Why Does Morgan Wallen Dominate the Charts But Get Shut Out at Awards Shows?

Over the past four years, when Morgan Wallen releases an album, it has camped out at the top of the Billboard 200 for quite some time.

Starting with the 10-week No. 1 Dangerous: The Double Album in 2021 and continuing with 19-week chart-topper One Thing at a Time in 2023, Wallen has a pretty unimpeachable commercial track record. This week, he’ll release his 37-track fourth studio album, I’m the Problem, and all signs point to another blockbuster. So why didn’t the country superstar pick up any new prizes at last week’s 2025 ACM Awards, despite seven nominations including for the top prize of entertainer of the year?

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith — with a research assist from Billboard awards editor Paul Grein — are talking about why Wallen’s awards shelf doesn’t seem to match his popularity. Does his seeming dismissal by country voters stem from being caught on camera saying the N-word back in 2021, or to a series of public mishaps in the years since, like when he pleaded guilty to throwing a chair from the roof of a six-story Nashville bar last year? Or maybe it’s because he didn’t show up when he was named entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards, one of two total prizes he’s won there.

Listen to the new episode here for the full conversation:

Also on the show, we have chart news on Latin music history being made atop the Billboard 200 albums chart, where we have two Spanish-language albums at Nos. 1 and 2 for the first time. Plus, as Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” makes it a dozen weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, Lola Young scores her first No. 1 on Pop Airplay with “Messy.” Plus, we’re taking a look at the top 10 of our just-published 100 Best Country Songs staff list.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)