Morgan Wallen is the leading nominee for the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, with 11 nods. Hosted by Little Big Town, the show will air live Thursday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT simultaneously on NBC and Peacock from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
Wallen is trailed in the nominations count by Luke Combs and HARDY, with nine nods each; Jelly Roll, with eight; Lainey Wilson, with seven; Zach Bryan and Kane Brown with six each; and Megan Moroney, with five.
Wallen, Combs, Wilson, Bryan and Brown are each nominated for the top award, The People’s Artist of 2023, alongside Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini and Old Dominion. The latter is the only group or duo nominated for the top award.
Ingrid Andress is a surprise nominee for The New Artist of 2023. She was nominated for the ACM Awards’ new female artist of the year award in February 2021 and the CMA Awards’ new artist of the year prize that September. Maybe they mean “new-ish.” The other nominees in the category are Jelly Roll, Bryan, Moroney, Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, ERNEST and Priscilla Block.
In a bid to distinguish themselves from other country awards shows, the People’s Choice Country Awards have a few unique categories: The Crossover Song of 2023, The Concert Tour of 2023 and The Social Star of 2023. The latter category is among the most gender-balanced on the ballot, with four women vying with four men.
The crossover song category consists of pop/country collabs, which brought in such pop, alternative, dance and hip-hop stars as P!nk, Ed Sheeran, Bebe Rexha, Charlie Puth, Maggie Rogers, Diplo and Kodak Black.
Voting begins today and runs through Friday, Aug. 25 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Fans can vote online at votepcca.com. In an unusual twist, votes cast on Turbo Tuesday, Aug. 22 (midnight–11:59 p.m. ET) will count twice. Votes will be tabluted by third-party vendor Telescope. Complete rules can be found at https://pcca.votenow.nbc.com/rules.
Billed as “an award show for the people and by the people,” the People’s Choice Country Awards is produced by Den of Thieves with executive producers Jesse Ignjatovic, Evan Prager and Barb Bialkowski.
The show will also bestow several honorary awards. As previously announced, Toby Keith will receive the Country Music Icon Award, presented by Shelton.
The show will extend across platforms with Backstage Live: People’s Choice Country Awards, which will feature red-carpet arrivals, backstage chats and behind-the-scenes coverage. The livestream will air on Peacock, PCA Twitter, NBC Twitter/Facebook/YouTube, TODAY All Day/Twitter, E! News Twitter/Facebook/YouTube/E!Online, Access Twitter/YouTube, and Circle TV Network and Circle social platforms.
A limited number of show tickets and VIP packages are available at Opry.com.
Here’s the complete list of nominations for the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards.
The People’s Artist of 2023
Blake Shelton
Kane Brown
Kelsea Ballerini
Lainey Wilson
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Old Dominion
Zach Bryan
The Male Artist of 2023
Bailey Zimmerman
Blake Shelton
HARDY
Jelly Roll
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Zach Bryan
The Female Artist of 2023
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Carrie Underwood
Elle King
Kelsea Ballerini
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Miranda Lambert
The Group/Duo of 2023
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Lady A
Little Big Town
Maddie & Tae
Old Dominion
Parmalee
The War and Treaty
The New Artist of 2023
Bailey Zimmerman
Corey Kent
ERNEST
Ingrid Andress
Jelly Roll
Megan Moroney
Priscilla Block
Zach Bryan
The Album of 2023
Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson
Different Man – Kane Brown
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs
One Thing at a Time – Morgan Wallen
Religiously. The Album. – Bailey Zimmerman
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini
the mockingbird & THE CROW – HARDY
Whitsitt Chapel – Jelly Roll
The Song of 2023
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
“Last Night” – Morgan Wallen; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, John Byron, Ryan Vojtesak
“Love You Anyway” – Luke Combs; Songwriters: Dan Isbell, Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher
“Need a Favor” – Jelly Roll; Songwriters: Austin Nivarel, Jason DeFord/Jelly Roll, Joe Ragosta, Rob Ragosta
“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney; Songwriters: Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins
“Thank God” – Kane Brown, Katelyn Brown; Songwriters: Christian Stalnecker, Jared Mullins, Jaxson Free, Josh Hoge, Kyle Fishman
“Thinkin’ Bout Me” – Morgan Wallen; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, John Byron, Ryan Vojtesak, Taylor Phillips
“wait in the truck” – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair
The Collaboration Song of 2023
“Beer With My Friends” – Kenny Chesney & Old Dominion; Songwriters: Bryan Simpson, David Lee Murphy, Shy Carter
“Cowgirls” – Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Ernest Keith Smith, James Maddocks, Milan Modi, Rocky Block, Ryan Vojtesak
“red” – HARDY feat. Morgan Wallen; Songwriters: Michael Hardy, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Jacob Rice
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: David Ray, Jason DeFord/Jelly Roll
“Thank God” – Kane Brown, Katelyn Brown; Songwriters: Christian Stalnecker, Jared Mullins, Jaxson Free, Josh Hoge, Kyle Fishman
“wait in the truck” – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton; Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Carly Pearce, Pete Good
“You, Me, and Whiskey” – Justin Moore, Priscilla Block; Songwriters: Brock Berryhill, Jessi Alexander, Cole Taylor
The Crossover Song of 2023
“Dawns” – Zach Bryan feat. Maggie Rogers; Songwriters: Maggie Rogers, Zachary Lane Bryan
“Just Say I’m Sorry” – P!nk, Chris Stapleton; Songwriters: Alecia Moore, Chris Stapleton
“Life Goes On” – Ed Sheeran feat. Luke Combs; Songwriter: Ed Sheeran
“Seasons” – Bebe Rexha, Dolly Parton; Songwriters: Bebe Rexha, Ido Zmishlany, Sarah Solovay
“Texas” – Jessie Murph feat. Maren Morris; Songwriters: Alex Niceforo, Amy Allen, Jessie Murph, Warren “Oak” Felder
“That’s Not How This Works” – Charlie Puth feat. Dan + Shay; Songwriters: Jordan Reynolds, Charlie Puth, Dan Smyers
“UNHEALTHY” – Anne-Marie feat. Shania Twain; Songwriters: Anne-Marie Nicholson, CASTLE, Connor McDonough, Riley McDonough
“Wasted” – Diplo feat. Kodak Black & Koe Wetzel; Songwriters: Bill K. Kapri, Richard Cook Mears IV, Ropyr Wetzel, Thomas Wesley Pentz
The Music Video of 2023
“In Your Love” – Tyler Childers
“Need a Favor” – Jelly Roll
“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney
“Thank God” – Kane Brown, Katelyn Brown
“Thought You Should Know” – Morgan Wallen
“wait in the truck” – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson
“Where We Started” – Thomas Rhett, Katy Perry
“You Proof” – Morgan Wallen
The Concert Tour of 2023
Blake Shelton: Back to the Honky Tonk Tour
Carrie Underwood: Denim & Rhinestones Tour
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour
Kenny Chesney: I Go Back 2023 Tour
Luke Combs World Tour
Morgan Wallen: One Night at a Time World Tour
Shania Twain: Queen of Me Tour
Zach Bryan: The Burn, Burn, Burn Tour
The Social Country Star of 2023
Bailey Zimmerman
Blake Shelton
Carrie Underwood
Dolly Parton
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Shania Twain
