ABOUT THE CMA AWARDS
READY FOR THE SHOW?
Each year, The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by more than 6,000 industry professional members of the Country Music Association, which when established in 1958, became the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music. The first CMA Awards Banquet and Show was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast on NBC Television for the first time – making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television. The show began airing on the ABC Television Network in 2006 where it still airs today.
TROPHY
In 1967, the CMA Awards trophy was created by artist Frank Waggoner who was asked to design a completely original trophy unlike any other honor. Constructed of a rich walnut and a sturdy marble base, the trophy signified the strength, durability and warmth of the genre. A brass music note adorning the center read “Best Liked World Wide,” CMA’s slogan at the time. The limited supply of walnut wood in 1983 encouraged a transition to crystal, the material still used today. With the update arrived a new medallion in the center that has been modified only slightly since.
Today’s 15-inch, 6-pound trophy is a stylish, high-value adornment made of hand-blown fine crystal in Florence, Italy, with final assembly by Francis & Lusky in Nashville, Tenn. The CMA logo appears on a tri-level, die-struck medallion in polished bronze surrounded by musical notes for the traditional hymn “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”. After the CMA Awards winners have been revealed live on the annual broadcast, the award is engraved with the winner’s name, year and CMA Awards category.
BALLOTING / VOTING
Similar to the Oscars and the Grammys, the CMA Awards are voted on by members of the Country Music Association – meaning Awards nominees and winners are honored by their peers in the music industry. Members of the CMA are music executives, artists, publicists, songwriters, musicians, touring personnel and other industry professionals from all around the world.
Awards criteria, rules of election and balloting procedures are established by CMA’s Board of Directors. Singles, albums, music videos and qualified music products for the annual show must have been first released or reached peak national prominence during the eligibility period, which for the 2024 show is July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
2024 CMA Awards Ballot Schedule
Nomination Ballot: July 8 – July 17 (6:00 PM/CT)
Second Ballot: August 6 – August 20 (6:00 PM/CT)
Final Ballot: October 1 – October 29 (6:00 PM/CT)
2024 CMA Awards Criteria
Eligibility Period: July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024
All Second Ballot nominees must be a Top 20 qualified vote recipient and have received a minimum of 10 votes, with the exception of Category 1 and Category 10.
CATEGORY NO. 1 – ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the artist. The Award is for the act displaying the greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field. Voter should give consideration not only to recorded performance, but also to the in-person performance, public acceptance, leadership, and overall contribution to Country Music.
In this category, the Second Ballot will include the Top 15 qualified nominees.
CATEGORY NO. 2 – SINGLE OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the artist, producer, and mix engineer. The Award is for individual tracks only. This category will include both digital releases as well as physical releases. The track must have reached the Top 10 of Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart, Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart, or Country Aircheck Chart for the first time during the eligibility period. If the single charted in the Top 10 on the above charts and was released prior to the eligibility period but achieved its highest chart position during the eligibility period, it is eligible unless it has previously appeared on a Final Ballot in this category.
The First Ballot will contain a full list of all eligible songs based on charting activity during the eligibility period.
In this category, the Second Ballot will contain the eligible nominations from the First Ballot and the Top 5 from the combined tabulation of the Country Singles Charts from Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart, Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart, and Country Aircheck Chart.
CATEGORY NO. 3 – ALBUM OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the artist, producer, and mix engineer. The Award is for a Country album issued for sale or streaming as a whole unit. To qualify as an album, a release must contain at least 6 different songs and have a total playing time of at least 15 minutes. The album should be judged on all aspects including, but not limited to, artist’s performance, musical background, engineering, packaging, design, art, layout and liner notes.
The album must have been released for the first time during the current eligibility period. However, if the album was released in the immediate prior year’s eligibility period but reached peak national prominence by achieving its highest chart position for the first time or a majority of its consumption in the current eligibility period, it is eligible unless it has previously appeared on a Final Ballot in this category.
At least 50% of the total recordings on the album must have been released for the first time during the current or immediate prior year’s eligibility period. Greatest hits albums or compilation albums consisting of previously released recordings are not eligible for this award.
Updated, revised, or expanded versions of previously released albums are not eligible unless at least 50% of the album consists of recordings released for the first time during the current eligibility period, and the initial album had not previously appeared on a Final Ballot.
CATEGORY NO. 4 – SONG OF THE YEAR
This Award, unlike Single of the Year, goes to the songwriter(s) and recognizes artistic achievement in songwriting. Any Country Music song with original words and music is eligible based upon the song’s activity during the eligibility period.
Songs that have previously appeared on a Final Ballot in this category are ineligible.
CATEGORY NO. 5 – FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the artist. The Award is based on individual musical performance on a solo Country single or album release, as well as the overall contribution to Country Music.
CATEGORY NO. 6 – MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the artist. The Award is based on individual musical performance on a solo Country single or album release, as well as the overall contribution to Country Music.
CATEGORY NO. 7 – VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the group. A group is defined as an act, composed of three (3) or more people, all of whom normally perform together and none of whom is known primarily as an individual performing artist. This Award is based on the musical performance of the group as a unit on a Country single or album release, as well as their overall contribution to Country Music.
CATEGORY NO. 8 – VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the duo. A duo is defined as an act composed of two people, both of whom normally perform together and neither of whom is known primarily as an individual performing artist. This Award is based on the musical performance of the duo as a unit on a Country single or album release, as well as their overall contribution to Country Music.
CATEGORY NO. 9 – MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to each artist and producer. An event is defined as a collaboration of two or more people either or all of whom are known primarily as a Country artist. They must have performed together, as a unit, on a Country single or album with each artist prominently featured and credited on the initial recording as a collaboration. Live performance events and background vocals are not eligible.
The single or album must have been initially released during the eligibility period. However, if the single or album was released prior to the eligibility period, but achieved its highest chart position on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart, Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart, Country Aircheck Chart, or Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, it is eligible unless it has previously appeared on a Final Ballot in this category.
CATEGORY NO. 10 – MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the musician. The Award is for a musician known primarily as an instrumental performer. In order to qualify, a musician must have played on any combination of five albums or singles that have appeared in the Top 10 of the Country album or singles charts from Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart, Billboard’s Hot Country Songs Chart, or Country Aircheck Chart, or be certified Gold by RIAA on an album or single released during the eligibility period.
In this category, singles or albums the musician has played on, but was also credited for producing are not eligible qualifying credits.
Voting for this award will be limited to members in the Musician, Composer, Producer/Engineer/Studio, and Artist categories of CMA Membership. In this category, the Second Ballot will include the Top 20 qualified nominees that have received a minimum of 5 votes.
CATEGORY NO. 11 – MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
This Award goes to the artist and director. The Award is for an original Country Music video not more than ten (10) minutes in length featuring the entire singular performance of not more than one (1) song or medley. The video must have been first released in its entirety during the eligibility period. Voter should give consideration to all audio and video elements including, but not limited to, the artist’s performance, creative, and production, as well as the overall impact and reach of the music video.
Only one music video for a song can be nominated per master rights holder.
CATEGORY NO. 12 – NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
This Award goes the artist, whether individual or a group, who is known primarily as a Country artist, who has in the eligibility period demonstrated the most significant creative growth and development in overall consumption or chart activity, live performance and/or national media recognition related to the launch of their career. Any artist who has previously won a CMA Award (except Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year) or who has twice been a final nominee for the New Artist of the Year Award is ineligible for nomination.