2020 Billboard Music Awards: Country Genre Recap

There were 14 country artists nominated at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, which took place last night (Wednesday, October 14^th) in Los Angeles. Check out our recap below.

Billy Ray Cyrus led country artists with five nominations for his collaboration with Lil Nas X on “Old Town Road.” Dan + Shay, Luke Combs, and Maren Morris were nominated for four awards each and Garth Brooks received the Icon Award. Brooks, Combs, and Kane Brown all performed as well. Take a look below to see which artists took home the hardware:

 

Billy Ray Cyrus and Lil Nas X took home the award for Top Hot 100 Song with “Old Town Road.” This song won three additional awards after the show as well, including Top Rap Song, Top Streaming Song, and Top Selling Song. Lil Nas X teased that a new album in the works for 2021 and we wonder if he will have another country artist feature on a track with him.

Kane Brown was the first Nashville artist to take the stage last night and he was joined by Swae Lee and Khalid to perform their pop collaboration, “Be Like That.”

Actress and new host of The Weakest Link, Jane Lynch announced the Top Country Artist, a category with the nominees of Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown, Maren Morris, and Thomas Rhett. Combs won the award and performed “Better Together” immediately after. Watch it below:

“This is something I would have never dreamed of when I was growing up,” Combs shared. “It never falls on deaf ears, the love that you guys give me, and I’m very grateful for it.”

Cher, who received the Icon Award in 2017, introduced Garth Brooks as this year’s recipient. Brooks, who has 19 number hits, 17 number one albums and was the first artist to have seven albums sell over ten million copies each, performed a melody of his biggest hits over his entire 30+ year career, including “The Thunder Rolls,” “The River,” “Standing Outside the Fire,” “The Dance,” “Friends in Low Places” and more.

 

“If I had to thank one person or one entity it would be God Almighty for through him all things are possible,” Brooks praised after receiving his award. “If you talk about down here on this planet: Bob Doyle; the group of Nashville in LA; to the love of my life, Trisha Yearwood; the three girls, Taylor, August and Allie, I will love you beyond my time on the planet; country radio, you gave me this; and to all those people that fill those stands thank you. Thank you for my life!”

Non-televised award-winners included Luke Combs for Top Country Male Artist and Top Country Album with What You See Is What You Get, Maren Morris for Top Country Female Artist, George Strait for Top Country Tour, and Dan + Shay for Top Country Duo/Group and Top Country Song with “10,000 Hours” featuring Justin Bieber.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest news in country music.

To see pictures, videos, and highlights from the show, follow the Billboard Music Awards on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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