Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan and Luke Combs Among Top Finalists for Billboard Music Awards 2023

Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan and Luke Combs have all ensured country music will be well represented at the Billboard Music Awards, which is due to take place in Las Vegas on November 19.

Morgan Wallen is the most nominated male artist of any genre heading into the ceremony, with the ‘Thinkin’ Bout Me’ hitmaker competing for Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist and more.

Luke Combs will challenge Morgan Wallen in a number of categories, including the biggest award of the evening, Top Artist, with Drake, Taylor Swift and SZA also up for the prestigious accolade.

Morgan Wallen is competing for a formidable 16 awards (including two entries for Top Country Song, with ‘You Proof’ and ‘Last Night’), while Luke Combs has 10 entries in total across all categories.

Zach Bryan is the leading first-time Billboard Music Awards finalist, with the ’Sarah's Place’ singer-songwriter matching Toronto rap titan, Drake, with 14 entries.

Taylor Swift has amassed the most entries of any artist, with a staggering 20 entries for this year's Billboard Music Awards 2023, including a range of country-based nominations, with Morgan Wallen and SZA following closely behind on 17.

Interestingly, as well as being up for a plethora of country-specific gongs, Zach Bryan has two tracks up for Top Rock Song, his Kacey Musgraves collaboration, ‘I Remember Everything’, and his now-iconic heartbreak anthem, ‘Something in the Orange’. Jelly Roll's ‘Need A Favor’ appears in the same category.

As well as dominating a slew of artist categories, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen will battle it out for a variety of song-based awards, in recognition of the chart dominance enjoyed by Luke's ‘Fast Car’ and Morgan's ‘Last Night’ throughout the year.

Also receiving notable nominations from this year's Billboard Music Awards country contingent is Bailey Zimmerman, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, HARDY and more.

For more on Morgan Wallen, see below: