Why Are Shaboozey And Zach Top Nominated For New Artist Of The Year For The Second Year In A Row At The CMA Awards?

Seems like they shouldn’t be considered “new artists” if they’ve already been nominated before…

The Country Music Association announced their 2025 CMA Award nominations yesterday, with Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley leading the way with six nominations each.

Reigning Entertainer of the Year winner Morgan Wallen was nominated for three awards, including once again receiving a nod for the night’s top prize along with Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson, which is a little bit of a surprise because I expected Jelly Roll to be on that list (and I personally cast my vote for Eric Church, but he never gets the recognition he deserves so not a big surprise he was snubbed).

But another artist who got quite a bit of love is rising traditional country superstar Zach Top, who was nominated for Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “I Never Lie,” Album of the Year for Cold Beer & Country Music, Male Vocalist of the Year, and…New Artist of the Year?

Now obviously Zach is one of the newer superstars in country music, with his debut album dropping last April. But his debut single, “Sounds Like the Radio,” dropped in January of 2024 and garnered enough attention to get Zach a nomination for New Artist of the Year at last year’s CMA Awards too, although he ultimately lost to Megan Moroney in the category.

And Zach isn’t even the only artist nominated in the category for the second year in a row: Shaboozey was also up for New Artist of the Year last year after the success of his monster hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

So why are these guys nominated for “New” Artist of the Year two years in a row? It seems like if they were new last year…well, they’re not new anymore.

It all comes down to the Country Music Association’s criteria for the award.

According to the CMA:

“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.”

But that’s not all. The rules actually allow for two nominations for New Artist of the Year, as long as that artist hasn’t won another CMA Award yet:

“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.”

It’s a weird quirk in the rules, but if you were wondering how an artist could be nominated as a “New Artist” two years in a row…well, there’s your answer.

The 2025 CMA Awards will air live from the Bridgestone Arena on November 19 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

The full list of nominees are as follows:

Entertainer of the Year

• Morgan Wallen
• Luke Combs
• Lainey Wilson
• Cody Johnson
• Chris Stapleton

Album of the Year

• Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
  • Producer: Kristian Bush
  • Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
• Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top
  • Producer: Carson Chamberlain
  • Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey
• F-1 Trillon – Post Malone
  • Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
  • Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
• I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
  • Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
  • Mix Engineers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
• Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson
  • Producer: Jay Joyce
  • Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

Male Vocalist of the Year

• Chris Stapleton
• Morgan Wallen
• Luke Combs
• Cody Johnson
• Zach Top

Female Vocalist of the Year

• Lainey Wilson
• Ella Langley
• Megan Moroney
• Kelsea Ballerini
• Miranda Lambert

Vocal Group of the Year

• Old Dominion
• The Red Clay Strays
• Little Big Town
• Lady A
• Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year

• Brooks & Dunn
• Dan + Shay
• Brothers Osborne
• The War and Treaty
• Maddie & Tae

Single of the Year

• “4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson
  • Producer: Jay Joyce
  • Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
• “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” – Luke Combs
  • Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
  • Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
• “Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
  • Producer: Kristian Bush
  • Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
• “I Never Lie” – Zach Top
  • Producer: Carson Chamberlain
  • Mix Engineer: Mat Rovey
• “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green
  • Producer: Will Bundy
  • Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley

Song of the Year

• “4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson
  • Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
• “Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
  • Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney
• “I Never Lie” – Zach Top
  • Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
• “Texas” – Blake Shelton
  • Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock
• “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green
  • Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere

New Artist of the Year

• Zach Top
• Ella Langley
• Stephen Wilson Jr.
• Tucker Wetmore
• Shaboozey

Musician of the Year

• Jenee Fleenor (Fiddle)
• Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
• Brett Mason (Guitar)
• Rob McNelley (Guitar)
• Derek Wells (Guitar)

Music Video of the Year

• “Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
  • Directors: Alexander Gavillet, Megan Moroney
• “I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood
  • Director: Dustin Haney
• “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson
  • Director: TK McKamy
• “Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton
  • Director: Running Bear
• “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
  • Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney

Musical Event of the Year

• “Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green ft. Ella Langley
  • Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff
• “Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake w/ Jelly Roll
  • Producer: Micha Nichols
• “I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson w/ Carrie Underwood
  • Producer: Trent Willmon
• “Pour Me A Drink” – Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton
  • Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome
• “You Had to Be There” – Megan Moroney ft. Kenny Chesney
  • Producer: Kristian Bush