DJ Khaled at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 20, 2018. (Photo by Todd Williamson/NBC)
With two prizes each, Roddy Ricch, Megan Thee Stallion, Chris Brown and DJ Khaled were the top lead-artist winners of the 20th annual BET Awards, which were announced on June 28, 2020. For the first time in BET Awards history, the show was an all-virtual event, and it was simulcast on BET, BET Her and CBS. Comedian/actress Amanda Seales hosted the event, which was pre-recorded due to the coronavirus pandemic causing the cancellation of large gatherings.
Roddy Ricch won the awards for Album of the Year (for “Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial”) and Best New Artist. DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend’s hit song “Higher” was named Video of the Year and tied for Best Collaboration with Chris Brown featuring Drake’s “No Guidance.” Brown also tied with Anderson .Paak for Best Male R&B/Pop Artist.
Drake was the top nominee at the 2020 BET Awards, with six nods. In the end, he won the award Best Male Hip-Hop Artist (in a tie with DaBaby) and the aforementioned Best Collaboration prize as a featured artist on Brown’s “No Guidance.” Megan Thee Stallion was named Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, while Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign– “Hot Girl Summer” won the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award.
According to a BET press release: “The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is composed of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.”
In the non-competitive categories, Beyoncé received the Humanitarian Award:, while the Shine A Light Award went to DJ D-Nice (Club Quarantine), Swizz Beatz & Timbaland.
Performers included Alicia Keys, Chloe X Halle, DaBaby, D Smoke, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Jonathan McReynolds, Kane Brown, Lil Wayne (who did a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant), Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, SiR, Summer Walker, Usher, Wayne Brady and more. BET Amplified Artists, Masego and Lonr. performed on the BET Amplified Music Stage, a platform for emerging artists.
Internationally, the show was simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT on June 29. The 2020 BET Awards will be televised in the United Kingdom on June 29 at 9 pm BST, in France on June 30 at 8:45 pm CEST, and in South Korea on June 30 at 9 pm KST.
Here is the complete list of nominees and winners for 2020 BET Awards:
*=winner
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Beyoncé
H.E.R.
Jhene Aiko
Kehlani Lizzo*
Summer Walker
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST Anderson .Paak* (tie) Chris Brown* (tie)
Jacquees
Khalid
The Weeknd
Usher
BEST GROUP
Chloe x Halle
City Girls
EarthGang
Griselda
Jackboys Migos*
BEST COLLABORATION Chris Brown featuring Drake – “No Guidance”* (tie) DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher”* (tie)
Future featuring Drake – “Life is Good”
H.E.R. featuring YG – “Slide”
Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign– “Hot Girl Summer”
Wale featuring Jeremih – “On Chill”
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST DaBaby* (tie) Drake* (tie)
Future
Lil Baby
Roddy Ricch
Travis Scott
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Doja Cat
Lizzo Megan Thee Stallion*
Nicki Minaj
Saweetie
VIDEO OF THE YEAR Chris Brown featuring Drake – “No Guidance”* (tie)
DaBaby – “Bop” DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher”* (tie)
Doja Cat – “Say So”
Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign– “Hot Girl Summer”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Benny Boom
Cole Bennett
Dave Meyers
Director X
Eif Rivera Teyana Taylor*
BEST NEW ARTIST
DaniLeigh
Lil Nas X
Pop Smoke Roddy Ricch*
Summer Walker
YBN Cordae
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“Cuz I Love You” – Lizzo
“Fever” – Megan Thee Stallion
“Homecoming: The Live Album” – Beyoncé
“I Used to Know Her” – H.E.R.
“Kirk” – DaBaby “Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial” – Roddy Ricch*
DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
The Clark Sisters – “Victory” Kirk Franklin – “Just for Me”*
Fred Hammond – “Alright”
John P. Kee featuring Zacardi Cortez – “I Made It Out”
Kanye West – “Follow God”
PJ Morton featuring Le’Andria Johnson & Mary Mary – “All In His Plan”
BEST ACTRESS
Angela Bassett
Cynthia Erivo
Regina King Issa Rae*
Tracee Ellis Ross
Zendaya
Jennifer Lopez
BEST ACTOR
Jamie Foxx
Omari Hardwick Michael B. Jordan*
Eddie Murphy
Billy Porter
Will Smith
Forest Whitaker
YOUNGSTARS AWARD
Asante Blackk
Miles Brown
Alex Hibbert Marsai Martin*
Storm Reid
Jahi Di’Allo Winston
BEST MOVIE
“Bad Boys for Life”
“Dolemite Is My Name”
“Harriet”
“Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé”
“Just Mercy”
“The Lion King” “Queen & Slim”*
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR Simone Biles*
Coco Gauff
Naomi Osaka
Claressa Shields
Serena Williams
Ajeé Wilson
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Odell Beckham Jr.
Stephen Curry LeBron James*
Kawhi Leonard
Patrick Mahomes II
BET HER AWARD Beyoncé featuring Blue Ivy, WizKid & Saint Jhn – “Brown Skin Girl”*
Ciara featuring Lupita Nyong’o, Ester Dean, City Girls & La La – “Melanin”
Layton Greene – “I Choose”
Lizzo featuring Missy Elliott – “Tempo”
Alicia Keys – “Underdog”
Rapsody featuring PJ Morgan – “Afeni”
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
Chris Brown featuring Drake – “No Guidance”
DaBaby – “Bop”
Future featuring Drake – “Life is Good” Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign– “Hot Girl Summer”*
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
The Weeknd – “Heartless”
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT Burna Boy (Nigeria)*
Innoss’B (DRC)
Sho Madjozi (South Africa)
Dave (UK)
Stormzy (UK)
Ninho (France)
S.Pri Noir (France)
BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
Celeste (UK)
Hatik (France)
Rema (Nigeria) Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)*
Stacy (France)
Young T & Bugsey (UK)
“The Talk” hosts Carrie Ann Inaba, Sheryl Underwood, Sharon Osbourne, Marie Osmond and Eve (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS)
The following is a press release from CBS:
Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, Eve, Carrie Ann Inaba and Marie Osmond, the hosts of CBS’ Daytime Emmy(R) Award-winning show “The Talk,” announced today during their broadcast that they will host the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, to be broadcast Friday, June 26 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. This will mark the 14th time CBS has broadcast the Daytime Emmy(R) Awards, more than any other network.
The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will feature awards being presented virtually in leading categories, with recipients and other special guests appearing from home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional categories will be announced simultaneously on Twitter (@DaytimeEmmys), with others presented in a separate ceremony in July.
The Daytime Emmy(R) Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in daytime television programming since 1974. The awards are presented to individuals and programs broadcast between 2:00 AM and 6:00 PM, as well as certain categories of digital and syndicated programming of similar content. This year’s awards honor content from more than 2,700 submissions that originally premiered in calendar year 2019, judged by a pool of 1,000 peer professionals from across the television industry.
The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards is produced by NATAS and Associated Television International (ATI), which previously produced Daytime Emmy(R) Award ceremonies on The CW in 2009 and on CBS in 2010 and 2011. Adam Sharp and Steve Ulrich are Executive Producers from NATAS, while David McKenzie is Executive Producer and Director from ATI.
A complete list nominees can be found at the NATAS website.
ABOUT “THE TALK”
CBS’ Daytime Emmy(R) Award-winning talk show “The Talk” features a panel of well-known entertainment personalities discussing current events, pop culture, contemporary issues, family, celebrity and trending topics of the day. The daily one-hour series is hosted by Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, Eve, Carrie Ann Inaba and Marie Osmond. The hosts swap stories, challenge each other on issues and engage viewers at home about events in the headlines. The show also features celebrity guest interviews as well as amazing human interest stories.
ABOUT NATAS
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is a service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational, and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy(R) Awards for News & Documentary, Sports, and Daytime television programming, as well as achievements in television Technology & Engineering. NATAS membership consists of more than 18,000 broadcast and media professionals represented in 19 regional chapters across the United States. Beyond awards, NATAS provides extensive educational programs through its foundation, including regional and national scholarships and Student Production Awards.
The following is a combination of press releases from BET:
BET announced The “BET Awards” 2020 nominees with Drake leading the pack with six nominations. This year’s nominees reflect an abundance of creative expression and black excellence across music, television, film, sports, and philanthropy. The “BET AWARDS” 2020 will simulcast LIVE at 8 pm ET across ViacomCBS networks including BET, BET HER, and will make its national broadcast premiere on CBS on Sunday, June 28 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT, 7:00-10:00 PM, CT).
Drake returns to the top spot securing six nods, including ‘Best Male Hip Hop Artist,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ and two nods for both ‘Best Collaboration’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice’ for his features alongside Chris Brown (No Guidance) and Future (Life Is Good).
Newcomers Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch garnered the second most nods with five nominations each. Megan Thee Stallion nominations include ‘Best Female Hip Hop,’ ‘Best Collaboration,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Roddy Ricch’s nods include ‘Best Male Hip Hop,’ ‘Video of the Year,’ ‘Best New Artist,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ and ‘Viewer’s Choice Award.’ Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lizzo, and DaBaby are the third-highest with four nominations each.
In its twentieth year, the “BET AWARDS,” hosted by comedian and actress Amanda Seales, continues its reign as the ultimate platform to showcase the best and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – celebrating Black music’s present and future, and elevating the culture and being a driving force for social change. BET recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 21 categories with The “BET Awards” 2020 nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’s Voting Academy, which is composed of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and creative arts.
The first group of performers for the 20th annual “BET AWARDS” will include Alicia Keys, Chloe X Halle, DaBaby, D Smoke, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Jonathan McReynolds, Kane Brown, Lil Wayne, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, SiR, Summer Walker, Usher, Wayne Brady and more. BET Amplified Artists, Masego and Lonr. are set to take the BET Amplified Music Stage, a platform for emerging artists.
Amanda Seales is a comedian and creative visionary. You know her as, “Tiffany DuBois” of HBO’s Insecure and her debut stand up special, “I Be Knowin”. She is a former co-host on the daytime talk show, “The Real”, host of NBC’s “Bring the Funny,” creator/host of the hit live, and now virtual, music/comedy game show, “Smart Funny & Black”, speaks truth to change via her wildly popular Instagram, weekly podcast, “Small Doses”, and book by the same my name, recently launched her membership community app, “SFB Society”! A Jedi Khaleesi with a patronus that’s a Black Panther with wings, she keeps audiences laughing, thinking, and living in their truth!
In the final countdown to the BET Awards, Terrence J and Erica Ash will host the first interactive pre-show featuring celebrities, nominees, and special guests who will be participating in Black Entertainment’s biggest night.
“BET was created to stand at the forefront of black culture. We have made strides over the past two decades to create a space where black creativity, culture, and art have the opportunity to get the celebration it deserves in a world where it is systematically muted,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET. “This year we’re looking forward to continuing the tradition of providing fans with those special, not to be missed moments of enrichment, entertainment, empowerment and also using our platform to create change for our community.”
Internationally, the show will simulcast on BET Africa at 2 am CAT on June 29th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 29th at 9 pm BST, France on June 30th at 8:45 pm CEST and in South Korea on June 30th at 9 pm KST. BET will honor the ‘Best International Act’, along with the fan-voted category ‘Best New International Act’.
The complete list of nominees for The “BET AWARDS” 2020 are:
BEST FEMALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Beyoncé
H.E.R.
Jhene Aiko
Kehlani
Lizzo
Summer Walker
BEST MALE R&B/POP ARTIST
Anderson .Paak
Chris Brown
Jacquees
Khalid
The Weeknd
Usher
BEST GROUP
Chloe x Halle
City Girls
EarthGang
Griselda
Jackboys
Migos
BEST COLLABORATION
Chris Brown featuring Drake – “No Guidance”
DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher”
Future featuring Drake – “Life is Good”
H.E.R. featuring YG – “Slide”
Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign– “Hot Girl Summer”
Wale featuring Jeremih – “On Chill”
BEST MALE HIP HOP ARTIST
DaBaby
Drake
Future
Lil Baby
Roddy Ricch
Travis Scott
BEST FEMALE HIP HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Doja Cat
Lizzo
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Saweetie
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Chris Brown featuring Drake – “No Guidance”
DaBaby – “Bop”
DJ Khaled featuring Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher”
Doja Cat – “Say So”
Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign– “Hot Girl Summer”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
VIDEO DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Benny Boom
Cole Bennett
Dave Meyers
Director X
Eif Rivera
Teyana Taylor
BEST NEW ARTIST
DaniLeigh
Lil Nas X
Pop Smoke
Roddy Ricch
Summer Walker
YBN Cordae
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“Cuz I Love You” – Lizzo
“Fever” – Megan Thee Stallion
“Homecoming: The Live Album” – Beyoncé
“I Used to Know Her” – H.E.R.
