# Academy of Country Music Award for Entertainer of the Year

The Academy of Country Music Award for Entertainer of the Year is the biggest competitive category presented at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The award has been given annually since 1970, and is the final award presented at the ceremony.
During the 52 nomination years, 60 artists have been nominated for the Entertainer of the Year; 27 of these have won, including co-winners and ties. Of these, Garth Brooks has received the most awards, with six awards out of 13 nominations. The two artists who have won more than three times are Alabama with 5 out of 10 nominations and Kenny Chesney with 5 out of 11. The two artists who have won three times are Carrie Underwood with 3 out of 6 nominations, and Brooks & Dunn with 3 out of 12 nominations. George Strait and Reba McEntire have received the most nominations; Strait won 2 out of 14 nominations and McEntire won 1 out of 9 nominations.

## Winners and nominees

In the following tables, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony. Artists are eligible based on their work of the previous calendar year. Entries with a blue ribbon next to the artist's name have won the award; those with a white background are the nominees on the short-list.
| Year | Winner | Nominees |
| 2024 | Lainey Wilson | Kane Brown Luke Combs Jelly Roll Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen |
| 2023 | Chris Stapleton | Jason Aldean Kane Brown Luke Combs Miranda Lambert Carrie Underwood Morgan Wallen |
| 2022 | Miranda Lambert | Eric Church Luke Combs Chris Stapleton Carrie Underwood |
| 2021 | Luke Bryan | Eric Church Luke Combs Thomas Rhett Chris Stapleton |
| 2020 | Carrie Underwood (tie) Thomas Rhett (tie) | Luke Bryan Eric Church Luke Combs |
| 2019 | Keith Urban | Jason Aldean Luke Bryan Kenny Chesney Chris Stapleton |
| 2018 | Jason Aldean | Garth Brooks Luke Bryan Chris Stapleton Keith Urban |
| 2017 | Jason Aldean | Luke Bryan Florida Georgia Line Carrie Underwood Keith Urban |
| 2016 | Jason Aldean | Garth Brooks Luke Bryan Eric Church Miranda Lambert |
| 2015 | Luke Bryan | Jason Aldean Garth Brooks Miranda Lambert Florida Georgia Line |
| 2014 | George Strait | Luke Bryan Miranda Lambert Blake Shelton Taylor Swift |
| 2013 | Luke Bryan | Jason Aldean Miranda Lambert Blake Shelton Taylor Swift |
| 2012 | Taylor Swift | Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Brad Paisley Blake Shelton |
| 2011 | Taylor Swift | Blake Shelton Brad Paisley Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney |
| 2010 | Carrie Underwood | Brad Paisley Jason Aldean Keith Urban Miranda Lambert Toby Keith |
| 2009 | Carrie Underwood | Brad Paisley George Strait Keith Urban Kenny Chesney Taylor Swift Toby Keith Zac Brown Band |
| 2008 | Rascal Flatts | Kenny Chesney Brad Paisley George Strait Keith Urban |
| 2007 | Kenny Chesney | Brad Paisley George Strait Keith Urban Rascal Flatts |
| 2006 | Kenny Chesney | Brooks & Dunn George Strait Rascal Flatts Tim McGraw |
| 2005 | Kenny Chesney | Brooks & Dunn Keith Urban Rascal Flatts Toby Keith |
| 2004 | Kenny Chesney | Brooks & Dunn Keith Urban Tim McGraw Toby Keith |
| 2003 | Toby Keith | Alan Jackson Brooks & Dunn Kenny Chesney Tim McGraw |
| 2002 | Toby Keith | Alan Jackson Brooks & Dunn Dixie Chicks Kenny Chesney |
| 2001 | Brooks & Dunn | Alan Jackson Garth Brooks Tim McGraw Toby Keith |
| 2000 | Dixie Chicks | Brooks & Dunn Faith Hill George Strait Toby Keith |
| 1999 | Shania Twain | Dixie Chicks Faith Hill Sawyer Brown Tim McGraw |
| 1998 | Garth Brooks | Brooks & Dunn George Strait Shania Twain Tim McGraw |
| 1997 | Garth Brooks | Brooks & Dunn George Strait Reba McEntire Tim McGraw |
| 1996 | Brooks & Dunn | Alan Jackson Garth Brooks George Strait Tim McGraw |
| 1995 | Brooks & Dunn | Alan Jackson Garth Brooks Reba McEntire Tim McGraw |
| 1994 | Reba McEntire | Alabama Alan Jackson Brooks & Dunn Garth Brooks |
| 1993 | Garth Brooks | Alan Jackson Clint Black Reba McEntire Travis Tritt |
| 1992 | Garth Brooks | Alan Jackson Billy Ray Cyrus Reba McEntire Travis Tritt |
| 1991 | Garth Brooks | Alan Jackson Clint Black Randy Travis Reba McEntire |
| 1990 | Garth Brooks | Clint Black Dolly Parton George Strait Reba McEntire |
| 1989 | George Strait | Alabama Dolly Parton Hank Williams Jr. Randy Travis |
| 1988 | Hank Williams Jr. | Alabama George Strait Randy Travis The Judds |
| 1987 | Hank Williams Jr. | Alabama Randy Travis Reba McEntire Willie Nelson |
| 1986 | Hank Williams Jr. | Alabama George Strait Reba McEntire Ricky Skaggs |
| 1985 | Alabama | George Strait Hank Williams Jr. Lee Greenwood Ricky Skaggs |
| 1984 | Alabama | Hank Williams Jr. Oak Ridge Boys Ricky Skaggs Willie Nelson |
| 1983 | Alabama | Barbara Mandrell Hank Williams Jr. Oak Ridge Boys Willie Nelson |
| 1982 | Alabama | Barbara Mandrell Kenny Rogers Ricky Skaggs Willie Nelson |
| 1981 | Alabama | Barbara Mandrell Dolly Parton Kenny Rogers Oak Ridge Boys |
| 1980 | Barbara Mandrell | Dolly Parton Eddie Rabbitt Kenny Rogers Willie Nelson |
| 1979 | Willie Nelson | Crystal Gayle Kenny Rogers Loretta Lynn Waylon Jennings |
| 1978 | Kenny Rogers | Dolly Parton Loretta Lynn Roy Clark Willie Nelson |
| 1977 | Dolly Parton | Kenny Rogers Loretta Lynn Mel Tillis Roy Clark |
| 1976 | Mickey Gilley | Conway Twitty Loretta Lynn Marty Robbins Mel Tillis |
| 1975 | Loretta Lynn | Glen Campbell John Denver Mickey Gilley Roy Clark |
| 1974 | Mac Davis | Loretta Lynn Merle Haggard Ronnie Milsap Roy Clark |
| 1973 | Roy Clark | Charlie Rich Johnny Rodriguez Mel Tillis Merle Haggard |
| 1972 | Roy Clark | Charley Pride Freddie Hart Loretta Lynn Merle Haggard |
| 1971 | Freddie Hart | Charley Pride Glen Campbell Loretta Lynn Merle Haggard |
| 1970 | Merle Haggard | Johnny Cash Glen Campbell Elvis Presley Charley Pride |

## Category Records
### Wins

* Male artist with most wins — Garth Brooks (6).
* Female artist with most wins — Carrie Underwood (3).
* Group with most wins — Alabama (5).
* Duo with the most wins — Brooks & Dunn (3).

### Nominations

* Male artist with most nominations — George Strait (14).
* Female artist with most nominations — Reba McEntire (9).
* Group with most nominations — Alabama (10).
* Duo with the most nominations — Brooks & Dunn (12).