From Wallen's Airplay Dominance To LOCASH's Snub, Radio Has ACM Awards Opinions Megan Moroney leads all nominees with nine nods at Sunday’s 61st ACM Awards, which returns to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the first time since 2022. Shania Twain hosts the ceremony, where women dominate the nominations for the second consecutive year. Miranda Lambert follows Moroney with eight entries, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each receive seven. Carter Faith’s debut album Cherry Valley becomes the first new release nominated for album of the year since Chris Stapleton’s Traveller. Four awards—new female artist (Avery Anna), new male artist (Tucker Wetmore), visual media (Stephen Wilson Jr.), and songwriter of the year (Jessie Jo Dillon)—have already been announced. Radio programmers and on-air hosts expressed varied opinions on who should win, with some favoring established stars and others advocating for underrepresented artists. Morgan Wallen’s airplay dominance remains a central topic, despite his absence from the ballot. Traci Lee, Program Director at New South Radio’s “US96” WUSJ and “The Legend” WHJT, argued that Wallen’s influence in the format should be recognized, though she predicted Zach Top would win album of the year. “There’s something ‘good dangerous’ about Zach Top in this format,” Lee said, noting Wallen’s historical lack of awards despite his massive radio presence. Cory Edmondson of NRG Media’s “Froggy 98” KFGE highlighted the disparity between Wallen’s airplay and his award count. “In 2025, the gap between the 10th-most-played artist and the second was a 70% increase in spins,” Edmondson explained. “Yet how many awards does he have?” He also praised Moroney’s potential to sweep major categories, crediting her mentors Kenny Chesney and Kristian Bush for her growth.#megan_moroney #miranda_lambert #ella_langley #lainey_wilson #shania_twain
