Shaboozey and Zach Top will again compete for the Country Music Association’s award for New Artist of the Year, the first category revealed for the 59th annual CMA Awards.
The New Artist of the Year nominees were revealed on Good Morning America on Monday. Along with Shaboozey and Top, the category boasts Ella Langley, Tucker Wetmore, and Stephen Wilson Jr. The full slate of CMA Awards nominees will be announced later today at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT
Both Shaboozey and Top were up for New Artist of the Year in 2024, with the pair losing out to Megan Moroney. Despite the “New Artist” name, CMA rules do allow for up-and-coming country stars to be nominated twice in this category. Moroney, for instance, was nominated for the prize in 2023 before winning last year; Morgan Wallen was nominated in 2019 before winning in 2020; and Luke Combs was nominated in 2017 before winning in 2018.
Shaboozey, of course, had a historic year in 2024 thanks to the runaway success of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and his album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going. Earlier this year, he released the “Complete Edition” of the album, which featured the hits “Good News” and “Blink Twice.” If he wins New Artist of the Year, Shaboozey will become the third black artist to win the category after Darius Rucker in 2009 and Jimmie Allen in 2021.
As for Top, he also enjoyed a big 2024 with his debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, which peaked at Number 4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and featured the Top 10 country single, “I Never Lie.” He just released his sophomore effort, Ain’t In It for My Health, on Aug. 29.
Wetmore, meanwhile, released his debut album, What Not To, back in April, with the album featuring hit country singles “Wind Up Missin’ You” and “3,2,1.” And Langley is already a CMA Awards winner, having picked up the prize for Musical Event of the Year in 2024 for her hit collaboration with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me.”
Stephen Wilson Jr. is arguably this year’s most fascinating nominee: Though he hasn’t had as much commercial and chart success as his fellow nominees, the 45-year-old former microbiologist who released his debut album in 2023 has built up a devoted audience with his unique mix of classic country and more indie and alternative influences (he’s described his sound as “Death Cab for Country”). Wilson put out his debut album, Son of Dad, in 2023 and put out a short covers EP, Blankets, last week.
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