Zach Top, Muscadine Bloodline, Red Clay Strays Nab ACM Award Noms
The ACM Awards continue to spiral towards irrelevancy, aided and abetted by their move off of network television and onto Amazon Prime, and their inability to adapt to the changing landscape of country music where critically-acclaimed independent artists are dramatically increasing their market share and popularity.
That said, there are some interesting names in the nominations for the 2025 ACM Awards released Thursday (3-7) ahead of the awards themselves on May 8th. The nominations verify the shifting power dynamics in the country mainstream.
Leading the nominations is Ella Langley and her bangs/feather cut with eight nods, though six are tied to her collaboration with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me.” All of Riley Green’s six nominations are tied to the song as well.
The real nomination leaders are Cody Johnson and Morgan Wallen, who both walk away with seven nominations, including both being in contention for Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year. They will also both compete against each other for Single of the Year and Song of the Year.
But most interesting is the completely independent Muscadine Bloodline sliding into Duo of the Year, Flatland Cavalry and The Red Clay Strays competing in Group of the Year, and Zach Top being considered for Album of the Year, which he has to be considered a strong contender for.
The ACMs also break down the “New Artist” category into three. Zach Top is one of the front runners for New Male Artist, while The Red Clay Strays very well might walk away with New Duo or Group of the Year.
Once again, what much of the media wants to talk about is the supposed “snub” of Beyoncé’s album Cowboy Carter, with Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside participating in a whole mea culpa with Billboard saying,
“Were we hoping she’d be nominated? Absolutely. We love that Beyoncé is in the country genre. That’s fantastic for all the country artists out there. It’s fantastic for the fans. The more successful she is, the more we’re bringing more mainstream people into the genre which we want.”
Of course, Beyoncé is not “in the country genre.” Even if you believe Cowboy Carter is country—which even Beyoncé says it’s not—she did not move to the country genre. She released one album that had some songs that were country-inspired, and her next album won’t be country at all.
Whiteside also says Beyoncé has an “open invitation” to the stage, but of course she’s not going to perform on Amazon Prime. She didn’t even perform at the Grammy Awards where she won Album of the Year, likely because she’s still in some restrictive exclusive deal with Netflix, which is the reason you will only see her perform there.
Below are the nominations and some knee jerk reactions.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Do we really need to expand this out to seven nomination just so Kelsea Ballerini can lose too? Except for her, any of these names could win. Let’s hope Jelly Roll doesn’t to spare us the shake shack preacher sermon and tsunami of alligator tears. For Cody Johnson, a win could be a career-defining moment.
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Zach Top’s Cold Beer and Country Music is surging right now as the nominations are announced and votes get cast. But the ACMs are notorious for vote swapping/horse trading. Sensing Jelly Roll is still an outsider for Entertainer of the Year, UMG Nashville might trade all their horses for an Album of the Year win here.
Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine) – Megan Moroney
Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll
Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top
F-1 Trillion – Post Malone
Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
We’re officially in a “new guard” era, with Ella Langley and Megan Moroney symbolizing mainstream country’s shift toward more country, and more distinctive women. The sheen coming off the legs of this category is enough to blind a man through a welding hood.
Kelsea Ballerini
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
It will be a precise mathematical equation calculating weight + amount of tattoos + beard length + amount of arrests that will determine the winner in this category.
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
DUO OF THE YEAR
This is still such a weak category. But after their CMA win in November, Brooks & Dunn have to be thought of as a serious contender. The win for Muscadine Bloodline is simply being included.
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
The War And Treaty
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Not much is certain in this crazy world. But if anything is certain, it’s that Old Dominion will win yet another undeserved award whenever they’re nominated in this category.
Flatland Cavalry
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ella Langley will win this, and it won’t even be close. But it will have minimal impact since it will be announced via Jelly Roll pulling her name out of a fortune cookie while taking a dump in Kid Rock’s Lower Broad bar on Instagram Live.
Kassi Ashton
Ashley Cooke
Dasha
Ella Langley
Jessie Murph
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bailey Zimmerman has been sucking for too damn long to still be considered in this category. Zach Top has to be a favorite here, though Shaboozey will get strong consideration too. Gavin Adcock will get drunk and tear up a hotel room if he wins. If he doesn’t, he’ll do it anyway. Even if he wasn’t nominated, chances are on the night of the ACM Awards, he’d be somewhere having unprotected sex and throwing a coffee table in a motel pool.
Gavin Adcock
Shaboozey
Zach Top
Tucker Wetmore
Bailey Zimmerman
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Red Clay Strays very well could win this, even though they don’t consider themselves a country band.
Restless Road
The Red Clay Strays
Treaty Oak Revival
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Some pretty monster singles here. But don’t be surprised if voters see “Chris Stapleton” and pull the lever before even reading the song.
