‘Billboard’ Announces Finalists For This Year’s BBMAs

 

Thursday (April 29), Dick Clark Productions and NBC announced the finalists for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards which honor the year’s most successful artists in 51 categories across all genres of music.

This year’s BBMAs will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 23 at 7 p.m. CST on NBC.

“I Hope” singer Gabby Barrett is a first-time finalist and received nominations in nine categories, including Top New Artist, becoming the female artist with the most nods this year.

Other country nominees include Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Kane Brown, Maren Morris, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Maddie & Tae, Sam Hunt, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Lee Brice and Morgan Wallen.

The Weeknd leads the nominations overall with an impressive 16 nods, including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, and Top R&B Album for After Hours which features his hit single “Blinding Lights”.

DaBaby also came out with a whopping 11 nominations, including recognition for the Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Rap Artist, and Top Rap Album categories. He is also nominated for Top Streaming Song for “Rockstar” and “What’s Poppin.”

Late rappers Pop Smoke and Juice WRLD received multiple honors, marking the first time in a decade that two of the top ten finalists received posthumous recognition. Pop Smoke received nominations in 10 categories, while Juice WRLD is a finalist in seven categories.

Taylor Swift is a finalist in four categories this year, including Top Artist, Top Female Artist and Top Billboard 200 Artist. If she takes home awards in all of her categories, she would tie with Drake in the No. 1 spot for most wins of all time.

Megan Thee Stallion is the female artist with the second-most nods this year with seven nominations, including Top Female Artist and Top Rap Female Artist. She also could take home her first BBMA at this year’s show.

This year’s awards are based on the chart period of March 21, 2020 through April 3, 2021. Finalists and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including MRC Data. Fan-voted categories include Top Social Artist and Top Collaboration.

For a full list of this year’s finalists, visit billboardmusicawards.com.

Select BBMA Finalists:

Top Country Artist
Gabby Barrett
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
* Morgan Wallen

Top Country Male Artist
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
* Morgan Wallen

Top Country Female Artist
Gabby Barrett
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Carrie Underwood
Zach Williams

Top Gospel Artist
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Maverick City Music
Kanye West

Top Country Album
Gabby Barrett, Goldmine
Sam Hunt, SOUTHSIDE
Chris Stapleton, Starting Over
Carrie Underwood, My Gift
* Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album

Top Christian Album
Bethel Music, Peace
Elevation Worship, Grave Into Gardens
Carrie Underwood, My Gift
We The Kingdom, Holy Water
Zach Williams, Rescue Story

Top Gospel Album
Koryn Hawthorne, I AM
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Royalty: Live at the Ryman
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 2
Kierra Sheard, Kierra

Top Country Song
Jason Aldean “Got What I Got”
Gabby Barrett “I Hope”
Lee Brice “One of Them Girls”
* Morgan Wallen “Chasin’ You”
* Morgan Wallen “More Than My Hometown”

Top Christian Song
Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens”
for KING & COUNTRY, Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly “TOGETHER”
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, & Elevation Worship “The Blessing (Live)”
Tauren Wells ft. Jenn Johnson “Famous For (I Believe)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton “There Was Jesus”

Top Gospel Song
Koryn Hawthorne “Speak To Me”
Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music “Movin’ On”
Marvin Sapp “Thank You For It All”
Tye Tribbett “We Gon’ Be Alright”
Kanye West ft. Travis Scott “Wash Us In The Blood”

* From Billboard, “Morgan Wallen is a finalist this year based on charting. As his recent conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity.”