The 2023 ACM awards predictions, who will win and what to expect. The 58th annual ACM Awards aired Thursday night on Prime Video from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The show, which was co-hosted by Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton, featured performances from a variety of country music stars. It also awarded a handful of trophies, including new male artist and female artist of the year, song of the year, and songwriter of the year. Zach Bryan and Hailey Whitters were among the first winners of the evening.
ACM Awards 2023 Predictions
The ACMs are one of the biggest nights in country music, and even nominees who don’t win usually have a blast. But the awards can also be a little unpredictable, with new artists and established superstars both vying for top honors. Let’s take a look at our predictions for the big categories.
With a roster full of chart-topping hits, acclaimed albums and high-profile tour stops, the pack of ACM newcomers is stacked this year. That includes the likes of HARDY, Lainey Wilson, Kane Brown and Luke Combs, who all earned multiple nominations.
This category has become one of the most competitive at the ACMs. HARDY is likely to walk away with the trophy, but he’ll have stiff competition from Lainey Wilson and Kane Brown. In the end, I think the latter will emerge victorious. His booming tour numbers and his soaring Billboard Country Airplay chart success with “Thank God.”
Who Will Win and What to Expect
Analysis: It’s hard to go against Stapleton in this race, but he’ll have to fight for the title against a talented group of first-time nominees. The group includes RCA Nashville star Kane Brown, who boasts several high-profile headlining tours and an NBA arena-sized following, and a pair of Sony Music Nashville labelmates in Brown and Luke Combs. Then there’s Big Loud Records’ Morgan Wallen, who scored a string of Billboard Country Airplay No. 1s and has a steady grip on sales.
The last few years have seen a fresh-faced singer-songwriter make the most of this category. This year, it’s a close call between the vivacious Wilson with her hit “Grease” and the more traditional Kacey Musgraves with her ballad, “Butterflies.” In the end, I think the ACMs will award the more evocative performance.
