Country Music Association Award for New Artist of the Year


The Country Music Association Awards is a major awards show in country music, with one of the primary awards being the New Artist of the Year Award. This award honors artists who have achieved national prominence through their work and are voted to have great success in the genre going forward. The award was known as the Horizon Award from 1981 until 2007 when it received its current title. An artist can be nominated twice in the New Artist category before they become ineligible, although the point at which an artist received "national prominence" is decided by the Country Music Association and is often a source of debate amongst fans and media. The inaugural recipient of this award was Terri Gibbs and the most recent winner is Luke Combs.

Recipients

YearWinnerNominees
2019 Ashley McBryde
2018 Luke Combs
  • Lauren Alaina
  • Chris Janson
  • Midland
  • Brett Young
  • 2017 Jon Pardi
  • Lauren Alaina
  • Luke Combs
  • Old Dominion
  • Brett Young
  • 2016 Maren Morris
  • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Old Dominion
  • Brothers Osborne
  • Cole Swindell
  • 2015 Chris Stapleton
  • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Sam Hunt
  • Maddie & Tae
  • Thomas Rhett
  • 2014 Brett Eldredge
  • Brandy Clark
  • Kip Moore
  • Thomas Rhett
  • Cole Swindell
  • 2013 Kacey Musgraves
  • Lee Brice
  • Brett Eldredge
  • Florida Georgia Line
  • Kip Moore
  • 2012 Hunter Hayes
  • Lee Brice
  • Brantley Gilbert
  • Love and Theft
  • Thompson Square
  • 2011 The Band Perry
  • Luke Bryan
  • Eric Church
  • Thompson Square
  • Chris Young
  • 2010 Zac Brown Band
  • Luke Bryan
  • Easton Corbin
  • Jerrod Niemann
  • Chris Young
  • 2009 Darius Rucker
  • Randy Houser
  • Jamey Johnson
  • Jake Owen
  • Zac Brown Band
  • 2008 Lady Antebellum
  • Jason Aldean
  • Rodney Atkins
  • James Otto
  • Kellie Pickler
  • 2007 Taylor Swift
  • Jason Aldean
  • Rodney Atkins
  • Little Big Town
  • Kellie Pickler
  • 2006 Carrie Underwood
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Little Big Town
  • Sugarland
  • Josh Turner
  • 2005 Dierks Bentley
  • Big & Rich
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Julie Roberts
  • Sugarland
  • 2004 Gretchen Wilson
  • Dierks Bentley
  • Big & Rich
  • Julie Roberts
  • Josh Turner
  • 2003 Joe Nichols
  • Gary Allan
  • Buddy Jewell
  • Blake Shelton
  • Darryl Worley
  • 2002 Rascal Flatts
  • Carolyn Dawn Johnson
  • Nickel Creek
  • Phil Vassar
  • Darryl Worley
  • 2001 Keith Urban
  • Jessica Andrews
  • Nickel Creek
  • Jamie O'Neal
  • Phil Vassar
  • 2000 Brad Paisley
  • Sara Evans
  • Montgomery Gentry
  • SHeDAISY
  • Chely Wright
  • 1999 Jo Dee Messina
  • Kenny Chesney
  • Sara Evans
  • The Wilkinsons
  • Chely Wright
  • 1998 Dixie Chicks
  • Trace Adkins
  • Jo Dee Messina
  • Michael Peterson
  • Lee Ann Womack
  • 1997 LeAnn Rimes
  • Trace Adkins
  • Deana Carter
  • Terri Clark
  • Lee Ann Womack
  • 1996 Bryan White
  • Terri Clark
  • Wade Hayes
  • LeAnn Rimes
  • Shania Twain
  • 1995 Alison Krauss
  • David Ball
  • John Berry
  • Faith Hill
  • Shania Twain
  • 1994 John Michael Montgomery
  • Faith Hill
  • Martina McBride
  • Tim McGraw
  • Lee Roy Parnell
  • 1993 Mark Chesnutt
  • Sammy Kershaw
  • Tracy Lawrence
  • John Michael Montgomery
  • Trisha Yearwood
  • 1992 Suzy Bogguss
  • Brooks & Dunn
  • Billy Dean
  • Pam Tillis
  • Trisha Yearwood
  • 1991 Travis Tritt
  • Mary Chapin Carpenter
  • Mark Chesnutt
  • Doug Stone
  • Pam Tillis
  • 1990 Garth Brooks
  • Alan Jackson
  • Kentucky Headhunters
  • Lorrie Morgan
  • Travis Tritt
  • 1989 Clint Black
  • Desert Rose Band
  • Patty Loveless
  • Shenandoah
  • Keith Whitley
  • 1988 Ricky Van Shelton
  • Highway 101
  • Patty Loveless
  • K.T. Oslin
  • Sweethearts of the Rodeo
  • 1987 Holly Dunn
  • T. Graham Brown
  • The O'Kanes
  • Restless Heart
  • Sweethearts of the Rodeo
  • 1986 Randy Travis
  • The Forester Sisters
  • Kathy Mattea
  • Dan Seals
  • Dwight Yoakam
  • 1985 Sawyer Brown
  • Ray Charles
  • Mel McDaniel
  • Eddy Raven
  • John Schneider
  • 1984 The Judds
  • Deborah Allen
  • Earl Thomas Conley
  • Vern Gosdin
  • Michael Martin Murphey
  • 1983 John Anderson
  • Vern Gosdin
  • Reba McEntire
  • George Strait
  • The Whites
  • 1982 Ricky Skaggs
  • John Anderson
  • Rosanne Cash
  • David Frizzell
  • Lee Greenwood
  • 1981 Terri Gibbs
  • Rosanne Cash
  • David Frizzell and Shelly West
  • T. G. Sheppard
  • Boxcar Willie