“Kirk” – DaBaby
“Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial” – Roddy Ricch
DR. BOBBY JONES BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL AWARD
The Clark Sisters – “Victory”
Kirk Franklin – “Just for Me”
Fred Hammond – “Alright”
John P. Kee featuring Zacardi Cortez – “I Made It Out”
Kanye West – “Follow God”
PJ Morton featuring Le’Andria Johnson & Mary Mary – “All In His Plan”
BEST ACTRESS
Angela Bassett
Cynthia Erivo
Regina King
Issa Rae
Tracee Ellis Ross
Zendaya
Jennifer Lopez
BEST ACTOR
Jamie Foxx
Omari Hardwick
Michael B. Jordan
Eddie Murphy
Billy Porter
Will Smith
Forest Whitaker
YOUNGSTARS AWARD
Asante Blackk
Miles Brown
Alex Hibbert
Marsai Martin
Storm Reid
Jahi Di’Allo Winston
BEST MOVIE
“Bad Boys for Life”
“Dolemite Is My Name”
“Harriet”
“Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé”
“Just Mercy”
“The Lion King”
“Queen & Slim”
SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Simone Biles
Coco Gauff
Naomi Osaka
Claressa Shields
Serena Williams
Ajeé Wilson
SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Odell Beckham Jr.
Stephen Curry
LeBron James
Kawhi Leonard
Patrick Mahomes II
BET HER AWARD
Beyoncé featuring Blue Ivy, WizKid & Saint Jhn – “Brown Skin Girl”
Ciara featuring Lupita Nyong’o, Ester Dean, City Girls & La La – “Melanin”
Layton Greene – “I Choose”
Lizzo featuring Missy Elliott – “Tempo”
Alicia Keys – “Underdog”
Rapsody featuring PJ Morgan – “Afeni”
VIEWER’S CHOICE AWARD
Chris Brown featuring Drake – “No Guidance”
DaBaby – “Bop”
Future featuring Drake – “Life is Good”
Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign– “Hot Girl Summer”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
The Weeknd – “Heartless”
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT
Burna Boy (Nigeria)*
Innoss’B (DRC)
Sho Madjozi (South Africa)
Dave (UK)
Stormzy (UK)
Ninho (France)
S.Pri Noir (France)
BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL ACT
Celeste (UK)
Hatik (France)
Rema (Nigeria)
Sha Sha (Zimbabwe)
Stacy (France)
Young T & Bugsey (UK)
Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET and Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producers for The “BET Awards” 2020 broadcast special.
For the latest The “BET AWARDS” 2020 news and updates, please visit BET.com/Awards.
ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.
ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET’s #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.
ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image(R) Award winner and Emmy(R) Award nominee Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuts in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials – the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.
The following is a press release from the Recording Academy:
The Recording Academy announced today that it has made major changes to several rules and guidelines that reflect its ongoing commitment to evolve with the musical landscape and to ensure that the GRAMMY Awards nominating process and rules are more transparent and fair.
Among the changes are updates to the Best New Artist category, Latin, R&B and Rap Fields, Nominations Review Committees and more. The new changes go into effect immediately for the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. In addition, the GRAMMY Awards Rules & Guidelines are now, for the first time, available and can be found here.
“I’m excited to announce our latest changes, as we’re constantly evaluating our Awards process and evolving it to ensure the GRAMMY Awards are inclusive and reflect the current state of the music industry,” said Harvey Mason jr., Chair & Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy. “The Academy accepts proposals for rule changes from members of the music community throughout the year that are carefully reviewed and, if accepted, ultimately ratified at our annual Board meeting, a process that we are proud to have continued in this challenging year.”
“As a peer-driven and peer-voted award, members of the music community are directly involved in the growth and preservation of the GRAMMYs process,” said Bill Freimuth, Chief Awards Officer at the Recording Academy. “Each year we receive a number of rule change proposals from artists, producers and songwriters asking us to reevaluate our process to better reflect the current state of the music industry and how it’s evolved over the past 12 months.”
APPROVED RULE AMENDMENTS:
Best Urban Contemporary Album has been renamed Best Progressive R&B Album to appropriately categorize and describe this subgenre. This change includes a more accurate definition to describe the merit or characteristics of music compositions or performances themselves within the genre of R&B.
Thiscategory is intended to highlight albums that include the more progressive elements of R&B and may include samples and elements of hip-hop, rap, dance, and electronic music. It may also incorporate production elements found in pop, euro-pop, country, rock, folk and alternative.
Likewise,Best Rap/Sung Performance has been renamed Best Melodic Rap Performance to represent the inclusivity of the growing hybrid performance trends within the rap genre. The expanded category is defined as follows:
This category is intended to recognize solo and collaborative performances containing elements of rap and melody over modern production. This performance requires a strong and clear presence of melody combined with rap cadence, and is inclusive of dialects, lyrics or performance elements from non-rap genres including R&B, rock, country, electronic or more. The production may include traditional elements of rap or elements characteristic of the aforementioned non-rap genres.
In addition, Latin Pop Album has been renamed BestLatin Pop Or Urban Album, and Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album has been renamed Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album to migrate the genres of Latin urban and represent the current state and prominent representation in the Latin urban genres.
The Best Latin Pop Or Urban Album category is intended to recognize excellence in Latin pop or urban music recordings that utilize a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content, and/or musical presentation to create a sensibility that reflects the broad spectrum of Latin pop music style and culture. The category includes recordings from balladeers and commercial Latin music and is not limited to any one region.
The Best Latin Rock Or Alternative Album category is intended to highlight Latin rock or alternative music recordings that utilize a stylistic intention, song structure, lyrical content and/or musical presentation to create a sensibility that reflects the broad spectrum of the Latin music style and culture.
Finally, there is no longer a specified maximum number of releases prohibiting artists from entering the Best New Artist category. As such, the screening committees will be charged with determining whether the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence prior to the eligibility year. Such a determination would result in disqualification.
Nominations Review Committees & Addressing Potential Conflicts of Interest
At the time of invitation to participate on a Nominations Review Committee, a conflict of interest disclosure form will be provided. Each person invited to be a member of such a committee must disclose to the best of their knowledge whether, in connection with any recording that may be entered in the current year’s GRAMMY Awards process, (a) the person would be in line to receive a GRAMMY nomination or win for any recordings being considered in a particular category, (b) the person would have any direct or indirect financial ties to the recordings or creators under consideration, (c) the person has immediate familial ties to any of the artists in the top voter selections, and/or (d) any other conflict of interest, actual or perceived. If a recording listed by the invitee presents a conflict of interest, the Academy will notify the committee member that they cannot participate on the committee that year. If, in the unlikely event that, despite these proactive efforts, a conflict is discovered during the committee meeting, that person will be notified and recused from the meeting. Failure to voluntarily disclose any conflict of interest will result in the person being barred from future Nominations Review Committee participation.
