Strait (Songwriters: Bubba Strait, George Strait, Monty Criswell)
“The Man He Sees in Me” – Luke Combs (Songwriters: Josh Phillips, Luke Combs)
“Too Good to be True” – Kacey Musgraves (Songwriters: Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuk, Anna Nalick, Kacey Musgraves)
The Music Video of 2024
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma (From Twisters: The Album)” – Luke Combs
“Austin (Boots Stop Workin’)” – Dasha
“Deeper Well” – Kacey Musgraves
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen
“Let It Burn” – Shaboozey
“Lonely Road” – mgk feat. Jelly Roll
“Miles on It” – Marshmello & Kane Brown
“Pour Me a Drink” – Post Malone feat. Blake Shelton
The Concert Tour of 2024
Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour – Luke Combs
Highway Desperado Tour – Jason Aldean
One Night at a Time 2024 – Morgan Wallen
Shania Twain: Come on Over – The Las Vegas Residency – All the Hits! – Shania Twain
Stadium Tour – George Strait
Standing Room Only Tour ‘24 – Tim McGraw
Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour – Kenny Chesney
The Quittin Time 2024 Tour – Zach Bryan
Shania Twain is set to host the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards airing live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Thursday, Sept. 26. The two-hour show will air at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock.
“Country has some of the most passionate fans in music and us artists are so lucky to be supported in doing what we love,” Twain said in a statement. “I am honored to host an award show that celebrates these awesome fans. Get ready for an unforgettable show with lots of big hair, glamour, rhinestones, hats, boots and incredible performances. Giddy Up!”
“With a proven track record of creating music that stands the test of time, Shania is a beloved member of the country community,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment.
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Twain is no stranger to the People’s Choice Awards franchise. In December 2022, she received the People’s Music Icon Award at the OG People’s Choice Awards, from which the People’s Choice Country Awards is a spin-off. She performed a medley of “Any Man of Mine,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” “Waking Up Dreaming” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”
Little Big Town hosted last year’s inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, on which Toby Keith received a Country Icon Award. Keith also performed for the first time since the end of his treatment for stomach cancer. The country legend died a little more than four months later, on Feb. 5.
Other performers on last year’s show were Wynonna Judd, who received a Country Champion Award, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton (who presented the award to Keith), Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini.
Jelly Roll was the top winner on last year’s show, with four awards, followed by Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson, with three wins each.
The telecast was seen by 4.4 million viewers across all platforms. Content from the show reached 25 million cross-platform users (linear, digital and social).
This year’s show will air a little more than a month before the 2024 Country Music Association Awards, which are set for November in Nashville. CMA nominations will be announced later this summer.
People’s Choice Country Awards is produced by Den of Thieves in partnership with Opry Entertainment Group. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski will executive produce, along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner.
The OG People’s Choice Awards debuted on CBS on March 3, 1975. The show remained on that network through 2017. It moved to E! in 2018. NBC came on board in 2021; Peacock in 2024.
NBC has picked up the People’s Choice Country Awards for a second year. The two-hour show will air live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET/PT across NBC and Peacock.
Little Big Town hosted and performed on the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, which aired on Sept. 28 from the same historic venue.
The pickup means that there will be four major country awards shows again next year – the CMT Music Awards on CBS and CMT (this year’s show aired on April 2); the ACM Awards on Prime Video (this year’s show streamed on May 11); and the CMA Awards on ABC (this year’s show aired on Nov. 8). Country award shows have traditionally done well on TV, and the genre is in a hot phase right now.
Jelly Roll was the top winner at the first People’s Choice Country Awards, with six awards in four categories. That was one of the first indications of his exploding popularity. Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson each won three awards. Jelly Roll also performed on the show, as did Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini and Icon Awards recipients Toby Keith and Wynonna Judd. (Here’s our report on snubs and surprises from the show.)
“With powerhouse performances, heartfelt tributes to country legends, and surprise moments, last year’s inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards was a huge success” Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Entertainment, said in a statement. “We look forward to returning to the Grand Ole Opry House in 2024 to honor and celebrate the country community.”
