Get ready to say "howdy" to a new kind of People's Choice Awards.
The first-ever People's Choice Country Awards kicked off from Nashville's Grand Ole Opry Sept. 28 for a night that was filled with fun performances and epic acceptance speeches from the biggest stars in country music. (See every star on the red carpet here.)
Some of the most-nominated artists this year included hit-makers like Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Carrie Underwood and Morgan Wallen. (See the full list of nominees here.) Even some unexpected stars—who made a foray into country this past year—were up for awards, including Pink, Ed Sheeran and Bebe Rexha.
Hosted by Little Big Town, the People's Choice Country Awards also bestowed several honorary awards, including the Country Music Icon Award and the Country Champion Award. As for the inaugural recipients of those accolades? Well, they were none other than Toby Keith and Wynonna Judd, respectively.
Keep reading for the full list of 2023 PCCAs winners.
Country Music Icon Award
WINNER: Toby Keith
Country Champion Award
WINNER: Wynonna Judd
THE PEOPLE'S ARTIST OF 2023
Blake Shelton
Kane Brown
Kelsea Ballerini
Lainey Wilson
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
Old Dominion
Zach Bryan
THE MALE ARTIST OF 2023
Bailey Zimmerman
Blake Shelton
HARDY
WINNER: Jelly Roll
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Zach Bryan
THE FEMALE ARTIST OF 2023
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Carrie Underwood
Elle King
Kelsea Ballerini
WINNER: Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Miranda Lambert
THE GROUP/DUO OF 2023
Brothers Osborne
WINNER: Dan + Shay
Lady A
Little Big Town
Maddie & Tae
Old Dominion
Parmalee
The War and Treaty
THE NEW ARTIST OF 2023
Bailey Zimmerman
Corey Kent
ERNEST
Megan Moroney
Ingrid Andress
WINNER: Jelly Roll
Priscilla Block
Zach Bryan
THE SOCIAL COUNTRY STAR OF 2023
Bailey Zimmerman
WINNER: Blake Shelton
Carrie Underwood
Dolly Parton
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Shania Twain
THE SONG OF 2023
"Fast Car" - Luke Combs (Songwriter: Tracy Chapman)
"Last Night" - Morgan Wallen (Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, John Byron, Ryan Vojtesak)
"Love You Anyway" - Luke Combs (Songwriters: Dan Isbell, Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher)
WINNER: "Need A Favor" - Jelly Roll (Songwriters: Austin Nivarel, Jason DeFord/Jelly Roll, Joe Ragosta, Rob Ragosta)
"Tennessee Orange" - Megan Moroney (Songwriters: Ben Williams, David Fanning, Megan Moroney, Paul Jenkins)
"Thank God" - Kane Brown, Katelyn Brown (Songwriters: Christian Stalnecker, Jared Mullins, Jaxson Free, Josh Hoge, Kyle Fishman)
"Thinkin' Bout Me" - Morgan Wallen (Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, John Byron, Ryan Vojtesak, Taylor Phillips)
"wait in the truck" - HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson (Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair)
THE COLLABORATION SONG OF 2023
"Beer With My Friends" - Kenny Chesney & Old Dominion (Songwriters: Bryan Simpson, David Lee Murphy, Shy Carter)
"Cowgirls" - Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST (Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Ernest Keith Smith, James Maddocks, Milan Modi, Rocky Block, Ryan Vojtesak)
"Red" - HARDY feat. Morgan Wallen (Songwriters: Michael Hardy, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Jacob Rice)
WINNER: "Save Me" - Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson (Songwriters: David Ray Stevens, Jason DeFord/Jelly Roll)
"Thank God" - Kane Brown, Katelyn Brown (Songwriters: Christian Stalnecker, Jared Mullins, Jaxson Free, Josh Hoge, Kyle Fishman)
"Wait in the truck" - HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson (Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair)
"We Don't Fight Anymore" - Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton (Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Carly Pearce, Pete Good)
"You, Me, And Whiskey" - Justin Moore, Priscilla Block (Songwriters: Brock Berryhill, Jessi Alexander, Cole Taylor)
THE CROSSOVER SONG OF 2023
"Dawns" - Zach Bryan feat. Maggie Rogers (Songwriters: Maggie Rogers, Zachary Lane Bryan)
WINNER: "Just Say I'm Sorry" - P!nk, Chris Stapleton (Songwriters: Alecia Moore, Chris Stapleton)
"Life Goes On" - Ed Sheeran feat. Luke Combs (Songwriter: Ed Sheeran)
"Seasons" - Bebe Rexha, Dolly Parton (Songwriters: Bebe Rexha, Ido Zmishlany, Sarah Solovay)
"Texas" - Jessie Murph feat. Maren Morris (Songwriters: Alex Niceforo, Amy Allen, Jessie Murph, Warren "Oak" Felder)
"That's Not How This Works" - Charlie Puth feat. Dan + Shay (Songwriters: Jordan Reynolds, Charlie Puth, Dan Smyers)
"UNHEALTHY" - Anne-Marie feat. Shania Twain (Anne-Marie Nicholson, CASTLE, Connor McDonough, Riley McDonough)
"Wasted" - Diplo feat. Kodak Black & Koe Wetzel (Songwriters: Bill K. Kapri, Richard Cook Mears IV, Ropyr Wetzel, Thomas Wesley Pentz)
THE ALBUM OF 2023
Bell Bottom Country - Lainey Wilson
Different Man - Kane Brown
Gettin' Old - Luke Combs
WINNER: One Thing At A Time - Morgan Wallen
Religiously. The Album. - Bailey Zimmerman
Rolling Up The Welcome Mat - Kelsea Ballerini
the mockingbird & THE CROW - HARDY
Whitsitt Chapel - Jelly Roll
THE MUSIC VIDEO OF 2023
"In Your Love" - Tyler Childers
"Need a Favor" - Jelly Roll
"Tennessee Orange" - Megan Moroney
"Thank God" - Kane Brown, Katelyn Brown
"Thought You Should Know" - Morgan Wallen
WINNER: "wait in the truck" - HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson
"Where We Started" - Thomas Rhett, Katy Perry
"You Proof" - Morgan Wallen
THE CONCERT TOUR OF 2023
Blake Shelton: Back to the Honky Tonk Tour
Carrie Underwood: Denim & Rhinestones Tour
Chris Stapleton's All-American Road Show Tour
Kenny Chesney: I Go Back 2023 Tour
Luke Combs World Tour
WINNER: Morgan Wallen: One Night At A Time World Tour
Shania Twain: Queen of Me Tour
Zach Bryan: The Burn, Burn, Burn Tour
Keep reading to see every star on the PCCAs red carpet.
Kristin Cavallari
Kane Brown
In Allen Edmond shoes.
Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott & Dave Haywood of Lady A
Blake Shelton & Wynonna Judd
Eric Decker & Jessie James Decker
Jessie in Simkhai.
Dan + Shay
Kelsea Ballerini
In Coach.
Nikki Garcia
In Moschino.
The Brothers Osborne
HARDY & Lainey Wilson
Carly Pearce
Chris Young
Mickey Guyton
Toby Keith & Tricia Lucus
Carly Waddell
Hannah Brown
In Pamella Roland dress and Alexandre Birman shoes.
Jason Tartick
In Allen Edmond shoes.
Jimi Westbrook, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman & Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town
Gabby Barrett
Scotty McCreery & Gabi Dugal McCreery
Wynonna Judd
Tanya Trotter & Michael Trotter Jr. of The War and Treaty
Adam Doleac
Lauren Alaina
Randy Travis & Mary Davis
Priscilla Block
Hunter Hayes
Dustin Lynch
Leanne Morgan
Drew Knotts & Tayler Holder
(E!, NBC and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family)
(Originally published Sept. 28, 2023 at 4 p.m. PT)