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Gabby Barrett and Morgan Wallen Win Big at Billboard Music Awards

The 2021 Billboard Music Awards took place last night, Sunday, May 23rd, in Los Angeles, and artists of all genres performed and were recognized for their charting success this past year.

Several country artists shined, including Gabby Barrett and Morgan Wallen who walked away with three awards each. Barrett was not only the most nominated country artist, but she led all female nominees with nine total, including one for Top New Artist, which she lost to the late, Pop Smoke. Wallen racked up six nominations in five different categories.

The Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring, and social engagement from March 31, 2020, to April 3, 2021. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including MRC Data and Next Big Sound. Nick Jonas hosted the three-hour event which featured performances with live audiences.

Only a handful of Nashville artists appeared on stage last night, and only one country award was announced during the show; Gabby Barrett was awarded Top Country Female Artist over Maren Morris and Carrie Underwood. In addition, Barrett’s smash-hit “I Hope” was awarded Top Country Song and Top Collaboration (the pop-remix with Charlie Puth), which beat out the seven-week, number-one hit “Rockstar” by DaBaby and Roddy Ricch.

Despite not being allowed at the show due to the racial slur controversy, Morgan Wallen was awarded Top Country Male Artist, Top Country Artist, and Top Country Album for Dangerous: The Double Album. Wallen also had two songs nominated for Top Country Song (“Chasin’ You” and “More Than My Hometown”) and was nominated for Top Song Sales Artist, but lost to the k-pop group, BTS.

The only other winners to come out of Nashville last night included Florida Georgia Line, who took home Top Country Duo/Group, and Carrie Underwood, whose album My Gift was awarded Top Christian Album. Kelsea Ballerini was in attendance as well — she introduced her 2021 tour mates, The Jonas Brothers before they performed a mash-up of several hits, including their new collaboration with Marshmello “Leave Me Before You Love Me.”

Although, unfortunately, there were no country performances within the broadcast, the live audience at the show gave us some feeling of normalcy. Something to look forward to as we gear up for a summer full of live country concerts!

Below are the country award categories, nominees, and winners:

Top Country Artist
Gabby Barrett
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen — WINNER

Top Country Male Artist
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen — WINNER

Top Country Female Artist
Gabby Barrett — WINNER
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line — WINNER
Maddie & Tae

Top Country Album
Gabby Barrett, Goldmine
Sam Hunt, Southside
Chris Stapleton, Starting Over
Carrie Underwood, My Gift
Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album – WINNER

Top Country Song
Jason Aldean, “Got What I Got”
Gabby Barrett, “I Hope” — WINNER
Lee Brice, “One of Them Girls”
Morgan Wallen, “Chasin’ You”
Morgan Wallen, “More Than My Hometown”

Top Song Sales Artist
Justin Bieber
BTS — WINNER
Megan Thee Stallion
Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd

Top New Artist
Gabby Barrett
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke — WINNER
Rod Wave

Top Duo/Group
AC/DC
AJR
BTS — WINNER
Dan + Shay
Maroon 5

Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship — WINNER
for KING & COUNTRY
Carrie Underwood
Zach Williams

Top Christian Album
Bethel Music, Peace
Elevation Worship, Grave Into Gardens
Carrie Underwood, My Gift — WINNER
We The Kingdom, Holy Water
Zach Williams, Rescue Story

Top Hot 100 Song Presented by Rockstar
24kGoldn ft. iann dior, “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” – WINNER

Top Selling Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
BTS, “Dynamite” — WINNER
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé, “Savage”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”

Top Radio Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now”
Harry Styles, “Adore You”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” — WINNER

Top Collaboration (Fan-Voted)
24kGoldn ft. iann dior, “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope” — WINNER
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne, “WHATS POPPIN”

 

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 InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

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 14th) 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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Here Are The 2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations

Here are the 2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations announced earlier today, Tuesday (Sept. 22) by Dick Clark Productions and NBC.

