Radio Awards
Congratulations to the Radio Awards nominees and winners for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards.
61st ACM Awards
Winners and nominees
The ACM Radio Awards honor the On-Air Personalities and Radio Stations that best represent the Country Music genre, in national categories and across Major, Large, Medium and Small markets.
Nominees are selected by a Professional Panel of Judges approved by the ACM Officers, who evaluate each entry's body of work as represented in an aircheck and an essay defining the station's or personality's unique brand, demonstrating impact on audience and exemplifying artist discovery.
National Daily On-Air Personality of the Year
5 nomineesB-Dub – B-Dub Radio
See all 5 nominees
Cody Alan – Highway Mornings with Cody Alan
Katie Neal – Katie & Company
Rob Stone and Holly Hutton – The Rob + Holly Show
Steve Harmon – Steve Harmon Show
National Weekly On-Air Personality of the Year
5 nomineesB-Dub – B-Dub Radio Saturday Night
See all 5 nominees
Big D, Bubba, Shafter – Honky Tonkin’ with Big D & Bubba
Heather Froglear – 90’s Country with Heather
Kelleigh Bannen – Today’s Country Radio
Ryan Fox – American Country Countdown with Ryan Fox
On-Air Personality of the Year - Major Market
7 nomineesChris Carr & Company – Chris Carr, Sam Sansevere, Dubs – KEEY-FM – Minneapolis, MN
See all 7 nominees
Angie Ward – Angie Ward – WUBL-FM – Atlanta, GA
Erik & Jenny – Erik Scott Smith & Jenny Lee – KCYY-FM – San Antonio, TX
Frito & Katy – Frito and Katy – KILT-FM – Houston, TX
Niko + Cheyenne – Niko + Cheyenne – KMLE-FM – Phoenix, AZ
Rachel Ryan – Rachel Ryan – KSCS-FM – Dallas, TX
The Coop Show – Coop – WKIS-FM – Miami, FL
On-Air Personality of the Year - Large Market
5 nomineesHeather Froglear – Heather Froglear – KFRG-FM Riverside, CA
See all 5 nominees
Jesse & Anna– Jesse Tack, Anna Marie, Jake Thomson – WUBE-FM – Cincinnati, OH
Kelli and Anthony – Kelli Green and Anthony Donatelli – KFRG-FM – Riverside, CA
Mad Dawg in the Afternoon – Mad Dawg – WQDR-FM – Raleigh, NC
Maria D’Antonio – Maria D’Antonio – WDSY-FM – Pittsburgh, PA
On-Air Personality of the Year - Medium Market
6 nomineesMo & Styckman – Mo and StyckMan
WUSY-FM - Chattanooga, TN
See all 6 nominees
Julie and DJ in the Morning – Julie K and DJ Thee Trucker
WPCV-FM - Lakeland, FL
Steve & Gina in the Morning – Steve Lundy and Gina Melton
KXKT-FM - Omaha, NE
The Bee Morning Coffee Club – Billy Kidd, TJ Sharp, Hope Breen
WBEE-FM
The Doc Show – Doc Medek and Chewy Medek
WGGY-FM - Wilkes-Barre, PA
Tug Cowart Show – Tug Cowart
WCKN-FM - Charleston, SC
On-Air Personality of the Year - Small Market
5 nomineesThe Eddie Foxx Show – Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx
WKSF-FM - Asheville, NC
See all 5 nominees
B-MO in the MO’rning – Brian “B-MO” Montgomery
WCKK-FM - Walnut Grove, MS
Ben & Arnie – Ben Butler, Arnie Andrews
WCOW-FM - Sparta, WI
Dan Austin – Dan Austin
WQHK-FM - Fort Wayne, IN
The Dr. Shane and Tess Show – Dr. Shane and Tess
WPAP-FM - Panama City, FL
Radio Station of the Year - Major Market
5 nomineesKSCS-FM
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
See all 5 nominees
KILT-FM
Houston, TX
KSON-FM
San Diego, CA
WPOC-FM – Towson, MD
WXTU-FM
Philadelphia, PA
Radio Station of the Year - Large Market
5 nomineesWUBE-FM
Cincinnati, OH
See all 5 nominees
KFRG-FM
San Bernardino, CA
WLHK-FM
Indianapolis, IN
WMIL-FM
Milwaukee, WI
WSIX-FM
Nashville, TN
Radio Station of the Year - Medium Market
5 nomineesWLFP-FM – Memphis, TN
See all 5 nominees
KUZZ-FM
Bakersfield, CA
WBEE-FM
Rochester, NY
WHKO-FM
Dayton, OH
WQMX-FM
Akron, OH
Radio Station of the Year - Small Market
6 nomineesWYCT-FM
Pensacola, FL
See all 6 nominees
KCLR-FM
Columbia, MO
KFGE-FM – Lincoln, NE
WCKK-FM – Walnut Grove, MS
WXFL-FM
Florence, AL
WYOT-FM – Rochelle, IL
How the Radio Awards work
On-Air Personality of the Year
This award is presented to an outstanding Country Music On-Air Radio Personality who best represents the country music genre, as selected by a Professional Panel of Judges approved by the ACM Officers.