For the full list of rule amendments for the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, which were voted on and passed at the Recording Academy’s most recent semiannual Board of Trustees meeting held in May 2020, click here. For information on the Awards process, visit www.grammy101.com. For key dates and eligibility period for the 63rd GRAMMY Awards, click here.
EDITOR’S NOTE: ABC’s “General Hospital” is the top nominee, with 23 nods. Following close behind are NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” with 22 nominations and CBS’s “The Young and the Restless” with 21 nominations. CBS’s “The Bold and the Beautiful” is next with 13 nods.
The following is a press release from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences:
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the nominees for the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards, which will be presented in a two-hour special on Friday, June 26 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
The full list of nominees is attached and available at https://theemmys.tv/daytime.
“Now more than ever, daytime television provides a source of comfort and continuity made possible by these nominees’ dedicated efforts and sense of community,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO of NATAS. “Their commitment to excellence and demonstrated love for their audience never cease to brighten our days, and we are delighted to join with CBS in celebrating their talents.”
“As a leader in Daytime, we are thrilled to welcome back the Daytime Emmy Awards,” said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music and Live Events for CBS. “Daytime television has been keeping viewers engaged and entertained for many years, so it is with great pride that we look forward to celebrating the best of the genre here on CBS.”
The Daytime Emmy® Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in daytime television programming since 1974. The awards are presented to individuals and programs broadcast between 2:00 am and 6:00 pm, as well as certain categories of digital and syndicated programming of similar content.
This year’s awards honor content from more than 2,700 submissions that originally premiered in calendar-year 2019. The submissions were judged by a pool of 1,000 peer professionals from across the television industry whose confidential ballots were then tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Lutz & Carr, LLP. The June 26 telecast will mark the 14th time CBS has broadcast the Daytime Emmys®, more than any other network. The special will be produced by the National NATAS NEWS RELEASE 2 Academy and Associated Television International (ATI), which previously produced Daytime Emmy® ceremonies on The CW in 2009 and on CBS in 2010 and 2011.
“In these challenging times, daytime has been a primary influence in staying connected with its audience, entertaining them, and keeping them informed,” said 47th Annual Daytime Emmys® executive producer and director David McKenzie of Associated Television International. “We are honored to be a part of it. We are also excited for the challenge of introducing a new format that will celebrate the contributions of daytime television.”
Awards will be presented in leading categories during the telecast, with recipients and other special guests appearing from home in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional categories will be announced simultaneously on Twitter (@DaytimeEmmys), and others will be presented in a separate ceremony in July
The following is a press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:
The Academy’s Board of Governors has approved rules and campaign regulations for the 93rd Academy Awards®.
The devastating COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all Los Angeles County movie theaters as of Monday, March 16, 2020. Current Academy Awards rules (under Rule Two, Eligibility) require that a film be shown in a commercial motion picture theater in Los Angeles County for a theatrical qualifying run of at least seven consecutive days, during which period screenings must occur at least three times daily. Until further notice, and for the 93rd Awards year only, films that had a previously planned theatrical release but are initially made available on a commercial streaming or VOD service may qualify in the Best Picture, general entry and specialty categories for the 93rd Academy Awards under these provisions:
The film must be made available on the secure Academy Screening Room member-only streaming site within 60 days of the film’s streaming or VOD release;
The film must meet all other eligibility requirements.
On a date to be determined by the Academy, and when theaters reopen in accordance with federal, state and local specified guidelines and criteria, this rules exemption will no longer apply. All films released thereafter will be expected to comply with the standard Academy theatrical qualifying requirements.
“The Academy firmly believes there is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theater. Our commitment to that is unchanged and unwavering. Nonetheless, the historically tragic COVID-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules. The Academy supports our members and colleagues during this time of uncertainty. We recognize the importance of their work being seen and also celebrated, especially now, when audiences appreciate movies more than ever,” said Academy President David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson.
For films to more easily meet theatrical exhibition requirements when theaters reopen, the Academy also will expand the number of qualifying theaters beyond Los Angeles County to include venues in additional U.S. metropolitan areas: the City of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia. The Awards and Events Committee will evaluate all matters of rules and eligibility.
Film festivals that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may provide films online through either a transactional pay wall or password-protected entry, which will not affect the films’ eligibility for future Academy Awards qualification. The Academy will allow an exemption for those films that are released online through an impacted festival’s online platform, provided that proof of inclusion in the festival is submitted. With these provisions, films will be expected to comply with all other eligibility requirements for the 93rd Academy Awards.
The Board of Governors also announced rules changes in the Sound, Music and International Feature Film categories.
The two Sound categories, Sound Mixing and Sound Editing, have been combined into one award for best achievement in Sound that emphasizes the team effort. The number of Oscar® statuettes remains the same; up to six statuettes may be awarded. Eligible recipients may include one production sound mixer, two supervising sound editors and three rerecording mixers.
In the Music (Original Score) category, for a score to be eligible, it must comprise a minimum of 60% original music. Additionally, for sequels and franchise films, a score must have a minimum of 80% new music.
In a procedural change in the International Feature Film category, all eligible Academy members will now be invited to participate in the preliminary round of voting. For the first time, film submissions will be made available through the Academy Screening Room streaming platform to those members who opt-in. These members of the International Feature Film Preliminary Voting committee must meet a minimum viewing requirement in order to be eligible to vote in the category.
The following campaign regulations were also approved:
The regulation prohibiting quotes or comments by Academy members not directly associated with the film in any form of advertising in any medium, including online and social media, was eliminated. Academy governors and Awards and Events Committee members, however, are still prohibited from participating in such activity.
All screeners will be required to include closed captioning.
After nominations, film companies will be allowed to send mailings announcing the availability of song and bake-off materials on the Academy’s streaming platform.
As part of the Academy’s sustainability effort, the 93rd Awards season will be the final year DVD screeners will be allowed to be distributed; these mailings will be discontinued starting in 2021 for the 94th Academy Awards. Access to the Academy Screening Room will continue to be made available for all eligible releases. The distribution of physical music CDs, screenplays and hardcopy mailings, including but not limited to paper invites and screening schedules, will also be discontinued next year. Digital links to materials will be permitted.