2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations

Nominees and winners for the awards show are chosen based on sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring, and social engagement throughout the charting period of March 23rd, 2019 through March 14th, 2019. Additionally, three fan-voted categories are included in this year’s show – Billboard Chart Achievement Award, Top Social Artist Award, and Top Collaboration Award.

Kelly Clarkson returns to host the 2020 Billboard Music Awards for the third consecutive year. The show will air live from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 14th, 2020 at 8PM ET on NBC. The special night was originally scheduled for April 29, 2020, but was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations

The country music genre is very well represented in this year’s nominations. Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, and Maren Morris lead with four nominations each, while Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, and more rack up multiple nominations. Representing in all-genre awards, Luke Combs claims his spot in the fan-voted Billboard Chart Achievement Award category. Blake Shelton earns a spot in the all-genre Top Selling Song Award category for his hit single, “God’s Country” and Dan + Shay are up for all-genre Top Duo/Group.

Billy Ray Cyrus earns multiple nominations for his feature on Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road”, the viral hit that put the term “trap-country” on the map and proved the power of Tik-Tok. The song earned the pair five total nominations including Top Collaboration (Fan-Voted), Top Rap Song, Top Hot 100 Song, Top Streaming Song, and Top Selling Song.

Along with the song’s nominations, Lil Nas X earns a total of 13 nominations including Top New Artist, Top Male Artist, Billboard Chart Achievement Award (Fan-Voted), Top 100 Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Rap Artist, and Top Rap Male Artist.

No word on performances yet, but fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about the upcoming awards. Be sure to follow along on Twitter as we live-tweet the show, @NYCountrySwag.

Check out the full list of 2020 Billboard Music Awards Nominations below.

ARTIST AWARDS —

Top Artist:
Billie Eilish
Jonas Brothers
Khalid
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top New Artist:
DaBaby
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Roddy Ricch

Billboard Chart Achievement Award (Fan-Voted):
Mariah Carey
Luke Combs
Lil Nas X
Harry Styles
Taylor Swift

Top Male Artist:
DaBaby
Khalid
Lil Nas X
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran

Top Female Artist:
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Halsey
Lizzo
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group:
BTS
Dan + Shay
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Panic! At The Disco 

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake
Billie Eilish
Khalid
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist:
DaBaby
Billie Eilish
Khalid
Lil Nas X
Post Malone

Top Streaming Songs Artist:
DaBaby
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Post Malone
Travis Scott

Top Song Sales Artist:
Billie Eilish
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top Radio Songs Artist:
Jonas Brothers
Khalid
Lizzo
Shawn Mendes
Post Malone

Top Social Artist (Fan-Voted):
BTS
Billie Eilish
EXO
GOT7
Ariana Grande

Top Touring Artist:
Elton John
Metallica
P!nk
The Rolling Stones
Ed Sheeran

Top R&B Artist:
Chris Brown
Khalid
Lizzo
Summer Walker
The Weeknd

Top R&B Male Artist:
Chris Brown
Khalid
The Weeknd 

Top R&B Female Artist:
Beyoncé
Lizzo
Summer Walker

Top R&B Tour:
B2K
Janet Jackson
Khalid 

Top Rap Artist:
DaBaby
Juice WRLD
Lil Nas X
Post Malone
Roddy Ricch

Top Rap Male Artist:
DaBaby
Lil Nas X
Post Malone

Top Rap Female Artist:
Cardi B
City Girls
Megan Thee Stallion 

Top Rap Tour:
Drake
Post Malone
Travis Scott

Top Country Artist:
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Dan + Shay
Maren Morris
Thomas Rhett

Top Country Male Artist:
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett 

Top Country Female Artist:
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group:
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion

Top Country Tour:
Eric Church
Florida Georgia Line
George Strait

Top Rock Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Panic! At The Disco
Tame Impala
Tool
twenty one pilots

Top Rock Tour:
Elton John
Metallica
The Rolling Stones

Top Latin Artist:
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Ozuna
Romeo Santos

Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
Avicii
The Chainsmokers
DJ Snake
Illenium
Marshmello

Top Christian Artist:
Lauren Daigle
Elevation Worship
For King & Country
Hillsong United
Kanye West

