Rising Star Country Music Nominees at the CMA 2024

Tomorrow is the biggest country music event on the planet, taking place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This year, we have an incredible selection of country music artists nominated for New Artist of the Year. These artists are poised to shape the future of country music in the years to come. Let’s dive in.

1. Megan Moroney

Megan Moroney, a country music artist from Douglasville, Georgia has really put her name on the map when she released Lucky album. Her song Tennessee Orange gained an astonishing 297 million listens on Spotify since its release in 2023 while a fairly simple music video received over 35 million views on YouTube.

2. Shaboozey

Shaboozey is an innovative American musician from Woodbridge, Virginia, known for blending country and hip-hop. He gained significant recognition in 2024 with his hit single A Bar Song (Tipsy), which made history by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 17 consecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running No. 1 song by a solo artist.

3. Nate Smith

Nate Smith, born on September 19, 1985, in Paradise, California, is an American country music singer-songwriter known for his emotive storytelling and powerful vocals. After his song Wildfire went viral on TikTok in 2020, he signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV and later secured a major label contract with Sony Music Nashville.

4. Mitchell Tenpenny

Mitchell Tenpenny, an American country-pop singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee, has made himself a name for his breakout hit Drunk Me, which now has over 232 million listens on Spotify. His most recent album The 3d is one of his most eclectic work so far presenting a brand new chapter in his music development.

5. Zach Top

Zach Top, a country music artist from Sunnyside, Washington, blends traditional honky-tonk with modern flair. Inspired by legends like George Strait, he honed his craft in the bluegrass band Modern Tradition before going solo. His biggest hit I Never Lie has managed to get 47 million listens on Spotify since the release of his album Cold Beer & Country Music.

6. Bailey Zimmerman

Bailey Zimmerman’s music blends modern country with rock influences, featuring raw vocals and emotional storytelling. Couple of months ago he released a really unique music video New to Country where he turns the music video into a short movie. The video gained 1.2 million views on YouTube so far and continues to impress country music fans with such unorthodox storytelling.