Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton were the top winners at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards, presented on Thursday (May 16) at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Stapleton won four awards, more than anyone else, but Wilson won the top prize, entertainer of the year. Luke Combs and Jordan Davies each won two awards. (Under ACM rules, artists can win two awards in some categories – one as an artist and one as a producer or songwriter.)
Morgan Wallen was disqualified despite receiving six nods.
Wilson won Artist of the Year two years after winning the ACM Award for New Female Artist of the Year. That's the fastest climb from a new artist to entertainer of the year award at the ACMs since The Chicks, then known as the Dixie Chicks, also made the leap in just two years. This female trio was named New Group or Duo in 1999 and won Entertainer of the Year in 2001.
Wilson thus achieves what ACM calls the Triple Crown. She won New Artist of the Year two years ago and New Artist of the Year last year. Wilson repeated in the latter category this year. She is the first artist to win back-to-back awards in this category since Maren Morris in 2020-21.
Wilson also won music event of the year for the second consecutive year. She won this year as featured artist for Jelly Roll's 'Save Me'. She won last year as featured artist in Hardy's Wait in the Truck.
Stapleton won album of the year for the fourth time, a total equaled or surpassed only by Miranda Lambert, who has won the category five times. Lambert won with five consecutive studio albums. Stapleton won with four of his five solo studio albums. He only lost when From a Room, Vol. 2 lost to Kacey Musgraves Golden Hour. (He won two awards in this category, one as an artist and one as a co-producer.)
Stapleton won Male Artist of the Year for the fourth time, just one shy of the all-time record of five wins shared by Merle Haggard, Brad Paisley and George Strait. Stapleton also won Artist-Songwriter of the Year in the second year running. Hardy was the inaugural winner last year. These awards bring Stapleton's ACM Awards trophy count to 20.
Combs' “Fast Car” won single of the year. The crossover reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. He is the fourth winner in that category to reach No. 1 on his No. 2 Advertising signIconic singles chart, since Glen Campbell's “Rhinestone Cowboy” (1976's #1 winner). Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's 'Islands in the stream' (1984 winner, No.1) and Lady A's 'Need You Now' (2010 winner, No.2). Combs won two awards for the single, as artist and co-producer.
But Tracy Chapman didn't win song of the year for writing “Fast Car,” as expected. Jordan Davis' hit “Next Thing You Know” won in that category instead. Davis co-wrote the song with Chase McGill, Greylan James and Josh Osborne. It's the second win in this category for Osborne, who co-wrote the Old Dominion hit “One Man Band,” which won four years ago. (Davis won two awards in this category – one as an artist and one as a writer.)
Old Dominion won group of the year for the seventh year in a row. That equals Rascal Flatts' seven-game winning streak from 2003-09.
Dan + Shay won duo of the year for the fourth time, tying Brothers Osborne's four-year reign for the recent ACM record. The all-time record is held by Brooks & Dunn and The Judds, with 16 wins.
Megan Moroney won New Female Artist of the Year, while Nate Smith won New Male Artist of the Year. Both were also nominated in those categories last year, but lost to Hailey Whitters and Zach Bryan, respectively. ACM rules give artists two attempts to win the award.
Tigirlily Gold won in the revamped New Duo or Group of the Year category. The award was last presented five years ago to LANCO. Tigirlily Gold, comprised of sisters Kendra and Krista Slaubaugh, is the second fraternal duo to win in this category. The first was The Kinleys, which consisted of Heather and Jennifer Kinley. They won in 1998. (The Kinleys were identical twins. Tigirlily Gold's sisters are about 2-1/2 years apart in age.)
Jessie Jo Dillon won Songwriter of the Year. She is the third woman to win in this category, after Hilary Lindsay (three-time winner) and Laurie McKenna.” Dillon's win was no surprise. She was nominated for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical at the Grammy Awards earlier this year.
Parker McCollum's 'Burn It Down' won visual media of the year. Two years ago, McCollum won New Male Artist of the Year at the ACMs.
The show was produced by Dick Clark Productions (DCP). DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a subsidiary of Penske Media Corporation (PMC) and a joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is its parent company Advertising sign.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/lainey-wilson-chris-stapleton-acm-awards-records-winners-history-1235685309/