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
“White Horse” – Chris Stapleton
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley, Riley Green
SONG OF THE YEAR
Move Over “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” Lainey Wilson has a Ford Truck jingle coming in hot. Remember when “Song of the Year” was a song that meant something?
“4x4xU” – Lainey Wilson
“The Architect” – Kacey Musgraves
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley, Riley Green
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR
Ella Langley and Riley Green will 100% win this, and it might be the only actual win for either, despite all the nominations.
“Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley, Riley Green
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR
Always remember that the videos are irrelevant here. This is simply yet another song category.
“4x4xU” – Lainey Wilson
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood
“Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley, Riley Green
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
What a continued waste of what could be a really cool category. This category is meant to give attention to the artist-songwriter who get overshadowed by folks like Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, and Luke Combs, not just another meaningless, non-televised award for them. Hardy would be the only worthy pick.
Luke Combs
ERNEST
HARDY
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessi Alexander
Jessie Jo Dillon
Ashley Gorley
Chase McGill
Josh Osborne
March 27, 2025 @ 5:52 pm
The line about Gavin Adcock was perfect! He seems like such a douchebag.
March 27, 2025 @ 6:09 pm
I intend to also be having unprotected sex that night 🤘
March 27, 2025 @ 8:54 pm
I actually don’t know Ella Langley are they someone worth paying attention to
March 28, 2025 @ 7:00 am
She is.
March 28, 2025 @ 9:48 am
No, not particularly. She had one big spoken word hit song recently but otherwise you will have a hard time finding anything worth of substance.
March 29, 2025 @ 8:09 am
…dumb isn’t the new funny, mr. harris.
March 28, 2025 @ 5:19 am
“… enough to blind a man through a welding hood.”
That, is funny!
March 28, 2025 @ 6:36 am
Why is “You Look Like You Love Me” so popular?
March 28, 2025 @ 7:39 am
It’s a fine song for the mainstream, but it is WAY overhyped. Six nominations? Give me a break. And the appeal of the song is the People Magazine-style suspicion that Riley Green and Ella Langley are secretly dating, which they aren’t.
March 28, 2025 @ 8:00 am
I think it’s because it’s a very simple actual “country” song that everyone can sing along to and all ages like. Sometimes artists make country songs more complex than they actually need to be.
March 28, 2025 @ 6:39 am
“The more successful she is, the more we’re bringing more mainstream people into the genre, which we want.”
The main problem with modern country music. The desire to be popular with groups of people that hate everything country music and its fans stand for.
March 29, 2025 @ 7:31 am
Exactly that.
I want country to remain country. Tired of seeing this forcing of a genre shift.
March 28, 2025 @ 6:52 am
I wish they had put Stephen Wilson Jr in for songwriter of the year or new male artist. He has so many cool songs on his album that are worthy in my opinion at least to be considered a contender.
Also I recommend anyone to listen to these great albums released so far this year from midwest artists. So many great ones in here.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6QaQNGX9aTzn0l7pLAsUBQ?si=X8CqcloqRCSKVNcapQFRJw
March 28, 2025 @ 6:56 am
Totally agree.
March 28, 2025 @ 8:26 am
Why the muscadine hate. lol
March 28, 2025 @ 8:59 am
No hate for Muscadine Bloodline was intended. I think it’s a big deal they got nominated, and really validates what they’re doing.
March 28, 2025 @ 8:44 am
This was a fun read, Trigger. I enjoy how you can weave an intricate tapestry of back-handed compliments and syrupy condescension for those who clearly do not (*cough* Kelsea Ballerini*cough*) belong anywhere near an award with the word “Country” attached to it.
I can’t even say that I disagree with much in this one and let’s be honest, I love a good bit of contention. I even think Zach Top is a good name to see on these lists. But my Lord… Kelsea has GOT to just go far, far away. She should
Bravo, sir. I think this will be one of your most underrated write-ups ever.
March 28, 2025 @ 1:40 pm
I’m sort of happy that I only know a total of 10-20% of the artists nominated in all the categories. Solidifies my belief that I have good taste in music.
March 29, 2025 @ 11:26 am
Rascal F’n Flatts? Group of the year? Good
Lord.
March 31, 2025 @ 10:30 pm
This guy Zach top isn’t that good but by today’s standards he is. Compare him to the real deal of 90’s country and he fails . His voice is not as good as Tracy Byrd, Travis tritt, Toby Keith, mark chesnutt, Doug stone , Tracy Lawrence or any of the 90’s greats aside from chesney or McGraw. His voice is thin and not very rich or strong. But he uses brent mason and the production is good 90’s style production. So it sounds good and it’s not just a douchebag with an acoustic guitar like from triggers boyfriend Zach Bryan or Jesse Welles. So I give him a B- .