Top Gospel Artist:
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Sunday Service Choir
Kanye West

 

ALBUM AWARDS —

 

Top Billboard 200 Album:
Billie Eilish “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”
Ariana Grande “Thank U, Next”
Khalid “Free Spirit”
Post Malone “Hollywood’s Bleeding”
Taylor Swift “Lover”

Top Soundtrack:
“Aladdin”
“Descendants 3”
“Frozen II”
“K-12” by Melanie Martinez
“The Dirt” by Mötley Crüe

Top R&B Album:
Beyoncé “Homecoming: The Live Album”
Justin Bieber “Changes”
Chris Brown “Indigo”
Khalid “Free Spirit”
Summer Walker “Over It”

Top Rap Album:
DaBaby “Kirk”
Juice WRLD “Death Race For Love”
Post Malone “Hollywood’s Bleeding”
Roddy Ricch “Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial”
Young Thug “So Much Fun”

Top Country Album:
Kane Brown “Experiment”
Luke Combs “What You See Is What You Get”
Maren Morris “Girl”
Thomas Rhett “Center Point Road”
Morgan Wallen “If I Know Me”

Top Rock Album:
The Lumineers “III”
Slipknot “We Are Not Your Kind”
Tame Impala “The Slow Rush”
Tool “Fear Inoculum”
Vampire Weekend “Father of the Bride”

Top Latin Album:
J Balvin & Bad Bunny “Oasis”
Farruko “Gangalee”
Maluma “11:11”
Romeo Santos “Utopía”
Sech “Sueños”

Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Avicii “Tim”
The Chainsmokers “World War Joy”
Illenium “Ascend”
Marshmello “Marshmello: Fortnite Extended Set”
Alan Walker “Different World”

Top Christian Album:
Bethel Music “Victory: Recorded Live”
Casting Crowns “Only Jesus”
Hillsong United “People”
Skillet “Victorious”
Kanye West “Jesus is King”

Top Gospel Album
Kirk Franklin “Long Live Love”
Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers “Goshen”
William McDowell “The Cry: A Live Worship Experience”
Sunday Service Choir “Jesus Is Born”
Kanye West “Jesus is King”

SONG AWARDS —


Top Hot 100 Song:
Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved”
Billie Eilish “bad guy”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello “Señorita”

Top Streaming Song:
Chris Brown ft. Drake “No Guidance”
Billie Eilish “bad guy”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lil Tecca “Ran$om”
Post Malone & Swae Lee “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”

Top Selling Song:
Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved”
Billie Eilish “bad guy”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Blake Shelton “God’s Country”

Top Radio Song:
Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved”
Jonas Brothers “Sucker”
Khalid “Talk”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber “I Don’t Care”

Top Collaboration (Fan-Voted):
Chris Brown ft. Drake “No Guidance”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello “Señorita”
Post Malone & Swae Lee “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber “I Don’t Care”

Top R&B Song:
Chris Brown ft. Drake “No Guidance”
Doja Cat & Tyga “Juicy”
Khalid “Talk”
Lizzo “Good As Hell”
The Weeknd “Heartless”

Top Rap Song:
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
Lil Tecca “Ran$om”
Lizzo “Truth Hurts”
Post Malone & Swae Lee “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)”
Post Malone “Wow.”

Top Country Song:
Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber “10,000 Hours”
Maren Morris “The Bones”
Old Dominion “One Man Band”
Blake Shelton “God’s Country”
Morgan Wallen “Whiskey Glasses”

Top Rock Song:
Imagine Dragons “Bad Liar”
Machine Gun Kelly x Yungblud x Travis Barker “I Think I’m Okay”
Panic! At The Disco “Hey Look Ma, I Made It”
Twenty One Pilots “Chlorine”
Twenty One Pilots “The Hype”

Top Latin Song:
Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna & J Balvin “China”
Bad Bunny & Tainy “Callaita”
Daddy Yankee ft. Snow “Con Calma”
Jhay Cortez, J Balvin, & Bad Bunny “No Me Conoce”
Sech ft. Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna, Anuel AA “Otro Trago”

