Morgan Wallen won four honors and Shaboozey was named The New Artist at the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards Thursday from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House.
Wallen who did not appear on the broadcast (on NBC and Peacock) won the honors for: The People’s Artist Of 2024; The Social Country Star Of 2024; The Song Of 2024 and The Concert Tour Of 2024.
Wallen had the third-most nominations of the evening with nine nods, while Beyoncé and Zach Bryan led all artists with 12 nominations a piece, Kacey Musgraves had 10 nominations, Luke Combs had eight and Kane Brown had seven.
At the show, hosted by Shania Twain, Shaboozey was named The New Artist of 2024, nominated against Chase Matthew, Chayce Beckham, Dasha, Koe Wetzel, Nate Smith, and Tucker Wetmore.
Shaboozey thanked the show, fans and listeners for the award, saying, ‘I’m so honored and extremely humbled. I never would have thought in a million years that I’d be up here at the Grand Ole Opry, accepting something like this – it’s a dream come true.’
He added, ”Thank you, Beyoncé – you’re amazing’ after they worked together on a pair of songs on her album Cowboy Carter.’
Shaboozey also won The New Artist Song for A Bar Song (Tipsy), besting fellow nominees Dasha, Warren Zeiders, Nate Smith, Tyler Braden, Koe Wetzel, Kameron Marlowe and Tucker Wetmore.
Dan + Shay was named The Group/Duo of 2024, besting fellow nominees Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, Ole 60, The Red Clay Strays, The War And Treaty, Tigirlily Gold and Zac Brown Band.
‘Thank you to the fans for voting, this has been the best year of our career,’ Dan Smyers said.
The Crossover Song of 2024 was won by Machine Gun Kelly for his collaboration with Jelly Roll, Lonely Road.
‘Country music, thank you for welcoming us into your house … to me there’s two genres of music – good music and bad music,’ Machine Gun Kelly said in his acceptance speech.
Machine Gun Kelly acknowledged Jelly Roll, who was not on hand in Music City Thursday at the show.
‘Jelly, I love you – we went from 10 years ago from hating each other to elevating each other,’ Machine Gun Kelly said of his colleague, who past released the diss track about him called Malibu’s Most Wanted.
Machine Gun Kelly added, ‘Comparison is the thief of joy – there is enough room on this couch for everybody. We found camaraderie in the chaos.’
Miranda Lambert, in collecting the honors for the Country Music Icon Award, said it felt ‘weird’ to her to join a group of luminaries who have past received the honors, such as Merle Haggard, Jerry Jeff Walker, Guy Clark and Jon Prine.
‘Those are my icons,’ Lambert said. ‘So, the fact that I get this award tonight is just blowing my mind. It’s a lot of years, tears, beers and Tito’s, if I’m being honest.’
Dasha won The Female Song of 2024 for Austin (Boots Stop Workin’).
‘This year has been so insane, I’m just so grateful to this wonderful country community for opening their arms so wide to me,’ Dasha said in her acceptance speech.
In accepting the Country Champion Award, Kane Brown said he had past doubted himself, but overcame his reservations en route to success, and hoped to be an example for all kids watching.
‘Dreams, helping people … don’t listen to people telling you no when you’re trying to do something,’ Brown said. The musical artist, who performed Fiddle in the Band during Thursday’s event, also thanked his wife Katelyn, who he has three kids with.
‘I want to thank my wife, of course, because I feel like I always forget to do that,’ Brown said. ‘She holds our house down. I know my babies are at home watching, so I just want to say I love you guys, and I can’t wait to be home to y’all.’
Old Dominion’s Different About You was named The Group/Duo Song of 2024.
The group’s Matthew Ramsey noted that the awards were voted on by fans, adding, ‘That means the world to us, I don’t care what y’all say, we got the best fans.’
He said that the success of Different About You was a testament to the loyalty of their fans, as it ‘was not a single,’ adding, ‘All of our songs are our babies and we’re proud of all of them.’
Other major honors announced on the telecast without a podium presentation included The Female Artist of 2024 (Lainey Wilson); The People’s Artist of 2024 (Morgan Wallen); The Male Artist of 2024 (Luke Combs).
Also honored were The Song of 2024 (I Had Some Help by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen); The Album of 2024 (Fathers & Sons from Luke Combs); and The Music Video of 2024 and Miles On It from Marshmello & Kane Brown.
Country music stars who took the stage Thursday included Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Brad Paisley, Kane Brown, Lady A, Parker McCollum and The War and Treaty.
Among the country music luminaries who presented honors on Thursday included Ashley Cooke, Bailey Zimmerman and Chase Rice, as well as WWE star Cody Rhodes.