Due to the shifting landscape surrounding the global pandemic caused by COVID-19, all matters of rules and eligibility for the 93rd Academy Awards are subject to change based on national guidelines, state-mandated government orders and Academy-determined best practices.
Additional adjustments to Academy rules, eligibility requirements and scheduling may be required. As previously announced, the 93rd Oscars telecast is scheduled to air Sunday, February 28, 2021, on ABC. Any updated information about the show will be shared at a later time.
For the complete 93rd Academy Awards rules, visit oscars.org/rules.
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ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 9,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is under construction in Los Angeles.
The following is a press release from the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions:
The Academy of Country Music® and Dick Clark Productions announced today that the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards will take place in Nashville, TN for the first time in the show’s 55-year history. In an unprecedented move, the 55th ACM AWARDS® will be the first awards show to broadcast from three iconic Country Music venues including the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. The announcement was made this morning during Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s daily press conference. Hosted by reigning ACM® Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award winner Keith Urban, the 55th ACM Awards will be broadcast on Wednesday, September 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will stream live and on demand on CBS All Access.
“While we were disappointed to postpone our April show in Las Vegas, we couldn’t be more thrilled to host the rescheduled 55th ACM Awards in the home of Country Music for the first time in the Academy’s history,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “First and foremost, we want to ensure the safety of our artists and industry, and to ease the burdens of traveling large teams; therefore, we decided to bring the ACM Awards to them this September in Nashville. Now, more than ever, is the time to bring our community together to honor the best in our genre, and there is no more special place to do that than three of the most revered venues in Country Music – The Grand Ole Opry House, The Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. A huge thank you to these historic venues and to the state of Tennessee and city of Nashville for all of the support in making this a reality!”
“Tennessee is honored to be a part of this historic event,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “Showcasing the talent and musical heritage of our state is always a source of pride, and it couldn’t be more valuable than this year. On behalf of all Tennesseans, I want to thank the Academy of Country Music for bringing this event home.”
“Country music has been our voice and our companion through so many difficult times and now it is our comfort as we confront and defeat the coronavirus,” said Nashville Mayor John Cooper. “I’m excited to join country music fans worldwide to celebrate with the Academy of Country Music and artists that uplift and inspire us all in these extraordinary times. And I look forward to the day when we can safely welcome visitors back to enjoy all that Music City has to offer, including over 160 live entertainment venues with the best country music shows in the world.”
“We are delighted to host the 55th ACM Awards and make history alongside the Academy of Country Music as the show comes to Nashville for the first time,” said Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment Group. “We look forward to sharing this moment with our friends at The Bluebird Cafe and are pleased that fans will have the opportunity to experience the most famous stages in country music in such a unique way.”
As always, the health and safety of the artists, fans, industry, staff and partners is of the utmost importance. All guidelines set forth by national, state and local health officials will continue to be closely followed and implemented during the production along with additional safety measures to be instated by dick clark productions and the Academy of Country Music.
The 55th ACM Awards, honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in Country Music, will feature exciting performances, unprecedented collaborations, surprising moments and more to be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook, follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
As previously announced, the 55TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS was originally scheduled to air on Sunday, April 5 and was postponed due to COVID-19. ACM Lifting Lives® the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, created the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund to assist individuals working in the Country Music industry who are suffering a financial crisis as a result of the pandemic. Since April 1, the Fund has contributed $1.4 million thanks to the generous support of the Academy’s corporate sponsors FirstNet, Built with AT&T, Amazon Music and other individuals. For more information about the Fund or to donate, visit ACMLiftingLives.org.
About the Academy of Country Music Awards™
The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards™ is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the Country Music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on-demand on CBS All Access. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Amy Thurlow are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.
The following is a combination of press releases from the Berlin International Film Festival:
The 70th annual Berlin International Film Festival took place in Germany from February 20 to March 1, 2020. The awards were announced on February 29. A complete list of awards for can be found here.
PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL JURY
Members of the Jury: Jeremy Irons (Jury President), Bérénice Bejo, Bettina Brokemper, Annemarie Jacir, Kenneth Lonergan, Luca Marinelli, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Golden Bear for Best Film (awarded to the film’s producers) Sheytan vojud nadarad (There Is No Evil) (Es gibt kein Böses) by Mohammad Rasoulof; produced by Mohammad Rasoulof, Kaveh Farnam, Farzad Pak
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize Never Rarely Sometimes Always by Eliza Hittman
Silver Bear for Best Director
Hong Sangsoo for Domangchin yeoja (The Woman Who Ran | Die Frau, die rannte)
Silver Bear for Best Actress
Paula Beer in Undine by Christian Petzold
Silver Bear for Best Actor
Elio Germano in Volevo nascondermi (Hidden Away) by Giorgio Diritti
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay D’Innocenzo Brothers for Favolacce (Bad Tales) by D’Innocenzo Brothers
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution
Jürgen Jürges for the cinematography in Dau. Natasha by Ilya Khrzhanovskiy, Jekaterina Oertel
Silver Bear — 70th Berlinale Effacer l’historique and Delete History by Benoît Delépine, Gustave Kervern
PRIZES OF THE ENCOUNTERS JURY
Members of the Jury: Shôzô Ichiyama, Dominga Sotomayor, Eva Trobisch
Best Film The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin) by C.W. Winter, Anders Edstrom
Special Jury Award The Trouble With Being Born by Sandra Wollner
Best Director Malmkrog by Cristi Puiu
Special Mention Isabella by Matías Piñeiro
GWFF BEST FIRST FEATURE AWARD
Members of the Jury: Ognjen Glavonić, Hala Lotfy, Gonzalo de Pedro Amatria
GWFF Best First Feature Award endowed with €50,000, funded by GWFF Los conductos by Camilo Restrepo produced by Helen Olive, Martin Bertier, Felipe Guerrero
Special Mention Nackte Tiere (Naked Animals) by Melanie Waelde produced by Anja Wedell
BERLINALE DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Members of the Jury: Gerd Kroske, Marie Losier, Alanis Obomsawin
Berlinale Documentary Award endowed with €40,000, funded by Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) Irradiés (Irradiated) by Rithy Panh produced by Catherine Dussart
Special Mention Aufzeichnungen aus der Unterwelt (Notes from the Underworld) by Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel produced by Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel
PANORAMA AWARDS
The audience has voted: The 22nd Panorama Audience Award for the best feature film goes to Otac (Father) by Srdan Golubović. Welcome to Chechnya by David France wins in the category Panorama Dokumente. The prizes are awarded by the Berlinale section Panorama together with radioeins and rbb television (Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg).
