As the 59th annual Academy Of Country Music Awards has ended, there is much to take away from the award show. Between electrifying performances, award domination, snubs, and heartfelt tributes, the 2024 ACM Awards were certainly full of memorable moments. Here are the five biggest takeaways from the night.
1. Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa Team Up
Big-name performances tend to steal the show at these awards shows, and this year it was no different. Prominent names like Reba McEntire, Parker McCollum, Lainey Wilson, Noah Kahan with Kelsea Ballerini, and Jelly Roll were just a few of the show-stopping artists who turned in excellent moments. That said, despite all of those names killing it, Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa had the clear-cut performance of the night. Dua Lipa, the surprise guest, joined Stapleton on stage for a stellar execution of “I Think I’m In Love With You,” Stapleton’s current single on country radio. One of the best aspects of the night was the fact that Stapleton still had his wife, Morgane, on stage with him to do her part. No matter who he steps on stage with, the couple always takes the stage together. Though Dua Lipa revealed after the performance that they only began rehearsing two days before the event, it sounded like they had been singing together for years. Their voices complimented each other exceptionally well, and their chemistry was top-tier. Fans can only hope the two team up and release a studio-recorded version of the song.
2. Noah Kahan and Kelsea Ballerini Mash-Up
After the success of Noah Kahan’s Stick Season album, there was considerable debate over whether he belonged to country music or not. His performance tonight proved that country music would (and should) welcome him with open arms. Noah teamed up with Kelsea Ballerini for what may have been the most anticipated performance of the night. Expectations were uncertain, but whatever they were, they were utterly surpassed. The pair did a mash-up of Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” and Ballerini’s “Mountain With a View,” which turned out to be one of the better performances of the night. The two had excellent chemistry, and neither artist outshined the other as they dueted in harmony. A mash-up wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, especially with Noah Kahan, but it was indisputably one of the night’s highlights.
3. Toby Keith Tribute
In an unexpected twist of fate, Jason Aldean lent the most heartfelt moment of the night as he sang a tear-jerking tribute to the late legend Toby Keith. Toby Keith tragically died in February after a long battle against cancer, leaving a massive hole in country music. Almost the entire country music community was in one room for one of the first times since Toby Keith’s passing, and Aldean owned the moment with a stunningly beautiful rendition of “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.” It was a slowed-down version masterfully brought together by a string quartet, giving the song an emotional, nostalgic feel. There was hardly a dry eye in the building as the screen on the stage ran through a slide show of the Oklahoma native. Like many others, Keith inspired Aldean to make country music, and his gruff, southern accent made him a perfect candidate to lead the tribute. Sitting with his guitar, he allowed the intimate moment to do the talking without any needless bells and whistles. Aldean gave a very tasteful tribute, and seeing a legend honored properly was very nice.
4. Lack Of A-Listers
For decades, the ACMs have been one of the biggest award shows in country music, second only to the CMAs. While this was a very solid show overall, it still lost some of its magic. Considering that it’s supposed to be one of the most important nights, it would make sense for country music’s biggest stars to be there. Well… that wasn’t the case this year. Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, and Zach Bryan were all no-shows at this year’s ACM Awards. Of course, they are all on tour, so they have other obligations, but not having the three most prominent artists there just isn’t a good look. All three artists were nominated for multiple awards, and Luke Combs even won Single Of The Year for “Fast Car.” This reflects how the ACMs have lost their gravitas over the last few years; it isn’t the fault of the artist but more so of the ACM Awards. The lack of star power just hurts the show’s credibility as an industry honor worthy of respect and reverence. Megan Moroney was up for five awards and won New Female Artist of the Year but wasn’t there to accept it. While it’s understandable why the artists couldn’t make it, it would be nice to see the ACMs do more to make sure they had the faces of country music in the audience on what is supposed to be an important night for the whole community.
5. Justice For Flatland Calvary
Flatland Calvary was nominated for its first ACM award but went home empty-handed, losing to Old Dominion for Group of the Year. Old Dominion has shown pure domination, winning the award yearly for the last seven straight. This year finally felt like the year they were could go down as Flatland Calvary got the shocking (but more than deserved) nomination. The ACM Awards have always favored mainstream bands and artists, so seeing Flatland get the nomination was thrilling. However, it feels like this award should’ve gone to them over Old Dominion. Though they were one of the least contemporary acts nominated, Flatland has proven to be one of the best bands in all of country music working today. They had a great year, thanks to the strength of their successful album, Wandering Star, and with touring opportunities with Luke Combs, they’re steadily inching towards country music’s biggest stages. It’s mostly unfortunate because you could see from a mile away that Flatland didn’t stand a chance despite arguably being the clear-cut creative standout in these nominations. Cleto Cordero and the boys have established themselves as one of the best bands in country music, and finally, seeing them recognized would have been extremely gratifying.
Check out the full list of ACM Awards Winners here.
