Morgan Wallen was crowned entertainer of the year at the 2024 CMA Awards, which were held on Wednesday (Nov. 20) at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Wallen’s coronation comes less than four years after a career-imperiling moment where he was caught on video using a racial slur, and suggests that he is now back in Nashville’s good graces. (He did come up short in his other six categories this year, so he’s perhaps still not all the way back.) Wallen was a no-show, perhaps sensing that he was still persona non grata.
Wallen’s win for entertainer of the year means that Chris Stapleton has now lost in that category eight times without winning. That’s the most nominations for entertainer of the year without a win. Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood are currently tied for second place on the list of artists with the most nominations without a win (six).
But Stapleton won three awards on the night, more than any other artist. This brings his career total of CMA wins to 18. Only two other artists have won 18 or more CMA Awards. Brooks & Dunn, who won another award this year, lead with 19 awards. Vince Gill, like Stapleton, has won 18 awards. At this year’s show, Stapleton pulled ahead of George Strait (17 wins) and Alan Jackson (16).
Stapleton won male vocalist of the year for a record-extending eighth time. He’s far ahead of the pack in terms of most wins in the category. Runners-up, with five wins each, are Gill, Strait and Blake Shelton. (By way of comparison, the top winner in the female vocalist of the year category, Lambert, has won it seven times.)
Stapleton also won single and song of the year for “White Horse.” It’s the third time he has doubled up and won both awards on the same night. He also won both awards for “Broken Halos” in 2018 and “Starting Over” in 2021. Stapleton is the first artist in CMA history to win single of the year three times. Stapleton’s single beat a pair of long-running No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey and “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Wallen.
This was also Stapleton’s third win for song of the year. Only two other songwriters have won three or more times in this category. Gill leads with four song of the year wins. Don Schlitz also won it three times.
Lainey Wilson won two awards, second only to Stapleton. She took female vocalist of the year for the third year in a row. She’s the sixth woman to win in this category three or more years in a row. Tammy Wynette was the first singer to accomplish the feat (1968-70), followed by Reba McEntire (1984-87), Martina McBride (2002-04), Underwood (2006-08) and Lambert (2010-15). Wilson also won music video of the year for “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.” This ups her CMA tally to nine wins, all in just three years.
Old Dominion won vocal group of the year for the seventh consecutive year. They’re the first group ever to win in this category seven years running, though they still have a ways to go to catch up to The Statler Brothers for most total wins in the category (nine).
Brooks & Dunn won vocal duo of the year for the 15th time; the first time since 2006. Everyone was wondering if Brothers Osborne or Dan + Shay would win this time, or could The War and Treaty possibly win in an upset? Few thought Brooks & Dunn would reclaim the award they won 14 times between 1992 and 2006. When Brooks & Dunn first won the award, they beat reigning champs The Judds. With this latest win, they beat reigning champs Brothers Osborne.
Megan Moroney won new artist of the year on her second nomination. She lost to Jelly Roll last year. (Artists are allowed two nominations in this category.)
Cody Johnson’s ninth studio album, Leather, won album of the year. Its win was considered a surprise given the strong competition, including Stapleton’s Higher and Jelly Roll’s Whitsitt Chapel.
Guitar player Charlie Worsham won musician of the year for the first time, ending Jenee Fleenor’s five-year hold on the award. With Worsham’s win, steel guitarist Paul Franklin lost in the category for the 32nd time. That’s not a typo – Franklin has been nominated, and lost, in the category 32 times.