Otac (Father) shows Nikola fighting for his children. After they have been taken away from him by social services, he sets off on foot to lodge a complaint in Belgrade. Srdan Golubović delivers a moving tale about inequality. Welcome to Chechnya is the first documentary about the activists who join forces to save other people’s and their own lives in the face of the systematic persecution of the LGBTQI* community carried out by the Chechen authorities. David France’s film is a tour de force charged with resilience and courage.
The official awards ceremony will take place on Berlinale Publikumstag, Sunday, March 1, at 5 pm in CinemaxX 7 at Potsdamer Platz. Martina Zöllner, rbb programme manager for documentation and fiction, and Robert Skuppin, radioeins programme director, will present the prizes. Knut Elstermann, radioeins film expert, will moderate the event together with Panorama head Michael Stütz. The award-winning feature film will be shown immediately after the award ceremony, the winner of the Panorama Dokumente will be shown at 8 pm, also in CinemaxX 7.
The Panorama Audience Award has been bestowed since 1999. As of 2011, both the best feature film and the best documentary have been honored. During the Berlinale, all cinema-goers are invited to rate the films in the Panorama section on a voting card. In total around 20,000 votes were cast and evaluated.
This year, Panorama presented a total of 36 feature films from 30 production countries, 13 of them were in Panorama Dokumente.
Panorama Audience Award Winner – Feature Film 2020: Otac (Father)
Serbia / France / Germany / Croatia / Slovenia / Bosnia and Herzegovina
by Srdan Golubović
2nd Place Panorama Audience Award Winner – Feature Film 2020: Futur Drei (No Hard Feelings)
Germany
by Faraz Shariat
3rd Place Panorama Audience Award Winner – Feature Film 2020: Håp (Hope)
Norway / Sweden
by Maria Sødahl
Panorama Audience Award Winner – Panorama Dokumente 2020: Welcome to Chechnya
USA
by David France
2nd Place Panorama Audience Award Winner – Panorama Dokumente 2020: Saudi Runaway
Switzerland
by Susanne Regina Meures
3rd Place Panorama Audience Award Winner – Panorama Dokumente 2020: Petite fille (Little Girl)
France
by Sébastien Lifshitz
Keith Urban (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW)
The following is a press release from the Academy of Country Music and CBS:
March 23, 2020 UPDATE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards show has been rescheduled and will now take place on September 16, 2020.
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The Academy of Country Music announced today the nominations for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards, Country Music’s Party of the Year, honoring the biggest names and emerging talent in the Country Music industry. Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award-winner Keith Urban will host the show for the first time. The 55th ACM Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 5, 2020 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on-demand across digital platforms on the CBS All Access subscription service.
Nominees were revealed online via the ACM Awards Nominations Digital Press Conference held this morning. Urban along with ACM Award-winning artist Lauren Alaina, this year’s ACM Radio Award National On-Air Personality of the Year winner Bobby Bones, Entertainment Tonight’s Cassie DiLaura and Kevin Frazier, CBS This Morning’s Gayle King and reigning ACM New Female Artist of the Year Ashley McBryde all announced select categories via video postings to the Academy’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. It was also announced today Lauren Alaina will be participating in this year’s telecast as the official Backstage Announcer for the 55th ACM Awards.
Maren Morris earned five nominations in four categories, including her fourth Female Artist of the Year nomination and first Group of the Year nomination as a member of The Highwomen. She is also nominated in the Album of the Year category twice, as both artist and producer, for GIRL. Additionally, Morris is nominated for Music Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” with Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King.
Reigning Male Artist of the Year Thomas Rhett received five nominations in four categories, including his first-ever Entertainer of the Year nomination. Rhett is also nominated twice, as both artist and producer, for his album Center Point Road in the Album of the Year category. Additionally, he received his first Video of the Year nomination for “Remember You Young,” and his fourth Male Artist of the Year nomination.
Producer Dann Huff received five nominations, including a nod for Album of the Year with Thomas Rhett as a producer for Center Point Road. He is also nominated for Music Event of the Year as a producer for “What Happens in a Small Town” with Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell, and Single of the Year as a producer for “What If I Never Get Over You” with Lady Antebellum. Huff also received two nominations across the Studio Recording Award categories, including Guitar Player of the Year and Producer of the Year, an award he won previously in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
Reigning Duo of the Year Dan + Shay earned four nominations, including their seventh nod for Duo of the Year. They received nominations in the Video of the Year, Music Event of the Year, and Song of the Year categories for “10,000 Hours.” Shay Mooney received his first individual nomination as a songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “10,000 Hours.” Additionally, Dan Smyers received two individual nominations as a songwriter in the Song of the Year category and as a producer in the Music Event of the Year category for “10,000 Hours.”
First-time Academy of Country Music Award nominee Justin Bieber earned four nominations for “10,000 Hours” (featuring Dan + Shay). Bieber is nominated for Music Event of the Year, Video of the Year, and twice, as both artist and songwriter, for Song of the Year.
Blake Shelton received four nominations, including Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “God’s Country.” He is also nominated for Music Event of the Year for “Dive Bar” with Garth Brooks; Shelton previously won in this category in 2009 for “Hillbilly Bone.”
Reigning Group of the Year Old Dominion earned four nominations, including their fifth nod for Group of the Year. They are also nominated for Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “One Man Band.” Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen and Brad Tursi each received individual nominations as songwriters in the Song of the Year category for “One Man Band.”
Eric Church received three nominations, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. Church was also nominated as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “Some of It” – marking his eighth and ninth nominations in the category.
Reigning New Male Artist of the Year Luke Combs received three nominations including Male Artist of the Year and his first nomination for Entertainer of the Year. He also received his first nomination for Album of the Year for What You See Is What You Get.
Miranda Lambert received three nominations including Female Artist of the Year, which she has won nine times, more than any other female in the history of the ACM Awards. Lambert was also nominated for Album of the Year for Wildcard and received a nomination for Music Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King.
Reigning New Female Artist of the Year Ashley McBryde received three nominations. She received two nominations in the Song of the Year category as both artist and songwriter for “Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” her first in the category. Also, she received her first nomination for Music Event of the Year for her contribution to Miranda Lambert’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.”
