Female country artists are the leading nominees at the 61st ACM Awards, the Academy of Country Music revealed on Thursday morning (April 9).

Megan Moroney, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson received the most nominations (nine, eight, seven and seven, respectively), followed by Chris Stapleton (six), Zach Top (five), and Cody Johnson (four). First-time nominees this year include 49 Winchester, Avery Anna, Mackenzie Carpenter, Carter Faith, Caroline Jones, Vincent Mason, Emily Ann Roberts, Thelma & James (the duo’s MacKenzie Porter was nominated for Music Event of the Year in 2022 with Dustin Lynch), Hudson Westbrook and Stephen Wilson Jr., states a press release issued Thursday.

The Academy of CountryMusic previously announced Lambert, Wilson, Johnson, Riley Green, Kacey Musgraves and Little Big Town as performers, and teased “many more unforgettable performances to be revealed in the coming weeks.” The 61st annual show will return to the MGM Garden Arena stage in Las Vegas, Nevada, switching locations after a three-year run at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco Texas. The Academy of Country Music previously stated that the show “will feature unprecedented performances, exclusive collaborations, and unexpected moments from the biggest Country Music stars, all while celebrating the genre’s most iconic and emerging talent.”

Leading up to the 61st ACM Awards, Green will headline ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends with Lauren Alaina, Randy Houser and Rodney Atkins appearing in the lineup. That event is set for Friday, May 15. On Saturday, May 16, Ashley Cooke, Braxton Keith, Dasha, Flatland Cavalry, Tucker Wetmore and other artists will be featured at ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash, located at Mandalay Bay Beach.

The 61st ACM Awards will kick off at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 17. See the list of nominees below.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Megan Moroney
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Lainey Wilson

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Luke Combs
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top

GROUP OF THE YEAR

49 Winchester
Flatland Cavalry
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays

DUO OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
Thelma & James

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Avery Anna
Mackenzie Carpenter
Dasha
Caroline Jones
Emily Ann Roberts

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Gavin Adcock
Vincent Mason
Shaboozey
Hudson Westbrook
Tucker Wetmore

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

Ain’t In It For My Health - Zach Top

Producer: Carson Chamberlain

Record Company-Label: Leo33

Cherry Valley - Carter Faith

Producer: Tofer Brown

Record Company-Label: Gatsby Records / MCA

Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe) - Riley Green

Producer: Dann Huff, Michael Knox

Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment

I’m The Problem - Morgan Wallen

Producers: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett

Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records

Parker McCollum - Parker McCollum

Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse

Record Company-Label: MCA

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

A Song To Sing - Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton

Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure

Publishers: I Wrote These Songs; Pink Dog Publishing; Songs for the Munch Music; Songs of Influence; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp

Am I Okay? - Megan Moroney

Songwriters: Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon

Publishers: Big Ass Pile of Dimes Music; Big Music Machine

Choosin’ Texas - Ella Langley

Songwriters: Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor

Publishers: Bada Bing & Bada Langley Publishing; Little Louder Songs; Sony Music Publishing

I Never Lie - Zach Top

Songwriters: Zach Top, Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols

Publishers: Music and Magazine Publishing; Rio Bravo Music Inc; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; Too Broke to Quit Music; Zach Top Music

Somewhere Over Laredo - Lainey Wilson

Songwriters: Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Andy Albert, Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg

Publishers: Concord Sounds; Dtown Boogie Music; Emi Feist Catalog Inc; Songs Of Riser House; Songs Of Wild Cat Well Music; Sony/ATV Countryside; Story Farmer; Tacklebox Music Publishing

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

6 Months Later - Megan Moroney

Producers: Kristian Bush

Record Company-Label: Sony Music Nashville / Columbia Records

Choosin’ Texas - Ella Langley

Producers: Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Ben West

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records

I Never Lie - Zach Top

Producers: Carson Chamberlain

Record Company-Label: Leo33

Somewhere Over Laredo - Lainey Wilson

Producers: Jay Joyce

Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Broken Bow Records

The Fall - Cody Johnson

Producers: Trent Willmon

Record Company-Label: CoJo Music / Warner Records Nashville

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

A Song To Sing - Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton

Producers: Dave Cobb

Record Company-Label: Republic Records

Amen - Shaboozey & Jelly Roll

Producers: Danny Majic, Nevin Sastry, Sean Cook

Record Company-Label: Empire

Don’t Mind If I Do - Riley Green feat. Ella Langley

Producers: Dann Huff, Michael Knox

Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment

Trailblazer - Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson

Producers: Tony Brown, Reba McEntire

Record Company-Label: MCA

You Had To Be There - Megan Moroney & Kenny Chesney

Producers: Kristian Bush

Record Company-Label: Sony Music Nashville / Columbia Records

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

6 Months Later - Megan Moroney

Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry

Director: CeCe Dawson, Megan Moroney

A Song To Sing - Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton

Producers: James Stratakis

Director: Alexa King Stone, Stephen Kinigopoulos

Cuckoo -Stephen Wilson, Jr.

Producers: Tim Cofield

Director: Tim Cofield

Somewhere Over Laredo - Lainey Wilson

Producers: Katie Babbage

Director: TK McKamy

The Fall - Cody Johnson

Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry

Director: Dustin Haney

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Jessie Jo Dillon
Ashley Gorley
Charlie Handsome
Chase McGill
Blake Pendergrass

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

Luke Combs
Riley Green
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Morgan Wallen

On-Air Schedule

Michael J.