Criteria for each category:
Entertainer:
This award is presented to the individual, duo or group who showed the most overall success in the country music industry during the preceding calendar year. The factors to be considered in arriving at this award include, but are not limited to, success at radio, sales of prerecorded music, success of music videos, live concert ticket sales, artistic merit, appearances on television, appearances in films, songwriting, writing and contributions to the country music industry. The nominees shall be determined by a nomination ballot(s) and are subject to the approval of the board. The winner shall be determined by a vote of the membership of the ACM.
Male:
This award is presented to an outstanding individual male vocalist in the country music industry during the preceding calendar year. The factors to be considered in arriving at this award include, but are not limited to, success at radio, sales of prerecorded music, live concert ticket sales and vocal performances. The nominees shall be determined by a nomination ballot(s) and are subject to the approval of the board. The winner shall be determined by a vote of the membership of the ACM.
Female:
This award is presented to an outstanding individual female vocalist in the country music industry during the preceding calendar year. The factors to be considered in arriving at this award include, but are not limited to, success at radio, sales of prerecorded music, live concert ticket sales and vocal performances. The nominees shall be determined by a nomination ballot(s) and are subject to the approval of the board. The winner shall be determined by a vote of the membership of the ACM.
New Artist:
This award is presented to an outstanding individual male vocalist (herein called artist), female vocalist (herein called artist), duo or group featuring a vocalist (herein called "duo or group") in the country music industry who gains either initial fame or significantly greater recognition through their efforts during the preceding calendar year. The artist, duo or group must have charted a single in the top 30 on Billboard or Radio & Records Country Airplay charts; and / or sold 100,000 album units reflected in Sound Scan during the qualifying period. The nominees shall be determined by a nomination ballot(s) and are subject to the approval of the board. The winner shall be determined by a vote of the membership of the ACM. An artist, duo or group may be a nominee in this category for two consecutive years. If an artist, duo or group is a winner in this category their first year on the ballot, they will not be eligible in this category for a second year. The Board of Directors elected to combine Top New Male, Top New Female and Top New Duo/Group into one category, Top New Artist for this year.
Group:
This award is presented to an outstanding group featuring at least one vocalist in the country music industry during the preceding calendar year. The factors to be considered in arriving at this award include, but are not limited to, success at radio, sales of prerecorded music, live concert ticket sales and vocal performances. The nominees shall be determined by a nomination ballot(s) and are subject to the approval of the board. The winner shall be determined by a vote of the membership of the ACM.
Duo:
This award is presented to an outstanding duo featuring at least one vocalist in the country music industry during the preceding calendar year. The factors to be considered in arriving at this award include, but are not limited to, success at radio, sales of records, live concert ticket sales and vocal performances. The nominees shall be determined by a nomination ballot and are subject to the approval of the board. The winner shall be determined by a vote of the membership of the ACM. In the event that the Board of Directors determines that there are not enough nominees in this category in any particular year, this category may be merged with the Top Vocal Group by the Board, and shall be called the Top Vocal Group or Duo.