The Professional Panel shall evaluate submissions from the current eligibility period based on the Personality’s body of work, as represented in an aircheck (maximum length of 5 minutes), and an essay (maximum length of 500 words) defining the Personality’s unique brand, demonstrating impact on audience and exemplifying artist discovery.
Principal personalities must be together for eight (8) consecutive months and still be working at the submitting station by the submission deadline. Personalities are only eligible to enter for one Station within one category (Major Market, Large Market, Medium Market or Small Market) and must be in the largest market in which they are eligible. The prior year Winner is ineligible for a consecutive nomination in this category.
Entries will be judged using market size consideration based on Arbitron markets:
1-25 Major
26-50 Large
51-100 Medium
101+ Small.
International stations will be placed in categories based on metro population.
National Weekly On-Air Personality of the Year
This award is presented to an outstanding National Country Music On-Air (terrestrial, satellite or internet) Radio Personality who best represents the country music genre on a reoccurring Radio Show that is hosted on a weekly basis. Entrants must have a minimum of 40 shows in a calendar year, and will be selected by a Professional Panel of Judges approved by the ACM Officers.
The Professional Panel shall evaluate submissions from the current eligibility period based on the Personality’s body of work, as represented in an aircheck (maximum length of 5 minutes), and an essay (maximum length of 500 words) defining the Personality’s unique brand, demonstrating impact on audience and exemplifying artist discovery.
Entrants must demonstrate they air in a minimum of ten markets, across all four time zones across the continental United States, with a minimum of 32 shows airing during the submission period. Principal personalities must be together for eight (8) consecutive months and still be working at the submitting station by the submission deadline. The prior year Winner is ineligible for a consecutive nomination in this category.
National Daily On-Air Personality of the Year
This award is presented to an outstanding National Country Music On-Air (terrestrial, satellite or internet) Radio Personality who best represents the country music genre on a Daily Radio Show. Entrants must have a minimum of 200 shows in a calendar year, and will be selected by a Professional Panel of Judges approved by the ACM Officers.
The Professional Panel shall evaluate submissions from the current eligibility period based on the Personality’s body of work, as represented in an aircheck (maximum length of 5 minutes), and an essay (maximum length of 500 words) defining the Personality’s unique brand, demonstrating impact on audience and exemplifying artist discovery.
Entrants must demonstrate they air in a minimum of ten markets, across all four time zones across the continental United States, with a minimum of 32 shows airing during the submission period. Principal personalities must be together for eight (8) consecutive months and still be working at the submitting station by the submission deadline. The prior year Winner is ineligible for a consecutive nomination in this category.
Radio Station of the Year
This award is presented to an outstanding Country Music Radio Station who best represents the country music genre, selected by a Professional Panel of judges, approved by the ACM Officers.
The Professional Panel shall evaluate submissions from the current eligibility period based on the Station’s body of work, as represented in an aircheck (maximum length of 5 minutes), and an essay (maximum length of 500 words) defining the Station’s unique brand, demonstrating impact on audience and exemplifying artist discovery. Judges shall consider daypart market share/in-market rank. The prior year Winner is ineligible for a consecutive nomination in this category.
How the Radio Awards are voted
A Professional Panel whose members are approved by the ACM officers shall evaluate submissions from the current eligibility period based on the station’s or personality’s body of work, as represented in an aircheck (maximum length of 5 minutes), and an essay (maximum length of 500 words) defining the station’s or personality’s unique brand, demonstrating impact on audience and exemplifying artist discovery. Judges shall consider daypart market share/in-market rank. The prior year Winner is ineligible for a consecutive nomination in this category. Radio awards to be given out (1) off-camera in a presentation one day prior to the main show or (2) depending on timing, during the telecast in some format.
Six decades of winners
Search every ACM Radio Award winner since the categories began, or see how the Academy celebrates its off-camera winners at ACM Honors.