ACM Awards return to Las Vegas, Megan Moroney leads nominations

Country music’s biggest awards show returned to Las Vegas with a clear message about where the genre is headed: toward women, toward cross-platform reach, and toward a broader national audience. The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards took over MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, with Megan Moroney leading all nominees with nine, Miranda Lambert close behind with eight, and Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson tied with seven apiece.

The numbers told the larger story. Women held the top four nomination totals, while Chris Stapleton stood as the leading male nominee with six. Billboard noted that it was the second year in a row a female solo artist topped the ACM nominations, a sign that country’s commercial center of gravity has shifted from a male-dominated format to one with more room for female stars to drive the conversation. Lambert’s eight nominations also marked her strongest year since 2017, and her 33 ACM wins left her as the most decorated artist in ACM history.

Lainey Wilson entered the night as the reigning Entertainer of the Year, and a win would have put her in rare company: she would have been the first woman to take the category three years in a row. Jason Aldean was the last artist to string together three straight wins, from 2016 through 2018. That possibility alone underscored the current shape of country radio and awards-season power, with Wilson, Moroney, Lambert and Langley all helping define the genre’s current center.

Shania Twain hosted the ceremony for the first time, giving the show a veteran star who bridges eras and audiences. The broadcast streamed exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT and 5 p.m. PT, and ACM said the event reached viewers in more than 240 countries and territories. That kind of distribution reflects how country music now lives far beyond terrestrial radio, with streaming audiences and international viewers folded into the same live event.

The performance lineup reinforced that shift. ACM listed 14 named acts, with more still to be announced, including Avery Anna, Blake Shelton, Carter Faith, Cody Johnson, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, The Red Clay Strays, Riley Green, Thomas Rhett, Tucker Wetmore and Zach Top. Wilson was set to premiere “Can’t Sit Still,” while Green was slated to perform “Change My Mind,” giving the night a mix of established star power and the kind of new material that keeps the format moving.

The week around the show also carried its own industry signals. ACM’s Whiskey Jam Welcome was scheduled for Thursday, May 14, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Ole Red Las Vegas, and ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends followed Friday, May 15, at Topgolf Las Vegas, with $200 VIP Early Access tickets and $150 general admission. Presenters announced May 13 included Andrew Whitworth, Ashley McBryde, Carl Edwards, Corey LaJoie, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Michael Bublé, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Shaboozey, The War and Treaty and T.J. Osborne, extending the show’s reach across music, sports and pop culture.