Jordan Davis took home the first televised award of the night at the Academy of Country Music Awards Thursday (May 16), winning for song of the year with “Next Thing You Know.”
The 36-year-old looked surprised as he heard presenter Randy Travis read out his name as the category’s winner, beating out Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” Lainey Wilson’s “Heart Like a Truck,” Cody Johnson’s “The Painter” and Megan Moroney’s “Tennessee Orange” for the prize. Taking the stage at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, he thanked his co-writers — Chase McGill, Greylan James and Josh Osborne — the academy and the country music community for pushing him to be a better songwriter.
A track from Davis’ 2023 album Bluebird Days, “Next Thing You Know” peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July. On the Hot Country Songs chart, it reached No. 7, as well as No. 2 on the Country Airplay chart.
The feat comes amid the Louisiana native’s recent success with fellow Bluebird Days single “Tucson Too Late,” which peaked at the top of the Country Airplay ranking in the week dated May 18. It marks Davis’ fifth career No. 1 on the chart.
This year’s ACMs — which are produced by Dick Clark Productions — are hosted by Reba McEntire. Davis is also nominated for single and visual media of the year.
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