Oliver Anthony obtained 0 nominations on the 2023 Nation Music Awards regardless of dominating the charts with “Wealthy Males North of Richmond.” Right here’s what’s taking place.
Though nation singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony is dominating the charts — and maybe greater than his share of the political discourse — together with his viral hit, “Wealthy Males North of Richmond,” followers is perhaps stunned to be taught that he was not among the many nominations introduced for this yr’s Nation Music Awards.
Regardless of a meteoric rise to cultural prominence over the past month, the Virginia-based manufacturing facility worker-turned-musician who data below the moniker Oliver Anthony Music doesn’t meet the {qualifications} for eligibility this yr — or no less than had but to achieve nationwide prominence by the top of the eligibility interval.
“Awards standards, guidelines of election, and balloting procedures are established by CMA’s Board of Administrators,” explains the CMA web site. “Singles, albums, music movies, and certified music merchandise for the annual present will need to have been first launched or reached peak nationwide prominence through the eligibility interval, which for the 2023 present is July 1, 2022, by way of June 30, 2023.”
Anthony’s stay efficiency of “Wealthy Males North of Richmond” was uploaded to RadioWV’s YouTube channel on August 7, 2023 — nicely previous the eligibility cutoff.
However Oliver Anthony has been releasing movies on YouTube for nearly a yr, so whereas the tune that made him well-known is ineligible for an award this yr, the artist himself could also be technically eligible for a number of different classes. Nonetheless, the truth that he was all however unknown earlier than RadioWV uploaded his video on August 7, it stays unlikely that he would have obtained sufficient votes to be eligible.
Not like the Grammy Awards, the CMA Awards’ poll is predicated on voters writing their choices in response to eligible standards; artists and their representatives can’t submit them for consideration.
Anthony’s early materials would additionally not have been eligible for classes like Single of the 12 months regardless of being launched through the eligibility interval. In line with CMA’s standards, tracks will need to have reached the High 10 of Billboard’s Nation Airplay Chart, Scorching Nation Songs Chart, or Nation Aircheck’s Chart for the primary time inside that eligibility interval.
Since its debut on YouTube final month, “Wealthy Males North of Richmond” has debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s all-genre Scorching 100 Chart. Additional, the tune has topped the Scorching Nation Songs Chart and debuted at No.45 on the Nation Airplay Chart. Regardless of his ineligibility this yr, Oliver Anthony might turn out to be a big 2024 Nation Music Awards nominee.
This yr’s nominations are led by Lainey Wilson with 9, together with Entertainer of the 12 months, Single of the 12 months, and Album of the 12 months. Jelly Roll follows behind with 5 nominations for Single of the 12 months, Male Vocalist of the 12 months, Musical Occasion of the 12 months, Music Video of the 12 months, and New Artist of the 12 months. Different artists with a number of nominations embrace Luke Combs, HARDY, Chris Stapleton, and Morgan Wallen.