The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards was held on May 11, 2023, in Frisco, Texas at the Ford Center at The Star. The ceremony was hosted by country music icons Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks.
Background On July 19, 2022, Prime Video and the ACM announced that the awards show would move to the Ford Center at The Star, a practice facility for the Dallas Cowboys, in Frisco, Texas. This marked the second time it was broadcast from the state since the 50th ceremony in 2015.
Category updates On December 1, 2022, the academy announced it would be changing some of the awards categories. The Entertainer of the Year award would increase from five nominees to seven nominees. The Songwriter of the Year award would be separated into: Songwriter, described as an individual known predominantly as a songwriter and does not serve as the primary artist; and Artist —Songwriter, described as an individual known both as an artist and a songwriter who was the main recording artist on at least one song that charted in the top 20 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs or Mediabase Country charts during the eligibility period. Lastly, Video of the Year would be renamed as Visual Media of the Year, as to include other forms of media.
Hosts On March 28, 2023, the ACM announced that country music legends Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks would host the ceremony. This ceremony marks Parton's second consecutive year, and third time hosting, whereas this was Brooks' first time hosting.
Winners and nominees Nominees were announced April 13, 2023 on The Bobby Bones Show, and the ACM website. Entertainer of the YearAlbum of the Year Chris Stapleton Jason Aldean Kane Brown Luke Combs Miranda Lambert Carrie Underwood Morgan Wallen Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde Growin' Up – Luke Combs Mr. Saturday Night – Jon Pardi Palomino – Miranda LambertFemale Artist of the YearMale Artist of the Year Lainey Wilson Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Ashley McBryde Carly Pearce Morgan Wallen Kane Brown Luke Combs Jordan Davis Chris StapletonGroup of the YearDuo of the Year Old Dominion Lady A Little Big Town Midland Zac Brown Band Brothers Osborne Brooks & Dunn Dan + Shay Maddie & Tae The War and TreatySingle of the YearSong of the Year "She Had Me at Heads Carolina" – Cole Swindell "Heart Like a Truck" – Lainey Wilson "Never Wanted to Be That Girl" – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde "Thank God" – Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown "'Til You Can't" – Cody Johnson "She Had Me at Heads Carolina" – Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett and Tim Nichols "Sand in My Boots" – Ashley Gorley, Josh Osborne and Michael Hardy "'Til You Can't" – Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers "Wait in the Truck" – Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy and Renee Blair "You Should Probably Leave" – Ashley Gorley, Chris DuBois and Chris StapletonNew Female Artist of the YearNew Male Artist of the Year Hailey Whitters Priscilla Block Megan Moroney Caitlyn Smith Morgan Wade Zach Bryan Jackson Dean Ernest Dylan Scott Nate Smith Bailey ZimmermanArtist-Songwriter of the YearSongwriter of the Year Hardy Luke Combs Ernest Miranda Lambert Morgan Wallen Ashley Gorley Nicolle Galyon Chase McGill Josh Osborne Hunter PhelpsMusic Event of the YearVisual Media of the Year "Wait in the Truck" – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson) "At the End of a Bar" – Chris Young with Mitchell Tenpenny "She Had Me at Heads Carolina (Remix)" – Cole Swindell and Jo Dee Messina "Thank God" – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown "Thinking ‘Bout You" – Dustin Lynch (feat. MacKenzie Porter) "Wait in the Truck" – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson); Dir. Justin Clough "Heartfirst" – Kelsea Ballerini; Dir. P Tracy "She Had Me at Heads Carolina" – Cole Swindell; Dir. Spidey Smith "Thank God" – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Dir. Alex Alvga "'Til You Can't" – Cody Johnson; Dir. Dustin Haney "What He Didn't Do" – Carly Pearce; Dir. Alexa Campbell
Performers The first wave of performers were announced on April 30, 2023. On May 8, Ed Sheeran was announced as a performer. The full line-up was revealed on May 9, 2023. Morgan Wallen was originally set to perform on the show but had to cancel after he was placed on vocal rest by doctors.
Performer(s) Song Keith Urban "Texas Time" Cole Swindell Jo Dee Messina "She Had Me at Heads Carolina" Kane Brown "Bury Me in Georgia" Carly Pearce Trisha Yearwood "Wrong Side of Memphis" "XXX's and OOO's (An American Girl)" "She's in Love with the Boy" Hardy "Truck Bed" Bailey Zimmerman "Rock and a Hard Place" Cody Johnson Celebration of Willie Nelson's 90th birthday "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" Miranda Lambert "Carousel" Hailey Whitters "Everything She Ain't" Luke Combs "Love You Anyway" Ed Sheeran Luke Combs "Life Goes On" The War and Treaty "Blank Page" Jason Aldean "Tough Crowd" Ashley McBryde Brandy Clark Caylee Hammack Pillbox Patti John Osborne "Bonfire at Tina's" Jelly Roll Lainey Wilson "Save Me" Lainey Wilson "Grease" Jordan Davis "Next Thing You Know" Dolly Parton "World on Fire"
Presenters Presenter(s) Notes Dak Prescott and Emmitt Smith Presented Song of the Year Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter Presented Duo of the Year Chris Young and Mitchell Tenpenny Presented Group of the Year Gabby Barrett and Breland Introduced Bailey Zimmerman Tanya Tucker Presented Single of the Year Mickey Guyton and Tyler Hubbard Presented Music Event of the Year Carly Pearce and TJ Osborne Introduced The War and Treaty Dolly Parton Presented Female Artist of the Year Garth Brooks Presented Male Artist of the Year Brandy Clark and Jon Pardi Introduced Jelly Roll Keith Urban Presented Album of the Year Trisha Yearwood Presented Entertainer of the Year
Milestones
Chris Stapleton won "Entertainer of the Year" for the first time. Thus, Stapleton achieved the Triple Crown Award presented at the ACM Honors. Kane Brown and Jordan Davis received their first nominations in the "Male Artist of the Year" category. Lainey Wilson received her first nomination and win in the "Female Artist of the Year" category. Jo Dee Messina received her first nomination since 2001.
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