Academy of Country Music Awards 2025: Who Will Win Male Artist of the Year?
Academy of Country Music Awards 2025: Who Will Win Male Artist of the Year?
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards have celebrated the biggest accomplishments in the genre since 1966, and they were first televised in 1972.
Since then, music fans worldwide have tuned in to see if their favorite artists or groups walk away with an award.
One of the most prestigious categories of the night is Male Artist of the Year, and some of the biggest names in country music have been the proud recipients, such as George Strait, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, and Chris Stapleton.
If you cannot wait to see whose name will stand alongside them, keep reading for predictions on who will win Male Artist of the Year at the ACM Awards 2025.
LEADERBOARD
Academy of Country Music Awards. 2025. Male Artist of the Year
| # | Bet Options | Chance to Win | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied Projected Winner Morgan Wallen Wins - Yes | 28.25% | ||
| Implied Projected Winner Chris Stapleton Wins - Yes | 16.5% | ||
| Implied Projected Winner Luke Combs Wins - Yes | 6.13% |
The data is predicting Morgan Wallen will win Male Artist of the Year at the ACM Awards 2025 ::: Discover the latest Bet Entertainment Odds predictions for this market.
Who Are the Nominees for Male Artist of the Year?
Five of the biggest stars in country music right now have earned a nomination for Male Artist of the Year at the ACM Awards 2025:
- Luke Combs
- Jelly Roll
- Chris Stapleton
- Cody Johnson
- Morgan Wallen
Morgan Wallen is the Frontrunner
Morgan Wallen and Chris Stapleton have been battling it out in the Male New Artist category for four years.
For instance, Wallen lost out on the award in 2022 to Stapleton, only for the roles to reverse in 2023. However, Stapleton didn’t wait long to reclaim victory, picking up the accolade again in 2024.
The BEO betting odds are firmly in Wallen’s favor to receive the title this year, as he has a 57.9% chance of winning the award at the 60th ACM Awards on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Wallen may have the edge in the category following the release of his critically acclaimed fourth album, I’m the Problem. In addition to debuting at the top spot, it enjoyed the largest streaming week for a country album.
Also, he’s recently enjoyed much chart success with the songs “I’m the Problem,” “Love Somebody,” and “Smile,” to name a few.
Chris Stapleton Could Steal It
Chris Stapleton is no stranger to the Male Artist of the Year category, as he is the reigning champion and has accepted the award four times throughout his career.
Plus, it’s his tenth consecutive nomination, and he’s earned nods in six categories in 2025 alone, proving he’s popular with the Academy.
As he’s battled it out with Wallen in the category for many years, it would be foolish not to view Stapleton as a favorite for the accolade.
At present, he has a 33.33% chance of winning, suggesting he has the potential to pick it up for a second consecutive year.
After all, he’s enjoyed a fantastic year, as his song “It Takes a Woman” won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance, and he picked up another three CMA awards to add to his extensive collection.
Due to his popularity among country music fans, he announced an extension to his All-American Road Show tour, adding another 14 North American dates, which includes a performance at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Luke Combs is a Talented Underdog
Luke Combs is a talented underdog for Male Artist of the Year at the upcoming ACM Awards.
The 35-year-old country star has received a nomination in the category every year since 2019 but has only accepted it once in 2020.
Unfortunately for Combs, he’s lost out on the gong to many exceptional singer-songwriters in the category in recent years, including Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, and Morgan Wallen.
However, 2025 might be the year he scoops it again following a fantastic 12 months. For instance, he recently became the first country artist to have two songs exceed one billion streams on Spotify.
Not to mention, he has surpassed Taylor Swift and Zach Bryan to become the most successful singer on the Official Country Artists Albums chart.
Thanks to his international appeal, Combs became the first country star to release dates for a full stadium tour of Australia, allowing him to perform for his many fans Down Under.