Reigning Female Artist of the Year Kacey Musgraves earned three nominations including her seventh nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she received her first Single of the Year nomination as both artist and producer for “Rainbow.”
ACM Award-winning producer busbee is posthumously nominated for two awards, including his third nod for Album of the Year with Maren Morris as a producer for GIRL. Also, he is nominated for Producer of the Year, his third nomination in this category.
This year’s nominations list includes 25 artists and industry creators receiving their first-ever ACM Awards nomination. The first-time nominees include Mason Allen, Ingrid Andress, Dan Atchison, Gabby Barrett, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jeremy Bussey, Clint Daniels, Carlo Glorioso, Riley Green, Caylee Hammack, Michael Hardy, The Highwomen, Cody Johnson, Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos, Lil Nas X, Angie Lorenz, Sophie Muller, Michael Trent Reznor, Matthew Atticus Ross, Jordan Schmidt, Tenille Townes, Morgan Wallen and YoungKio.
Additionally, women are represented in every Main Award category where they are eligible including Entertainer of the Year (Carrie Underwood) and Album of the Year (Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert).
“As if having a new song out today wasn’t enough, I also get to host the ACM Awards in April,” said Urban. “I’ll tell you – this year already feels like the most creative and energized year of my life… and there’s so much more to come. Incredibly grateful – and ready to roll!”
“We are thrilled to have our reigning Entertainer of the Year as the centerpiece of our 55th ACM Awards ceremony. Keith epitomizes greatness in our industry, is beloved by fans and fellow artists, and I can’t think of a better representative to be the face of our Awards show and to help usher in a new era at the Academy,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.
“Keith Urban is the perfect choice to host the Academy of Country Music Awards,” said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music & Live Events, CBS. “He’s an incredible musician, a respected and revered member of the Country Music community and the music community worldwide, and our viewers love him. We’re thrilled to have him lead Country Music’s Party of the Year.”
Following is the full list of nominees for the Main Awards, Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards categories. The Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards will be presented to recipients at ACM Honors, a special event held annually in August at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
MAIN AWARDS
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Carrie Underwood
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
The Highwomen
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Lindsay Ell
Caylee Hammack
Tenille Townes
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jordan Davis
Russell Dickerson
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Morgan Wallen
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Thomas Rhett, The Stereotypes, Cleve Wilson
Record Label: The Valory Music Co.
Girl – Maren Morris
Producers: busbee, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris
Record Label: Columbia Nashville
Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
Producer: Scott Moffatt
Record Label: River House Artists/Columbia Nashville
Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Producer: Scott Hendricks
Record Label: Warner Bros. (Nashville)
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Producer: Shane McAnally
Record Label: RCA Records Nashville
Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian
Record Label: MCA Nashville
Rumor – Lee Brice
Producers: Lee Brice, Dan Frizsell, Kyle Jacobs, Jon Stone
Record Label: Curb Records
What If I Never Get Over You – Lady Antebellum
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Label: BMLG Records
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Songwriters: Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Shay Mooney Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI), Big Machine Music (BMI) / Buckeye 26 (ASCAP), Jreynmusic (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Bieber Time Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music (ASCAP) / Poo B Z Inc. (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP).
Girl Goin’ Nowhere – Ashley McBryde
Songwriters: Jeremy Bussey, Ashley McBryde
Publishers: Songs of Song Factory (BMI) / Universal Tunes (SESAC).
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Songwriters: Devin Dawson, Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt
Publishers: Relative Music Group (BMI), Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing (BMI) / WB Music Corp. / Georgia Song Vibez / We-volve Music (ASCAP) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Neon Cross Music (BMI).
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi
Publishers: WB Music Corp/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing. Rezsongs/Reehits World/Smacktown Music, a division of Smack Blue, LLC/Unfair Entertainment (ASCAP) adm. by Me Gusta Music. We’re Really Doin’ It Publishing (ASCAP) adm by Words & Music. Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing.
Some of It – Eric Church
Songwriters: Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Bobby Pinson
Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music, admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music/Little Louder Songs, admin. by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music/Not A Track Guy Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights (BMI).
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Director: Patrick Tracy
Producer: Christen Pinkston
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Director: Sophie Muller
Producers: Jamie Amos, Patrick Kennedy
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Director: Mason Allen
Producer: Mason Allen
Remember You Young – Thomas Rhett
Director: TK McKamy
Producer: Dan Atchison
Sugar Coat – Little Big Town
Directors: Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos
Producers: Wes Edwards, Carlo Glorioso, Angie Lorenz
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR *(Off Camera Award)
Ashley Gorley
Michael Hardy
Hillary Lindsey
Shane McAnally
Josh Osborne
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Producers: Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
Dive Bar – Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton
Producers: Garth Brooks
Record Label: Pearl Records, Inc.
Fooled Around and Fell in Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Producers: Michael Trent Reznor, Atticus Matthew Ross, YoungKio
Record Label: Columbia Records
What Happens in a Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Label: The Valory Music Co.
INDUSTRY AWARDS
CASINO OF THE YEAR – THEATER
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, NV
The Joint: Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Mt. Pleasant, MI
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino – Las Vegas, NV
WinStar Global Event Center – Thackerville, OK
CASINO OF THE YEAR – ARENA
Mark G. Etess Arena – Atlantic City, NJ
MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
Sandia Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
Stir Concert Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
T Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, NV
FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR
California Mid-State Fair – Paso Robles, CA
Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, WY
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo – Houston, TX
Minnesota State Fair – St. Paul, MN
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – San Antonio, TX
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Boots and Hearts Music Festival – Oro-Medonte, OR
Stagecoach – Indio, CA
Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Watershed Festival – George, WA
Windy City Smokeout – Chicago, IL
CLUB OF THE YEAR
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
Coyote Joe’s – Charlotte, NC
Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL
Losers Bar & Grill – Nashville, TN
THEATER OF THE YEAR
The Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
The Chicago Theatre – Chicago, IL
DeJoria Center – Salt Lake City, UT
Rialto Square Theatre – Joliet, IL
Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL
OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Innsbrook After Hours – Glen Allen, VA
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
Rose Music Center – Huber Heights, OH
The Wharf at Orange Beach – Orange Beach, AL
ARENA OF THE YEAR
Infinite Energy Center – Duluth, GA
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA
Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena – Jacksonville, FL
DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
Clay Campbell – Triangle Talent
Gary Osier – Gary Osier Presents
Gil Cunningham – Neste Live!
Kell Houston – Houston Productions
Nina Rojas – Neste Live!
