Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Megan Moroney headline 2024 ACM Award nominations list

The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards nominations have been announced, with Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney and Morgan Wallen leading the pack.

The nods for Combs or Wilson highlight how the pair could reach the same level of country music superstardom as Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton or Carrie Underwood.

Both performers are among the leaders in total nominations for the event airing exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on May 16 at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT/5 p.m. PDT.

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A 2024 win via Combs or Wilson's nomination for entertainer of the year would clinch the coveted triple crown award, which consists of an entertainer of the year win plus wins in an act's respective new artist (male, female, duo, or group) and artist (male, female, duo or group) categories.

ACM nominations filled with breakout star potential, legacy-cementing success

The potential for Combs or Wilson's elevation to superstardom during May 16's festivities is notable. However, there are numerous breakout-star stories amid country's mainstream crossover moment that could be told during the evening.

As noted, Combs leads with eight nominations, including entertainer of the year, male artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year, single of the year and music event of the year.

Megan Moroney garnered the most ACM nods for a female artist with six nominations, including female artist of the year and new female artist of the year. Moroney's nominations include being highlighted for song of the year as artist and songwriter for "Tennessee Orange," visual media of the year, and music event of the year for "Can't Break Up Now" alongside Old Dominion.

Morgan Wallen, 2023's ACM male artist of the year, could repeat that success in 2024. Overall, the "One Thing At A Time" album performer has received six nominations and tied Luke Combs for receiving nods in the most categories, including album of the year and single of the year for Billboard's all-genre Hot 100 chart-topper "Last Night."

Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Wilson are also notable, as they received five nominations each, followed by Jelly Roll and Jordan Davis with four nominations.

For Jelly Roll, the dynamic strength of his surge to mainstream country stardom is reflected in how his 2024 entertainer of the year nomination is similar to Billy Ray Cyrus being nominated for the same award in 1992, as keyed by the success of his hit "Achy Breaky Heart."

Tracy Chapman's moment as a songwriter with a boundless legacy continues as she receives her first nomination for writing "Fast Car," which she originally released in 1988 before Combs released his version in 2023.

Cody Johnson's Texas-born independent-to-mainstream rise reaches its pinnacle to date. His five nominations aren't just the most ACM Award nominations he has ever received in one year—they also make him 2024's most ACM award-nominated Texas-born artist.

Consistency is also the name of the game for artists like Combs (fifth consecutive male artist of the year and entertainer of the year nominations), Stapleton (ninth successive nomination for male artist of the year), Old Dominion (ninth consecutive year being nominated for group of the year—the group has taken home the title every year for the last six years) and Brothers Osborne (tenth year in a row being nominated for ACM duo of the year).

Alongside Jelly Roll, first-time ACM award nominees for 2024 include Kassi Ashton, Tyler Childers, Ashley Cooke, Hannah Ellis, Flatland Cavalry, Kameron Marlowe, Kylie Morgan, Neon Union, Restless Road, Conner Smith and Tigirlily Gold.

The following is the full list of nominees for the ACM Main Awards, studio recording awards, and industry awards categories:

Academy of Country Music Awards nominations: the full list

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 Group or Duo 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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs lead 2024 ACM nominations list