Who Should Win Male Artist of the Year at the 2024 ACM Awards?

The 2024 ACM Awards are only two days from now, and the top singers in country music are set to compete for the biggest trophies of the night. Male Artist of the Year is a tough category in 2024. Which male artist is your personal favorite?

Who’s Nominated for Male Artist of the Year at the 2024 ACMs?

Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen are all nominated for Male Artist of the Year at the 2024 ACM Awards, and fans could — and do — make the argument for any of them as the winner.

However, only one of them can take home the trophy at the 2024 ACMs.

All of the Male Artist contenders are multiple nominees in 2024. Combs leads all of the 2024 ACM Awards nominees with eight, while Wallen scored six nods in 2024.

Johnson and Stapleton both have five nods, while Jelly Roll has four ACM nominations this year. Which one has your vote?

How Do I Watch the 2024 ACM Awards?

The 2024 ACM Awards will take place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The event will stream live on Prime Video on Thursday, May 16, starting at 8PM ET/7PM CT/5PM PT. Reba McEntire is confirmed to return as the host for the 2024 ceremony.

For more information, visit the ACM’s website.

Who’s got your vote for Male Artist of the Year in the 2024 ACM Awards? Rate each nominated artist below, and check back on May 16 to see which one Taste of Country readers picked.

2024 ACM Awards Nominations Snubs, Ranked

The 2024 ACM Awards nominations are here. Megan Moroney is having a very, VERY good day. A long list of veteran country hitmakers are not.

Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and more find themselves without a real reason to attend the 2024 ACM Awards next month. They don’t make this list of snubs and surprises, however — scroll down to find our Top 10, starting with an Entertainer of the Year nominee that had never been up for anything before.

Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes

Picture of Jelly Roll

Jason Kempin, Getty Images

10. Surprise: Jelly Roll

It was a little awkward when Jelly Roll wasn’t nominated for an ACM in 2023. Voters made it right this year by putting him in four categories, including Entertainer of the Year. Has an artist ever gone from zero to EOTY favorite (arguably) in 12 months time? Our research team is going to need some more time to figure that out.

Picture of Nate Smith

Jason Kempin, Getty Images

9. Snub: Nate Smith, “World on Fire”

This 2023 and 2024 New Male Artist of the Year nominee spent 10 weeks at No. 1 with “World on Fire.” TEN! Admittedly, his weeks extended beyond the eligibility period, but when have voters ever been that pedantic? Nate Smith’s song deserved a Single of the Year nomination.

Theo Wargo, Getty Images

8. Surprise: Cody Johnson

The Entertainer of the Year category features three first-time nominees, including Cody Johnson. He’s always been on a path to get here and the mention is deserved. We just weren’t expecting it.

Picture of Chris Stapleton performing

Terry Wyatt, Getty Images

7. Snub: Chris Stapleton, “White Horse”

“White Horse” was Chris Stapleton’s fastest-rising radio hit and it won two Grammys, but ACM voters dismissed it. It’s especially strange because historically the panel tries to put him in as many categories as possible.

Picture of Parmalee

Jason Kempin, Getty Images

6. Snub: Parmalee

Once again, we’re leading the Vote for Parmalee movement after the fact. They’re the most dependable hitmakers in the eligible Vocal Group category, but they never get recognized (one lifetime ACM nod, in 2015). Flatland Cavalry took Midland’s spot this year, which is a surprise.

Picture of Bailey Zimmerman

Danielle Del Valle, Getty Images

5. Snub: Bailey Zimmerman

Y’all mad at Bailey Zimmerman or something? He was up in the New Male category last year but not in 2024, despite adding on to his hit total and becoming a true rising star in the genre.

Picture of Megan Moroney

Rick Kern, Getty Images

4. Surprise + Snub: Megan Moroney

The snub first: Lucky deserved an Album of the Year nomination, although admittedly, it’s hard to choose which of the five nominees she’d replace. That category is stacked in 2024.

As for the surprise? Luke Combs notched the most nominations with eight. After that it’s Megan Moroney with six. That’s a big haul for this rising star and 2024 CRS New Faces performer. She’s one of two fresh faces in the Female Artist of the Year category. Out are Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and …

Picture of Carly Pearce

Jason Kempin, Getty Images

3. Snub: Carly Pearce

It’s really hard to argue that Carly Pearce isn’t a Top 5 female artist, but beyond that, her Chris Stapleton collaboration “We Don’t Fight Anymore” seemed like a sure bet for Vocal Event. That she received zero nominations is a travesty.

Picture of Warren Zeiders

Rick Kern, Getty Images

2. Snub: Warren Zeiders

When an artist wins big at one awards show (the CMT Music Awards) but isn’t mentioned for the next one month later, it stands out. Warren Zeiders is a rising star with a big hit on country radio. He seemed like a favorite to get a New Male Artist nomination this year.

Picture of Kacey Musgraves

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

1. Surprise: Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves returns to the Female Artist category for an eighth time, first since 2020. Her two nominations (including Music Event of the Year with Zach Bryan) come during an off-cycle year; the Deeper Well album just dropped a month ago and is thus not eligible for consideration.

Her team has to take the nominations as a sign that there is still space for her within this commercial country machine if she wants to fill it. That’s a pretty big if for some pretty understandable reasons. Musgraves — like so many women in country — hasn’t always gotten a fair chance.