Ballerini, Stapleton, Old Dominion win ACM new artist honors
These awards mark the first-ever ACM Award wins for Ballerini, Stapleton and Old Dominion. Ballerini is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, Stapleton leads the ACM nominations with six additional nods, including Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, and Old Dominion received a nomination for Vocal Group of the Year.
This is part of a great stretch for Stapleton, whose "Traveller" debut CD has topped the charts for many weeks. He was a surprise winner of three Country Music Association awards in November. Stapleton took the honor over Thomas Rhett, Brett Eldredge, Chase Rice and Chris Janson.
Ballerini, a Tennessee native with hits including "Dibs" and "Love Me Like You Mean It," won over Cam, Mickey Guyton and RaeLynn.
Old Dominion, which has hits with "Snapback" and "Break Up With Him," beat out A Thousand Horses, Brothers Osborne, Maddie & Tae and Parmalee.
Previously fan-voted, the newcomer categories are now all incorporated into the professional membership voting process this year.
The awards, co-hosted by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on April 3 at 8 p.m. live eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS.
More news
- 06/02/25: Old Dominion slates "Barbara" for August
- 05/12/25: ACMs continue on Amazon
- 05/08/25: Langley, Wilson clean up at ACM Awards
- 05/07/25: ACMs unveils presenters
- 05/01/25: ACM opening features Reba, Wynoon, Sugarland
- 04/24/25: Jackson, B&D, Stapleton, Ballerini, Lambert join ACM line-up
- 04/21/25: Childers, Stapleton headline recovery-based music fest
- 04/17/25: ACM announces radio awrds
CD reviews
Even in an age where we're replete with great female singer/songwriters, Kelsea Ballerini goes to places that others wouldn't touch. It sure would burnish one's image to talk about popping bottles all night, versus admitting in a 2020 song ("club") that those places can make for a depressive night that sits on a throne of lies. When the Knoxville, Tenn. native made her big divorce record (splitting from Aussie country artist Morgan Evans), she really welcomed us into a ...
There was a bit of a controversy at the recent CMAs when Chris Stapleton beat out Morgan Wallen for best male vocalist, especially after Wallen had such a huge year, commercially speaking. Yes, one can make the case that Wallen is the most popular male singer in country music these days. However, when it comes to pure singing, Stapleton is arguably the genre's most naturally talented singer. He doesn't really need any more proof of that, of course, but his "Higher" album ...
There are two ways to listen to Old Dominion's music. You can simply enjoy it for the feel, the lyrics, the beat...or you can study it as a master class in contemporary country songwriting and record production. Either way you're in for a treat, especially on this eight-song EP "Memory Lane." Hooks, harmonies, rhythms and feel-good images are everywhere here.
Old Dominion (name chosen because four band members are from Virginia) originally formed to highlight songs that the ...
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