The People’s Choice Country Awards, which calls itself “the only award show for the people and by the people,” is a brand extension of the fan-driven People’s Choice Awards. That show originated on CBS in March 1975 and was a top-rated show for most of its run on that network. CBS last carried the show in 2017. E! picked it up in 2018, and NBC and E! have had “shared custody” of the show since 2021. The most recent edition, hosted by Kenan Thompson, aired on Dec. 6, 2022. The next edition is slated for Feb. 18.
Total viewership for the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards was up +16% compared to the 2022 People’s Choice Awards simulcast. The telecast was seen by 4.3 million viewers across all platforms, and content from the show reached 25 million cross-platform users (linear, digital and social).
The 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards will be produced by Den of Thieves. Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski will executive produce, along with RAC Clark as executive producer and showrunner.
Kelsea Ballerini has an important PSA. After some viewers were convinced that the 30-year-old country pop star had lip-synched her performance of “Mountain With a View” at Thursday night’s (Sept. 28) inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, she took to Instagram Stories to defend her vocals.
“I just want to say, if I was lip-synching, I would’ve sounded a lot better,” Ballerini joked in a video.
The “This Feeling” singer also provided a reason for why her performance may have seemed out of sync, something viewers tuning in to the broadcast pointed out. “One of the cameras was off,” she explained. “Thank you, and good night.”
Then, just to make sure she’d gotten her point across, Ballerini reshared a glammed-up photo from Thursday evening in her Stories, showing her looking slyly at something off camera on her left side. “Me singing live watching people thinking otherwise,” she captioned the snap.
Also on Ballerini’s side is NBC, the network home to the People’s Choice Country Awards. “nobody does live vocals like her!” it captioned an Instagram video of the star’s intimate performance, calling it “FLAWLESS.”
In addition to performing, Ballerini was nominated for several awards at the inaugural event, including people’s artist, female artist, social country star and album of 2023. Before the awards ceremony started, the singer shared her thoughts on a subject that’s on just about everyone’s minds right now: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s rumored romance.
“I love Travis,” she gushed. “We did SNL together. I love Taylor. We were close for many years. I want happiness for everyone, so vibe.a
“I ship happiness!” she added in a separate red carpet interview. “Whoever is happy with whoever is what I ship. I adore Taylor. I adore Travis. So if they’re happy, I ship it. Period.”
Watch a clip of Kelsea Ballerini singing “Mountain With a View” at People’s Choice Country Awards below:
On Thursday night (Sept. 28), the Grand Ole Opry House hosted the inaugural, fan-powered People’s Choice Country Awards, hosted by Little Big Town. The awards ceremony — which aimed to add a fourth major country music awards show to the annual country awards circuit — thrust many of today’s top crop of stars and timeless […]
Jelly Roll, little known just a year ago, was the top winner at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, with six awards from eight nominations. That was just one surprise at the show, which aired live Thursday (Sept. 28) on NBC and Peacock. Little Big Town hosted the show, which was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
Jelly Roll won the male artist of 2023, the new artist of 2023, the song of 2023 for “Need a Favor” and the collaboration song of 2023 for “Save Me,” a collab with Lainey Wilson. Jelly Roll won as both artist and co-writer on the two song awards, which both count double, giving him six awards in four categories.
Morgan Wallen, who went into the show with 11 nominations, more than anyone else, received three awards, including the top prize, the people’s artist of 2023. Wilson, who went into the show with seven nods, also received three awards.
The show also bestowed two honorary awards. Wynonna Judd received the Country Champion award, presented by Brothers Osborne. Toby Keith received the Country Icon Award, presented by his fellow Oklahoman Blake Shelton.
Little Big Town, Judd, Keith and Shelton performed on the show, as did Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini.
Voting began when the nominations were announced on Aug. 16 and closed on Aug. 25.
Here are key snubs and surprises at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards, which is billed as “an award show for the people and by the people.”
Snub: Luke Combs
Kelsea Ballerini is on the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce train. “I love Travis. We did SNL together. I love Taylor. We were close for many years. I want happiness for everyone, so vibe,” the country star told Extra on the red carpet at the first People’s Choice Country Awards. Ballerini was also discussed Swift’s […]