Lainey Wilson leads 2023 CMA Awards nominations with 9

A woman with long blond hair wears a tall, wide-brim hat and stands in front of a CMA Awards backdrop

By Jonah ValdezStaff Writer

Sept. 7, 2023 12:10 PM PT

Lainey Wilson leads the 2023 Country Music Assn. Awards nominations for a second straight year with nods in nine categories.

And the “Heart Like a Truck” singer made history as the first performer to top the CMAs nominations list in their first two appearances on the ballot. Her nine nominations also put her at the second most for a single year, tying with Merle Haggard and Miranda Lambert. Alan Jackson set the record at 10 nods in 2002.

Last year, Wilson’s six nominations made her the fourth artist in the history of the CMAs to earn six nominations in her first year, following Glen Campbell, Brad Paisley and Kacey Musgraves.

“Holy moly y’all,” Wilson wrote on her Instagram reacting to the nominations list. “Someone pinch me. I can’t believe my eyes.”

Her nominations include Entertainer of the Year, which she called “absolutely surreal.” Heavy hitters Luke Combs, whose cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” topped country charts this year, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood and recent hitmaker Morgan Wallen round out her competition in that category. Wilson’s other nominations include female vocalist, album, single, song, musical event and music video.

“Being nominated in each of these categories amongst my friends means the world to me,” Wilson continued. “We bust our butts out there on the road every dang night to give y’all the best show possible and I have the time of my life doing it.”

Wilson is followed by first-time nominee Jelly Roll, who boasts five nominations. Combs and Hardy follow with four apiece.

Despite Wallen’s chart-topping hits, including “Last Night,” which sits atop the Billboard Hot 100, the “More Than My Hometown” performer garnered only three nominations. His album “One Thing at a Time” is up for album of the year, alongside those from Ashley McBryde, Wilson, Combs and Kelsea Ballerini.

The 2023 CMA Awards will air on ABC at 5 p.m. Pacific on Nov. 8.

Here is the full list of nominees:

Entertainer of the year

Luke Combs

Chris Stapleton

Carrie Underwood

Morgan Wallen

Lainey Wilson

Single of the year

(Award includes artist(s), producer(s) and mix engineer(s))

“Fast Car” — Luke Combs; producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; mix engineer: Chip Matthews

“Heart Like a Truck” — Lainey Wilson; producers: Jay Joyce; mix engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

“Need a Favor” — Jelly Roll; producers: Austin Nivarel; mix engineer: Jeff Braun

“Next Thing You Know” — Jordan Davis; producers: Paul DiGiovanni; mix engineer: Jim Cooley

“wait in the truck” – Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson); producers: Hardy, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells; mix engineer: Joey Moi

Album of the year

(Award includes artist(s), producer(s) and mix engineer(s))

“Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville” — Ashley McBryde; producers: John Osborne, John Peets; mix engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne

“Bell Bottom Country” — Lainey Wilson; producer: Jay Joyce; mix engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

“Gettin’ Old” — Luke Combs; producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; mix engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews

“One Thing at a Time” — Morgan Wallen; producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery; mix engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland

“Rolling Up the Welcome Mat” — Kelsea Ballerini; producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; mix engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym