When the nominations for the 59th annual CMA Awards were announced on Monday (Sept. 8), Zach Top’s Cold Beer & Country Music became the first debut album in a decade to receive a nod for album of the year. The last debut release to be nominated was Chris Stapleton’s Traveller, which went on to win the award.
The other nominees in the category this year are Megan Moroney’s second studio album, Am I Okay?; Morgan Wallen’s fourth, I’m the Problem; Lainey Wilson’s fifth, Whirlwind; and Post Malone’s sixth (but first in the country genre), F-1 Trillion.
We’ll learn who wins the award on Wednesday Nov. 19 when the CMA Awards are presented at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
We’re looking back at every debut studio album to receive a CMA nomination for album of the year. Three of these albums won the award – Jack Greene’s There Goes My Everything, Kentucky HeadHunters’ Pickin’ on Nashville and Traveller.
One artist manages to make this list twice. Wynonna Judd was nominated both with her first solo studio album, Wynonna, and, seven years earlier, with her first studio album as half of The Judds, Why Not Me.
We also show the producers of each of these albums. Scott Hendricks and Keith Stegall, who co-produced Alan Jackson’s debut album, Here in the Real World, are each listed with a second album. Hendricks also co-produced Brooks & Dunn’s Brand New Man. Stegall also co-produced Randy Travis’ Storms of Life.
Here’s every debut studio album to receive a CMA nomination for album of the year.
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Zach Top, Cold Beer & Country Music (2025)
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Label: Leo33
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 4
Notes: Top is also nominated in four other categories – male vocalist of the year, new artist of the year and single and song of the year for “I Never Lie.”
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Chris Stapleton, Traveller (2015)
Image Credit: John Shearer/WireImage Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Label: Mercury Nashville
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (29 weeks)
Notes: This won album of the year, with Stapleton winning as both artist and co-producer. He also won male vocalist of the year and new artist of the year.
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Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park (2013)
Producers: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves
Label: Mercury Nashville
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (2 weeks)
Notes: Musgraves received eight nominations that year. She won new artist of the year and was also nominated for female vocalist of the year, album of the year (as both artist and co-producer), single of the year (as both artist and co-producer) for “Merry Go ’Round” and two nods for song of the year for “Merry Go ’Round” and “Mama’s Broken Heart,” which she co-wrote for Miranda Lambert.
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Gretchen Wilson, Here for the Party (2004)
Producers: Joe Scaife, Mark Wright, John Rich (associate producer)
Label: Epic Nashville
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (9 weeks)
Notes: Wilson won the horizon award (the predecessor award to new artist of the year). She was also nominated for single, song and music video of the year for “Redneck Woman.”
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Brad Paisley, Who Needs Pictures (2000)
Image Credit: Robert Knight Archive/Redferns Producer: Frank Rogers
Label: Arista Nashville
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 13
Notes: Paisley received six nominations. He won the horizon award, and was also nominated for male vocalist of the year and single, song and music video of the year for “He Didn’t Have to Be.”
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Deana Carter, Did I Shave My Legs for This? (1997)
Producers: Chris Farren, Jimmy Bowen, John Guess
Label: Capitol Nashville
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 2 (10 weeks)
Notes: Carter received five nods. She won single of the year for “Strawberry Wine,” which was also nominated for music video of the year. She was also nominated for female vocalist of the year and the horizon award.
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Brooks & Dunn, Brand New Man (1992)
Producers: Don Cook, Scott Hendricks
Label: Arista
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 3 (1 week)
Notes: Kix and Ronnie won vocal duo of the year for the first time, and were also nominated for the horizon award.
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Wynonna Judd, Wynonna (1992)
Image Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images Producers: Tony Brown, Paul Kennerley
Label: Curb MCA
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (3 weeks)
Notes: This was Wy’s solo studio debut album following six studio albums as half of The Judds. She was also nominated for female vocalist of the year.
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Kentucky HeadHunters, Pickin’ on Nashville (1990)
Producer: The Kentucky Headhunters
Label: Mercury
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 2 (7 weeks)
Notes: This was the first debut album in 23 years to win album of the year. The band won as both artist and producer. They also won vocal group of the year, and were nominated for the horizon award and music video of the year for “Dumas Walker.”
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Alan Jackson, Here in the Real World (1990)
Producers: Scott Hendricks, Keith Stegall
Label: Arista
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 4
Notes: Jackson was also nominated for the horizon award, as well as single and song of the year for the title track.
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Randy Travis, Storms of Life (1986)
Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images Producers: Kyle Lehning, Keith Stegall
Label: Warner Bros. Nashville
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (eight weeks)
Notes: Travis won the horizon award. He was also nominated for male vocalist of the year and single of the year for “On the Other Hand.”
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The Judds, Why Not Me (1985)
Producer: Brent Maher
Label: RCA Victor
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (3 weeks)
Notes: Naomi and Wynonna won single of the year for the title track, as well as vocal group of the year.
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John Conlee, Rose Colored Glasses (1979)
Producer: Bud Logan
Label: ABC
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 11
Notes: Conlee was also nominated for male vocalist of the year.
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Jim Ed Brown and Helen Cornelius, I Don’t Want to Have to Marry You (1977)
Producer: Bob Ferguson
Label: RCA Nashville
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 7
Notes: Brown had released many prior studio albums, but this was Cornelius’ first studio album. The two singers became one of the top duets of the era. They won vocal duo of the year this same year.
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Kenny Starr, The Blind Man in the Bleachers (1976)
Producer: Snuffy Miller
Label: MCA
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 12
Notes: Starr was also nominated for single of the year for the title track, a country cover of David Geddes’ pop hit, “The Last Game of the Season (A Blind Man in the Bleachers),” which reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Freddy Fender, Before the Next Teardrop Falls (1975)
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Producer: Huey P. Meaux
Label: ABC-Dot
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (9 weeks)
Notes: The title track is a true American classic. It won single of the year and was later inducted into the National Recording Registry. Fender was also nominated for male vocalist of the year.
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Donna Fargo, The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A. (1972)
Producer: Stan Silver
Label: Dot
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (4 weeks)
Notes: The sweet and endearing title track won single of the year and was nominated for song of the year. Fargo was also nominated for female vocalist of the year.
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Sammi Smith, Help Me Make It Through the Night (1971)
Producer: Jim Malloy
Label: Mega
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (one week)
Notes: The exquisite title track, written by Kris Kristofferson, won single of the year and was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Smith was also nominated for female vocalist of the year.
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Jack Greene, There Goes My Everything (1967)
Producer: Owen Bradley
Label: Decca Records
Top Country Albums Peak: No. 1 (9 weeks)
Notes: This won album of the year. Greene also won single of the year for the title track and male vocalist of the year.