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Adam Weiser – AEG Presents
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation
Jered Johnson – Pepper Productions
Stacy Vee – Messina Touring Group
Troy Vollhoffer – Premier Global Production
STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Eli Beaird
Mike Brignardello
Tim Marks
Michael Rhodes
Jimmie Lee Sloas
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Fred Eltringham
Miles McPherson
Greg Morrow
Jerry Roe
Nir Zidkyahu
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tom Bukovac
Dann Huff
Rob McNelley
Adam Shoenfeld
Ilya Toshinskiy
PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
David Dorn
Tony Harrell
Charlie Judge
Tim Lauer
Gordon Mote
Mike Rojas
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stuart Duncan
Jenee Fleenor
Jim Hoke
Danny Rader
Joe Spivey
Charlie Worsham
STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dan Dugamore
Paul Franklin
Josh Grange
Russ Pahl
Justin Schipper
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Chuck Ainlay
Jeff Balding
Tony Castle
Julian King
Steve Marcantonio
Justin Niebank
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
busbee
Buddy Cannon
Dann Huff
Michael Knox
Joey Moi
IMPORTANT NOTE: Awards counts for artists reflect categories in which they have been recognized as individuals or as part of their duo or group. In some cases, an artist may receive more than one nomination, which factors into their official count.
Award recipients in each category are noted above parenthetically in the Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year and Music Event of the Year.
The 55th ACM Awards will feature exciting performances, unprecedented collaborations, surprising moments and more to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for the 55th ACM Awards are available for purchase now at ACMawards.com. The media credential application to apply to cover the Awards in Las Vegas is available at www.ACMcountry.com/press.
For more information on the ACM Awards and all ACM events including ACM Party for a Cause®, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
About the Academy of Country Music Awards™
The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards™ is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the Country Music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 5, 2020 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on-demand across digital platforms on the CBS All Access subscription service. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Amy Thurlow are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.
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March 23, 2020 UPDATE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards show has been rescheduled and will now take place on September 16, 2020. The show will still take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The following is a press release from Dick Clark Productions and NBC:
Dick Clark Productions and NBC announced today that Garth Brooks will receive the coveted ICON Award at the “2020 Billboard Music Awards.” The 19-time Billboard Music Award winner, who joins only eight other artists to ever receive the honor, will also take the stage for a highly anticipated performance.
A true legend, Brooks is the first and only artist in history to achieve eight diamond-certified albums at over 10 million album sales each. He remains the #1-selling solo artist in U.S. history, certified by the RIAA with more than 156 million album sales.
The “2020 Billboard Music Awards” will broadcast live from Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and will feature this year’s hottest musical acts, unexpected collaborations and buzzworthy moments.
Brooks has earned nine No. 1 albums on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart (the most of any country artist), with chart-toppers in the ’90s, ’00s and ’10s. Seven of them debuted at No. 1. Brooks also claimed 17 No. 1s on the Top Country Albums chart and 89 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart including 19 No. 1s. Among those leaders: “Friends in Low Places,” “The Thunder Rolls,” “Ain’t Going Down (Til the Sun Comes Up),” “Longneck Bottle” and “More Than a Memory.”
In January, Billboard announced that Brooks became the first artist to have appeared on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart in the ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s, ‘10s and ‘20s. Brooks first appeared on the chart after the release of his first album, Garth Brooks. Its first single, “Much Too Young (to Feel This Damn Old),” entered the chart in 1989 at No. 94 (when the ranking ran 100 positions deep). The track peaked at No. 8 that July, becoming Brooks’ first of 36 top 10s. Now, in the ’20s, he makes another appearance on the Hot Country Songs chart thanks to his collaborative track with Blake Shelton, “Dive Bar.” The single inspired a Dive Bar tour to dive bars in country music capitals around the U.S., which will continue its run through 2022.
In 2019, Brooks launched the Garth Brooks Stadium Tour, which has broken stadium attendance records at every stop so far and which Pollstar declared as the bestselling country music tour of the year. In 2017, Brooks finished the three-and-a-half-year long Garth Brooks World Tour with wife Trisha Yearwood. The tour sold over 6.3 million tickets, making it the biggest North American tour in history and the biggest American tour in the world.
“Billboard Music Awards” nominees and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music/MRC Data. The awards are based on the chart period of March 23, 2019 through March 14, 2020. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.
The “2020 Billboard Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco, Kelly Clarkson, Robert Deaton and Amy Thurlow are executive producers.
Tickets will go on sale to the public at 10:00 AM PST on Friday, February 28, 2020. CLICK HERE to purchase.
For the latest news on the Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) visit www.billboardmusicawards.com and www.billboard.com/bbma. For exclusive content and more, be sure to follow the BBMAs on social media and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #BBMAs.
About Dick Clark Productions
Dick Clark Productions (DCP) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes “So You Think You Can Dance” from 19 Entertainment and DCP. DCP also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with over 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. DCP is a division of Valence Media, a diversified and integrated media company with divisions and strategic investments in television, film, live entertainment, digital media and publishing. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.
About Billboard Billboard is the world’s most influential music media brand, built on its exclusive charts and unrivaled reporting on the latest music news, issues and trends. The Billboard charts define success in music and are the most complete and well-respected database of charts across all music genres. From the iconic Billboard magazine to Billboard.com, the ultimate global destination for music, to the industry’s most elite conference series and influencer events including the Power 100 and Women in Music and LatinFest+ – the Billboard brand has unmatched authority among fans, artists and the industry. The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group is one of the world’s leading entertainment news and music publishers, reaching more than 36 million people a month and garnering over 2 billion annual online views of video content. The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group is a division of Valence Media, a diversified global media company that includes dick clark productions, MRC Film, MRC Television, MRC Non-Fiction and MRC Data. The company has minority investments in A24, Fulwell 73 and T-Street.
March 17, 2020 UPDATE: Dick Clark Productions and NBC today announced that the “2020 Billboard Music Awards,” scheduled to air live on NBC from Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 29, is postponed and will be rescheduled to air on NBC at a later date.
In a statement the two companies said, “In accordance with the current guidelines set forth by national and local health officials, and in order to ensure the health and safety of our artists, fans, guests and staff, we are postponing the Billboard Music Awards. For more than two decades, the Billboard Music Awards has honored the best in music based on the Billboard charts, and we look forward to celebrating the incredible artists who topped those charts over the last year. DCP and NBC will announce a new date and venue for the show in the near future.”
