There weren't too many surprises on the 2023 CMA Awards ballot. Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson and Morgan Wallen continue to reign as the latest superstars to reach the same level of sustained acclaim as Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton. CMA voters view Jelly Roll as a break or two away from the mountaintop, with Jordan Davis and Megan Moroney not too far behind.
Still, there's always room for critique any time a round of industry award nominations drop. Some may wish for more traditional country-leaning acts in major categories, with Zach Bryan being a notable snub outside of New Artist of the Year consideration. Others can strongly argue that still-musically-relevant reality TV notables Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton should always be in the Entertainer of the Year running.
Read on for Wide Open Country's take on how a solid CMA Awards ballot could've been even stronger.
Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images Voters had a chance to include an upstart group on the ballot, even if an Old Dominion win would seem no less inevitable. Chapel Hart had a breakthrough year since the 2023 CMA Awards eligibility period began in July 2022. In that span, the family singing group won over new fans on America's Got Talent and at the Grand Ole Opry House before flexing creative growth with new album Glory Days. Though Little Big Town legitimately belongs in the same four-piece vocal group pantheon as the Statler Brothers and the Oak Ridge Boys, it'd make sense to leave them out in favor of new blood. Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images Even the prestigious Grammy Awards nominations tend to position artists with years of exposure as "new." Parker McCollum is far from an up-and-comer at this point, and though she's just now finding mainstream footing, Hailey Whitters made the cut as a proven veteran. Someone who's truly new to the spotlight, Bailey Zimmerman would've made so much sense as a New Artist of the Year nominee, even if it'd be hard to select him in the end over Jelly Roll. Mindy Small/WireImage Another year, another round of CMA Awards nominations that snub Kane Brown. Though Kane did earn a Musical Event of the Year nod for Katelyn Brown duet "Thank God," he's yet to pick up a solo nomination. His other three times on the ballot came in 2021 for Chris Young collaboration "Famous Friends." That could've been remedied by including Brown's Different Man on the final Album of the Year ballot. Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images It would've been ideal to spot Walker Hayes somewhere on the ballot after another year of new chapters added to one of modern country music's most compelling underdog stories. The "Y'all Life" music video skillfully captures the small town idealism that's dominant in country music, celebrating the folks that line bleachers on Friday nights and pews on Sunday— complete with a Craig cameo. Michael Hickey/Getty Images Bryan's orbiting the Combs and Wallen stratosphere at this point when it comes to streaming success. As impressively, Bryan has proven to be a legitimate touring draw despite not fitting the modern country star mold. Therefore, he would've been a deserving vegetarian option on the Male Vocalist of the Year menu instead of Cody Johnson.Chapel Hart (Vocal Group of the Year)
Bailey Zimmerman (New Artist of the Year)
Kane Brown (Album of the Year)
Walker Hayes (Video of the Year)
Zach Bryan (Male Vocalist of the Year)
