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Following the announcement of this year’s nominees for the 37th annual MusicRow Awards, presented by City National Bank, we take a closer look at the Entertainer of the Year category.
This category honors outstanding achievements by a Nashville artist during the eligibility period.
This year’s winners will be announced online on all MusicRow platforms on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
Click here to see the full list of MusicRow Awards nominees.
Winners are determined solely by MusicRow Magazine subscribers. Voting is now open and closes on Aug. 15 at 5:00 p.m. To receive a ballot to vote in the MusicRow Awards, become a MusicRow subscriber here.
Kelsea Ballerini continues to help shape the sound and direction of modern country music. Her 2024 studio album Patterns debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200, marking the highest debut of her career. The Gold-certified single “Cowboys Cry Too” anchored the project, which was followed by Patterns (Deluxe) featuring five new tracks that further expanded the album’s narrative. In spring 2025, Ballerini launched her first arena headline run, the 36- date “Kelsea Ballerini Live on Tour,” across major U.S. markets. These achievements followed the 2023 release of Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, a six-song project and accompanying short film that earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album and critical praise for its honesty and craft. A five-time Grammy nominee with seven No. 1 singles and 34 RIAA certifications, Ballerini remains a consistent presence on both the charts and the stage. She recently made her Saturday Night Live debut, appeared on the cover of TIME and served as a coach on NBC’s The Voice.
Two-time CMA Entertainer of Year Luke Combs started off 2025 with an induction into the Music City Walk of Fame, and became the first country artist to have two songs reach a billion streams on Spotify. He also was honored as the first country artist to have three RIAA Diamond certified singles. Combs recently notched another No. 1 at country radio with his hit Twisters soundtrack song “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma.” His 2024 Fathers & Sons album was released with critical acclaim, and takes a look into the emotional bond of fatherhood. Combs had his own exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame. He joined forces with Opry Entertainment Group to open his own music venue and bar on Broadway, Category 10, and his touring schedule this year included headline performances at Stagecoach, New Orleans’ JazzFest, Lollapalooza and Boston Calling, as well as Bonnaroo, where he was the first ever country act to headline the festival. Combs also created and headlined “Concert for Carolina” at Bank of America Stadium, raising over $24.5 million for Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
Cody Johnson has built up his reputation by gathering a loyal fan base with sold-out shows and consistent streaming numbers. Johnson has cultivated his meaningful discography through releases of Leather Deluxe Edition, Leather, Human The Double Album, A Cody Johnson Christmas, Cody Johnson & The Rockin’ CJB Live and Ain’t Nothin’ To It. His hit single “Dirt Cheap” was awarded Storyteller of The Year at the People’s Choice Country Awards and Song of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards. Another hit track “The Painter” was awarded as the NSAI 2024 Song of The Year. Throughout his career, Johnson has been named CMT Artist of The Year and won three CMT Music Awards wins, four CMA Awards including Album of The Year (2024) for Leather, and Best New Country Artist at the iHeart Music Awards. Johnson has performed on the Today Show, the Kelly Clarkson Show and the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, as well as live TV performances at the iHeart Music Awards, the ACM Awards, CMA Awards, CMT Music Awards, CMT Giants honoring Vince Gill, the CMT Artist of the Year Special and more.
Grammy nominated Nashville native Jelly Roll ended 2024 with the release of his Beautifully Broken album, which topped the Billboard 200 All Genre Chart, the first time in his career. The critically-acclaimed project was accompanied by his sold-out arena tour across the country. The 2024 iHeart Radio awards gave him eight genre-spanning nominations and wins for Best New Country and Pop artist. At the 2025 Grammy Awards, Jelly Roll was nominated for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance with “I Am Not Okay.” Jelly Roll has amassed seven consecutive No. 1s to date at country radio. His hit song “Save Me” spent 28 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Emerging Artists chart, and is RIAA Platinum certified. Outside of music, Jelly Roll also donated a recording studio at the juvenile detention center he served in as a teen, and released his Save Me documentary.
Tallying a career 18 No. 1 singles at country radio, 19 Billboard Music Awards, more than 190 weeks spent atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, Morgan Wallen continues to push the genre to its limits. Wallen won his first Entertainer of the Year award at the 2024 CMA Awards. His fourth studio album I’m The Problem was released in May. Upon its release, it debuted at No. 1 globally across seven countries. The project has also already had three No. 1s on country radio, including the eight week No. 1 title track. He also broke his own record for the most simultaneous entries in Billboard Hot 100 History, with all 37 songs charting upon release week. His 20 stadium show “I’m The Problem Tour” is currently taking place, and was preceded by his own Sand In My Boots Festival on the shores of Alabama. He also celebrated the release of the project with a show at The Roundhouse in London. Wallen also puts a portion of every ticket sold towards his Morgan Wallen Foundation, which donates funds to youth music and athletic programs.
Lainey Wilson’s work continues to shape the current landscape of country music, both on the charts and within the broader creative community. In 2025, she earned four ACM Awards: Entertainer of the Year (for the second year in a row), Female Artist of the Year (third consecutive win), Album of the Year, and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Her single “Somewhere Over Laredo” became the most added at country radio upon release and marked her biggest first-day streaming debut to date. The track will appear on the deluxe edition of her album Whirlwind, out August 22. Across her catalog, Wilson has tallied eight No. 1 singles, including “Heart Like a Truck,” “Watermelon Moonshine,” and “4x4xU.” She has also collaborated on tracks with Jelly Roll, Hardy, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton and Post Malone. A Grand Ole Opry member, she contributed to the Twisters soundtrack and is currently on her sold-out “Whirlwind World Tour.” Her upcoming role in Reminders of Him follows her on-screen debut in Yellowstone.
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