The Academy of Country Music announced on Wednesday (Jun 1) the recipients of the Special Awards for the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards. Honorees will be celebrated during the 15th Annual Academy of Country Music Honors, which takes place Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Performers, host, and ticket on-sale information will be announced in the coming weeks.
Additionally, previously announced Songwriter of the Year winner HARDY, as well as Studio Recording Award and Industry Award winners, will be celebrated at ACM Honors.
Plus, The Voice alum Morgan Wallen makes a full country comeback. After spending 2021 atoning for his use of a racial slur, caught on tape, the country music community has spent 2022 re-integrating the fallen singer back into the fold. Hence, the Academy of Country Music will be honoring him with the ACM Milestone Award. It’s basically an award for selling lots of records and concert tickets.
Morgan Wallen has been chosen as the recipient of the ACM Milestone Award, honoring the contributions of Gene Weed, who directed and produced the ACM Awards for more than 30 years. This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader for a specific, unprecedented or outstanding achievement in the field of Country Music during the preceding calendar year.
Morgan Wallen’s critically-acclaimed Dangerous: The Double Album launched the Country Music singer’s career to new heights in 2021. Landing at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for 10 weeks following its release, Dangerous: The Double Album continues to make history. The album remains at the top of the charts, recognized as the Country album with the most weeks (60) in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 all-genre chart, and the most weeks (59) at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart, to date. It also won ACM Album of the Year at the 57th ACM Awards in March 2022.
With more than 4.1 million units sold, the singer’s rapid rise and unparalleled success earned him Country Male Artist of the Year at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. Wallen’s 55-show “THE DANGEROUS TOUR” has netted over 800,000 tickets sold in 2022 so far, with $3 from every ticket benefiting his More Than My Hometown Foundation. Wallen’s first solo release of 2022, the emotional ballad “Don’t Think Jesus,” earned a Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 debut and landed atop Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, making Wallen the first artist to score three No. 1 debuts on the chart (based on airplay, streaming and sales) since its inception.
Past recipients of the ACM Milestone Award include Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, George Burns, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Merle Haggard, Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, Little Big Town, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Taylor Swift, and Carrie Underwood.
Additional country artists receiving awards:
- Miranda Lambert – ACM Triple Crown Award – Lambert qualified for the Triple Crown Award after winning ACM Top New Female Vocalist, ACM Female Vocalist of the Year, and ACM Entertainer of the Year throughout her career, an honor only seven other artists have been awarded.
- Connie Bradley – ACM Icon Award – This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group or industry leader who, throughout their career, has advanced the popularity of the genre through their contributions in multiple facets of the industry.
- Paul Barnabee and Dwight Wiles – ACM Lifting Lives Award – This award is presented to a Country Music artist, duo/group, or industry professional who is devoted to improving lives through the power of music, has a generosity of spirit.
- Duane Clark – ACM Service Award – This award is presented to an outstanding Country Music artist, duo/group, or industry leader in recognition of years of dedication and service to the Academy of Country Music.
- Chris Stapleton – ACM Spirit Award – This award is presented to a singer-songwriter who is continuing the legacy of Country Music legend Merle Haggard by following his/her own path, crafting great songs, and epitomizing Haggard’s spirit through genuine performances and great storytelling.
- Sonny Throckmorton and Shania Twain – ACM Poet’s Award – This award is presented to a Country Music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career.
- Yellowstone – ACM Film Award – This award recognizes an outstanding television movie, series, or feature film released during the preceding calendar year which prominently features Country Music.