Top Dance/Electronic Song:
Black Eyed Peas x J Balvin “Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)”
Ellie Goulding x Diplo ft. Swae Lee “Close To Me”
Illenium & Jon Bellion “Good Things Fall Apart”
Kygo x Whitney Houston “Higher Love”
Marshmello ft. Chvrches “Here With Me”

Top Christian Song:
Bethel Music, Jonathan David Helser & Melissa Helser “Raise A Hallelujah”
Casting Crowns ft. Matthew West “Nobody”
Lauren Daigle “Rescue”
For King & Country “God Only Knows”
Kanye West “Follow God”

Top Gospel Song:
Kirk Franklin “Love Theory”
Kanye West “Closed on Sunday”
Kanye West “Follow God”
Kanye West “On God”
Kanye West “Selah”

 

 

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Luke Combs & Florida Georgia Line Win at the Billboard Music Awards

 

Luke Combs was the big winner in the country genre at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards which took place last night (May 1st) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The singer-songwriter took home Country Album of the Year for This One’s For You, Top Male Artist and Top Country Artist. Florida Georgia Line, Dan + Shay, Carrie Underwood, and Kenny Chesney also picked up a Billboard Music Awards.

Luke Combs is having a huge award season as he gains three more awards to add to his astonishing resume. Combs has already won the iHeartRadio Country Artist of the Year and the ACM New Artist of the Year. The success is well deserved as Combs has had three songs, “One Number Away”, “She’s Got the Best of Me” and “Beautiful Crazy” reach number one on the Billboard Country Airplay in 2018. “Beautiful Crazy” is currently number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs. It has been on the charts for fifty-one weeks and in the number one spot for ten.

The only televised country award presentation was given to Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha for the Top Country Song, “Meant To Be”. The smash pop-country hit spent 50 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart, surpassing the record that was previously held by Sam Hunt’s “Body Like a Backroad”. This song was also nominated for Top Radio Song but lost to Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You” featuring Cardi B.

“As artists, we all get to experience so many unbelievable things,” Hubbard said as he and Kelley went on stage to accept their award. “But in our opinion, at the end of the day it’s all for nothing if you’re not using your platform for better, if you’re not using your platform to spread love, to help those in need, to be a light to your community.”

“Speechless” was the lone country performance last night as the Grammy Award-winning duo of Dan + Shay took the stage with gospel-pop singer, Tori Kelly. Kelly is familiar with collaborating with country artists as she was featured on Chris Lane’s “Take back Home Girl” track and the remix version of Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man”. Her mezzo-soprano voice paired beautifully with Mooney’s incredible tenor vocals.

Dan + Shay took home the award for Top Country Duo/Group and were also nominated for five others, including Billboard Chart Achievement Award, Top Country Artist, Top Country Album, Top Country Song (“Tequila” and “Speechless”) and Top Duo/Group overall. It will be fun seeing two of the biggest country duos, Florida Georgia Line and Dan + Shay on tour together this summer.

Carrie Underwood was awarded Top Female Country Artist, topping Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris. Underwood released her sixth studio album Cry Pretty in September which reached number on the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums. Underwood was not in attendance because her Cry Pretty 360 Tour with special guests Maddie & Tae and Runaway June kicked off in Greensboro, North Carolina last night.

Kenny Chesney won the Top Country Tour award, topping Luke Bryan and Shania Twain. Chesney’s Trip Around the Sun Tour, featuring special guests Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion and Brandon Lay, stopped at 39 locations around the US in 2018, performing in amphitheaters, baseball and football stadiums. The tour generated over 100 million dollars in total revenue and nine of his shows had over 50,000 fans in attendance. NYCountry Swag had the pleasure of attending his show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Read all about it by clicking here!

To see pictures and highlights, follow the Billboard Music Awards on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Click here to see the complete list of winners or watch the whole show on NBC.com.

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

Subscribe to our Weekly Round-Up here 
for ticket giveaways, meet & greet contests, upcoming events,
and all things country music in the New York metro area and beyond!

+ Follow our country music adventures on InstagramTwitter & Facebook: