The Academy of Country Music Awards are underway in Las Vegas, for the show’s first streaming-only webcast, via Amazon Prime Video, its first at the cavernous Allegiant Stadium, and its first compacted into a two-hour, commercial-free format. Dolly Parton is hosting, with Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett in co-host roles.
As the end of the show approached, Carly Pearce picked up female artist of the year for the first time, while Chris Stapleton was a repeat winner as male artist.
In the first hour, Morgan Wallen won album of the year for “Dangerous: The Double Album,” his first award since being embroiled in controversy in early 2021. Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood won single of the year for their duet “If I Didn’t Love You,” while newcomer Lainey Wilson got song of the year for her breakout hit, “Things a Man Oughta Know.”
The show made an unusual point of letting the audience know just how much of it would transpire without giving out any awards when, right after the award to Wallen at the top o the second hour, the hosts announced that awards history was about to be made with an unbroken 35-minute succession of performances. Only three awards were left to give out, at the show’s midpoint.
Several winners were announced in the days or even hour before the 8 p.m./5 PT showtime. Just before the start of the show, Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde were announced as winners for event of the year for “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” and Miranda Lambert and Elle King were revealed as winners for video of the year for “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home).” Hardy was declared songwriter of the year as well. Previously announced winners include Parker McCollum for new male artist and Lainey Wilson for new female artist.
Early performers on the show included Walker Hayes, the co-hosting duo of Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett, and Eric Church with Ashley McBryde.
While the two hours have been billed as commercial-free, that only applied to outside commercials, as several trailers for upcoming Prime Video series were included in the webcast, introduced by their stars.
Following is a list of winners as they come up on the webcast, with the triumphant contenders in bold.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
- Eric Church
- Luke Combs
- Miranda Lambert
- Chris Stapleton
- Carrie Underwood
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Gabby Barrett
- Miranda Lambert
- Ashley McBryde
- Maren Morris
- Carly Pearce
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Jimmie Allen
- Luke Combs
- Thomas Rhett
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
DUO OF THE YEAR
- Brooks & Dunn
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- LOCASH
- Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
- Lady A
- Little Big Town
- Midland
- Old Dominion
- The Cadillac Three
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- Tenille Arts
- Priscilla Block
- Lily Rose
- Caitlyn Smith
- Lainey Wilson
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- HARDY
- Walker Hayes
- Ryan Hurd
- Parker McCollum
- Elvie Shane
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- 29: Written in Stone – Carly Pearce
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Jimmy Robbins, Tony Brown
Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records
- Country Again: Side A – Thomas Rhett
Producers: Dann Huff, Jesse Frasure, Matt Dragstrem
Record Company-Label: Big Machine Label Group
- Dangerous: The Double Album – Morgan Wallen
Producer: Joey Moi, Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Matt Dragstrem, Dave Cohen
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records / Republic Records
- Famous Friends – Chris Young
Producer: Mark Holman, Corey Crowder, Chris Young, Chris DeStefano
Record Company-Label: RCA Records Nashville
- The Marfa Tapes – Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall
Producers: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall
Record Company-Label: Vanner Records / RCA Records Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Buy Dirt – Jordan Davis featuring Luke Bryan
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
- Famous Friends – Chris Young and Kane Brown
Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young
Record Company-Label: RCA Records Nashville
- Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
Producers: Walker Hayes, Shane McAnally, Joe Thibodeau
Record Company-Label: Monument Records
- If I Didn’t Love You – Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
Producers: Michael Knox
Record Company-Label: Broken Bow Records; Macon Music, LLC; BBR Music Group, BMG
- You Should Probably Leave – Chris Stapleton
Producer: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
- 7 Summers – Morgan Wallen
Songwriters: Morgan Wallen, Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally
Publishers: Big Loud Mountain, Bo Wallace Publishing, Smackborne Music, Sony/ATV Accent, Smackstreet Music, Tempo Investments, Warner Geo Met Ric Music
- Buy Dirt – Jordan Davis featuring Luke Bryan
Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Jacob Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins
Publishers: Anthem Music Publishing II, Bentprop Pub, Big Blue Nation Music, Combustion Five, Jentown, Jordan Davis Music, Smackwork Music, Smack Blue, Kobalt Music Group Music, Universal Music Corporation, WC Music Corp
- Fancy Like – Walker Hayes
Songwriters: Cameron Bartolini, Josh Jenkins, Shane Stevens, Walker Hayes
Publishers: Songs of SMACK, Rarespark Media Group, Smackworks Music, Smack Blue, Kobalt Music Group, Holy Graffiti Music, Purplebeatz, WC Music Corp
- Knowing You – Kenny Chesney
Songwriters: Adam James, Brett James, Kat Higgins
Publishers: 3 Ring Circus, BMG Platinum Songs, Pompano Run Music, Songs of Brett, WC Music Corp
- Things A Man Oughta Know – Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Jason Nix, Jonathan Singleton, Lainey Wilson
Publishers: Sony/ATV Accent, Sony/ATV Countryside, Spirit Two Nashville, Super Big Music
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
- Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Elle King and Miranda Lambert
Producers: Angie Lorenz, Wes Edwards, James Stratakis
Directors: Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos
- Famous Friends – Chris Young and Kane Brown
Producer: Jennifer Ansell
Director: Peter Zavadil
- I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift featuring Chris Stapleton
Producers: Jil Hardin, Blake Lively, Kathy Palmer, Austin Swift
Director: Blake Lively
- If I Didn’t Love You – Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Shaun Silva
- Never Wanted To Be That Girl – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
Producer: Ryan Byrd
Director: Alexa Campbell
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
- Jesse Frasure
- Nicolle Galyon
- Ashley Gorley
- Michael Hardy
- Josh Osborne
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
- Buy Dirt – Jordan Davis featuring Luke Bryan
Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
Record Company-Label: MCA Nashville
- Famous Friends – Chris Young and Kane Brown
Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young
Record Company-Label: RCA Records Nashville
- half of my hometown – Kelsea Ballerini featuring Kenny Chesney
Producers: Ross Copperman, Jimmy Robbins, Kelsea Ballerini
Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment
- If I Didn’t Love You – Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood
Producer: Michael Knox
Record Company-Label: Broken Bow Records; Macon Music, LLC; BBR Music Group, BMG
- Never Wanted To Be That Girl – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
Record Company-Label: Big Machine Label Group, Warner Music Nashville