Megan Moroney Tops ACM Awards Nominations with Nine

Megan Moroney topped the list of nominees for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards with nine nods, including her first for entertainer of the year, when the slate was announced on Thursday. The ceremony, marking a return to Las Vegas after three years in Frisco, Texas, is set for May 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Women led the nominations across multiple categories, with Moroney followed by Miranda Lambert with eight, and Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each with seven. Lambert, who holds the record for most ACM wins with 33, earned her 17th nomination for female artist of the year, surpassing Reba McEntire's previous mark of 16. Chris Stapleton received six nominations, Zach Top five, and Cody Johnson four, rounding out the top male contenders.

For entertainer of the year, Moroney joins Wilson, a two-time recent winner; Johnson; Stapleton; Luke Combs; Jelly Roll; and Morgan Wallen. Wilson could make history with a third consecutive victory, becoming the first woman to do so and matching Jason Aldean's streak from 2016 to 2018. Stapleton, a 2023 winner in the category, seeks his eighth nod to convert into another trophy, potentially tying George Strait's record of 19 ACM...