Academy of Country Music® Announces Record-High Membership as it Welcomes Class of 2024
ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC® ANNOUNCES RECORD-HIGH MEMBERSHIP AS IT WELCOMES CLASS OF 2024
New ACM members Colbie Caillat, Hannah Ellis, The Kentucky Gentlemen, Ian Munsick, Matt Stell, and others share their excitement in joining the Academy
Nashville, TN – The Academy of Country Music® announced today an increase in Academy membership to more than 5,000 professional members, which marks the Academy’s highest membership count since membership numbers were tracked and a major milestone for the powerhouse global trade association. Newly accepted and renewed members qualify to vote for the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards, which is set to return to Texas this May and will stream exclusively on Prime Video for a third consecutive year. Additionally, Academy members gain access to a suite of benefits including early access to tickets for ACM events, discounts on industry partner events, industry data insights, monthly educational and networking events, acclaimed seasonal magazine ACM Tempo, and more.
In the leadup to today’s historic announcement, new ACM members including artists, songwriters, producers, and industry professionals visited the Academy’s Nashville headquarters in the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood to share their excitement about joining the Academy of Country Music community. Additional videos and content series will be released throughout 2024, to continue to tell the story of the new class and shine a spotlight on the pivotal role the Academy plays in the lives, careers, and artistic pursuits of the Country Music industry.
“Today is an extremely proud day for the Academy of Country Music as we celebrate record-high membership with more than 5,000 members worldwide,” said ACM CEO Damon Whiteside. “The Academy’s membership becomes more diverse and inclusive, as well as international, every year, reflecting the landscape of the genre, and allowing the ACM to better serve as a powerhouse advocate for artists and our industry all over the globe.”
“I couldn’t be happier to celebrate and welcome our new and renewed members today and look forward to working with them in the year ahead,” said Haley Montgomery, Senior Manager, Awards and Membership. “We are proud to offer our industry a slew of exceptional benefits through their membership in the Academy of Country Music, and without a doubt, one of the most exciting is the ability to vote for the ACM Awards. Submissions for the 59th ACM Awards open in January and voting begins in February, and we encourage all members to participate and play an active role in shaping the future of Country Music through their votes.”
The Academy of Country Music has furthered its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by inviting members to keep diversity top of mind when referring potential new members. The ACM believes that having a membership base comprised of a vast array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives makes for a much richer, robust, and innovative ACM experience. The Academy’s DEI mission statement reads, “The Academy of Country Music is relentlessly committed to creating a more inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in the Country Music industry, from the boardroom to the stage.”
For more information on membership with the Academy of Country Music, please visit the ACM Membership platform at: https://www.acmcountry.com/membership.
Special thanks to the artists, songwriters, producers, and industry professionals featured in the video:
Jackie Augustus, Country & Folk Artist Partnerships, Spotify
Amy Brown, On-Air Personality, iHeart Radio
Colbie Caillat, Artist-Songwriter
Jared Conrad, Songwriter-Producer
CeCe Dawson, Creative Director
Hannah Ellis, Artist-Songwriter
The Kentucky Gentlemen, Artist-Songwriters
Morgan Mills, Marketing Director
Caroline Munsick, Artist Manager
Ian Munsick, Artist-Songwriter
Erika Wollam Nichols, COO/General Manager, Bluebird Cafe
Adi Sharma, Co-Head & Agent, The Neal Agency
Matt Stell, Artist-Songwriter
Cole Taylor, Songwriter