Ella Langley Leads:: The newcomer secured a surprising nine nominations, largely driven by her hit duet "You Look Like You Love Me" with Riley Green.
Top Contenders:: Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, and Morgan Wallen follow closely with eight nominations each. Chris Stapleton garnered six, while Post Malone and Riley Green received five.
Entertainer of the Year Field:: The nominees are Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, and reigning champion Lainey Wilson.
Major Snub:: Beyoncé's critically acclaimed and commercially successful 'Cowboy Carter' album, which won Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the Grammys, received zero ACM nominations.
Why This Matters:: Langley's strong showing highlights the potential for breakthrough artists, while the Beyoncé snub reignites debates about genre boundaries and industry recognition within country music, especially following her significant Grammy success in the country categories.
The upcoming 60th ACM Awards, set for May 8th, 2025, in Frisco, Texas, and hosted by Reba McEntire, have unveiled a nomination list filled with both expected names and surprising turns.
Ella Langley emerged as the unexpected leader with nine nominations. This impressive count is partly due to the ACM's unique tallying method, which grants additional nominations for songwriting, producing, or directing credits on the same project. Langley benefited significantly from co-writing and co-directing aspects related to her No. 1 single "You Look Like You Love Me," featuring Riley Green. Her nominations span categories like Female Artist, New Female Artist, Single, Song (as artist and writer), Music Event, and Visual Media (as artist and director).
Close behind Langley are industry heavyweights Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson (last year's Entertainer of the Year), and Morgan Wallen, each with eight nods. Chris Stapleton follows with six. Post Malone's successful crossover into country with 'F-1 Trillion' earned him five nominations, including Album of the Year and nods for his duet with Wallen, "I Had Some Help."
Perhaps the biggest story is the complete absence of Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' from the nominations list. Despite winning the top Grammy award (Album of the Year) and Best Country Album just months prior, and achieving significant airplay with "Texas Hold 'Em," the ACM voters did not recognize the project. This mirrors her snub at the 2024 CMA Awards and fuels ongoing discussions about the reception of artists, particularly Black artists and those primarily known for other genres, within the Nashville establishment. ACM CEO Damon Whiteside acknowledged the snub, stating they hoped she'd be nominated and extending an open invitation for her to perform.
Album of the Year:: Nominees include Megan Moroney, Jelly Roll, Zach Top, Post Malone, and Lainey Wilson.
Single of the Year:: Features Shaboozey's viral hit "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," along with entries from Cody Johnson, Post Malone/Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, and Langley/Green.
Other Snubs:: Veterans like Miranda Lambert and Kane Brown were shut out, as were Lady A and Ashley McBryde. Zach Bryan received no nominations this year.
Who received the most 2025 ACM nominations?
Ella Langley leads with nine nominations.
When and where are the 2025 ACM Awards?
They will take place on May 8th, 2025, in Frisco, Texas, streaming live on Prime Video.
Was Beyoncé nominated for an ACM Award for 'Cowboy Carter'?
No, despite winning Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the Grammys, Beyoncé received no nominations from the ACM.
Who is nominated for Entertainer of the Year?
Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, and Lainey Wilson.
Breakthrough Potential:: The ACMs can still elevate new artists, as seen with Ella Langley's leading nomination count.
Genre Debate Continues:: The exclusion of Beyoncé's Grammy-winning country project highlights the ongoing conversation about who is embraced by the country music award infrastructure.
Familiar Faces Dominate Top Categories:: While newcomers gain traction, established stars like Wilson, Wallen, Stapleton, and Johnson remain dominant forces in major categories like Entertainer of the Year.
The nominations highlight both rising talent and established powerhouses, but the omission of Beyoncé is sure to be a major talking point.
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