ACM AWARDS RESULTS
Maren Morris, Luke Combs Win Big at 55th Academy of Country Music Awards; Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett CO-Entertainers Of The Year
Morris was among three artists nominated for five total awards and brought home Female Artist of the Year and Music Event of the Year for her collaboration with Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King on “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.”
Combs was also nominated for multiple awards and claimed Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for “What You See Is What You Get”.
In surprise twist, Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett tied for entertainer of the year, the first time the top prize has ever been split between two artists.
Other notable winners included Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country” claiming Single of The Year, Old Dominion winning Group of the Year, Dan + Shay earning Duo of the Year and Tenille Towns and Riley Green being named New Female and Male Artist of the Year respectively.
Keith Urban hosted the awards show, originally set to be held in Las Vegas in April. It featured two dozen performances across three locations in Nashville: the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe.
Speaking to an empty auditorium and fans watching from home, Urban addressed the delay at the top of the show, in addition to acknowledging wildfires raging in the Western United States and storms in the Gulf Coast.
He said, “This has been an unpredictable and unsettling year for everyone. Even as of right now, our friends out West are battling horrific wildfires and our folks on the Gulf Coast are threatened by hurricanes and we want to send our love, thoughts and our prayers out to every one of you affected right now.”
Urban also declared that “we are in the midst of trying to fight two pandemics: COVID-19 and social injustice.”
“Far too many lives have been lost to both, but the examples set by our essential workers and first responders, along with the voices crying out for equality in all walks of life have echoed around the world and right here, in our country community.”
The show began with a medley of performances by Combs, Rhett, Luke Bryan, Eric Church and Carrie Underwood.
Urban also debuted a new single with P!nk, while Shelton and Gwen Stefani performed a duet, and Taylor Swift delivered her first performance at the awards show in seven years.
Fans Upset Over Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett’s 2020 ACM Awards Tie
Some fans were NOT pleased to see the entertainer of the year award split between the two singers.
Comments included:
“Of course they had to make the ACM Awards Entertainer a Tie and make sure a man still won, couldn’t let a well deserving, hard working woman have it this year on her own. Over this s–t.”
“ACM Awards with a TIE for Entertainer of the Year?! Participation trophy generation at its finest. Next up will be a World Series tie where both teams win! Loser mentality.”
Another fan wrote, “Seriously?!? ‘What are you gonna tell her?’… When you can’t have Entertainer of the year by yourself… and it needs to be shared with a man,” referencing Mickey Guyton’s pro-woman anthem “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?”
The viewer added: “Y’all know nobody compares to @carrieunderwood right now!
Another Twitter user responded and said the Academy of Country Music should be “ASHAMED. They know @carrieunderwood is so gracious; I would’ve told them to take their award and shove it.”
Still another fan wrote, “I just don’t understand why they didn’t have another round of voting where people chose between Carrie and Thomas Rhett. Imagine the Super Bowl or a World Series game ending in a tie.”