Chart-topper Luke Combs has plenty of feathers in his cap, but at Thursdays ACM Awards, he could add a triple crown.
With previous wins for New Artist (Male) and Male Artist of the Year, if Combs wins the ACM Award for 2025 Entertainer of the Year, that would earn the hit-maker the Academy’s coveted Triple Crown Award.
Combs is nominated for Entertainer of the Year for the seventh time this year. He’s also up for two other awards- Male Artist of the Year, up against Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen.
And he faces off against ERNEST, HARDY, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson for Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
The Past Three Years Have Seen Three Triple Crowns
If Luke Combs locks up Entertainer of the Year, he’ll be the fourth artist in a row to do it.
Last year, Lainey Wilson’s win over him for Entertainer of the Year brought her a Triple Crown.
Chris Stapleton achieved the same in 2023.
And Miranda Lambert got her Triple Crown in 2022.
The Past Few Years Have Proven Career-Defining for Combs
Combs has been on a roll since he won New Male Artist of the Year in 2019.
But the past few years have been especially impactful.
At the 2024 ACMs, Combs led the pack with eight nominations.
His victory for Single of the Year at the 2023 CMA Awards- for his remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” made Chapman the first black woman to win a CMA.
He then performed “Fast Car” alongside Chapman on stage at the 66th Grammy Awards.
At the time, Combs posted on Instagram, “What an unreal Grammy week to say the least. When it comes to the performance it’s still hard to process how amazing it really was to be up there on that stage. No doubt a defining moment of my career.”
Then in October 2024, Carolina-native Combs teamed up with Eric Church, James Taylor and Billy Strings to stage “Concert for Carolina” in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The concert raised more than $25 million dollars.
Triple Crown Comes With Separate Awards Ceremony
If Luke Combs takes home the trophy for Entertainer of the Year, his Triple Crown will be celebrated at the ACM Honors later this year.
The ACMs didn’t start presenting the Triple Crown until 2005. By then, six artists had already qualified, including Merle Haggard, Mickey Gilley, Barbara Mandrell, Brooks & Dunn, The Chicks and Kenny Chesney.
How to Watch the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards
According to a press release from the ACMs, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running country music awards show.
The program made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, in collaboration with Prime Video.
For 2025, the program hosted by Reba McEntire will stream live exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. on May 8.
Comments
Could Luke Combs Score ‘Triple Crown’ at ACMs?