Parker McCollum says his only ACM nomination this year, for album of the year for his self-titled record, feels especially meaningful—building on past ACM wins and landing alongside major country releases ahead of the 61st ACMs streaming Sunday, May 17.
Parker McCollum already has two Academy of Country Music trophies in his home collection. earned with new male artist in 2021 and visual media of the year for “Burn It Down” in 2023.. This year. though. his attention is on a different kind of validation: album of the year for his self-titled record. his lone nomination.
When the contenders were announced. McCollum described spending the entire day processing the news—reading text messages and hearing from people who reached out.. “I spent the whole day just kinda processing it. reading text messages. [with] people calling. ” he said of the moment the nominees were revealed.. He tied the significance directly to the work itself: “That record, that’s everything I got, that record.. That’s as good and as much and as committed and as deep as I can go, that I know of.”
He also emphasized the narrowness of the recognition. “So, for it to be recognized and be mentioned in such a stout category with so many great records nominated and so many great records that could’ve been nominated, I don’t know. As a songwriter, that one really, really means a lot,” he added.
McCollum’s self-titled album includes his current single. “Killin’ Me. ” along with the previous hit “What Kinda Man.” In the album of the year race. he goes up against Zach Top’s “Ain’t in It for My Health. ” Carter Faith’s “Cherry Valley. ” Riley Green’s “Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe). ” and Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem.”
The timing and the lineup together make his remarks land with particular weight: he has past ACM wins in 2021 and 2023. while this year’s only nomination puts his self-titled record directly beside releases that also draw from major recent momentum—“Killin’ Me” and “What Kinda Man” on his side. and the other charted albums listed in the category.
The winner will be announced Sunday, May 17, with the 61st ACMs streaming live from Las Vegas on Prime Video.
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Parker McCollum ACM nominations album of the year 61st ACMs Las Vegas Prime Video Killin' Me What Kinda Man Ain't in It for My Health Cherry Valley Don't Mind If I Do (Deluxe) I'm the Problem