Jason Aldean has won numerous awards over the years, including three ACM Awards for Entertainer of the Year. Of all of the trophies he has amassed throughout his career, it’s winning Entertainer of the Year that means the most to him.
“I think Entertainer of the Year to me was a really special thing,” Aldean tells the Academy of Country Music. “Just because it was a goal that I had set for myself. I mean, my career has been built largely on touring and live shows, and to me, that’s what the Entertainer of the Year Award always was. Now, everybody can make their case for what they think it is or whatever. But to me, it was a live touring award. It was always that when I was growing up. The people that won were the biggest acts on the road.
“And so,” he continues, “winning that to me meant you’re in that category, which to me was really important. If it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen. But the fact that it did, it was just like a bucket list thing for me. And so, it was always special.”
Aldean acknowledges that winning Entertainer of the Year is also a big boost in the winner’s career.
“I like to think that it makes people kind of look at you in a different way,” Aldean says. “And know like, if we go see that guy’s show, there’s something special about it, and it’s worth spending your money on.”
Aldean was surprisingly not nominated for any ACM Awards this year. The nominees for the ACM Entertainer of the Year are Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, and Lainey Wilson.
Jason Aldean Praises Shania Twain Hosting the 2026 ACM Awards
Shania Twain will host the ACM Awards for the first time, a role that Aldean says is perfect for her.
“That’s cool,” Aldean says. “I mean, I think she’s such a big artist in our genre, and I feel like she’s kind of been quiet for a while. So to come back, I think it’s something new, which I think is always good for an award show. I feel like a lot of times when you have the same people hosting it year after year after year, unless it goes really, really well, then it’s like people kind of, they’ve seen it already. So, to get something they haven’t seen, I think it’s just always something good.”
Jason Aldean’s ‘Songs About Us’ Album
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Aldean just released his 12th studio album, Songs About Us. The 20-track record is one that Aldean says is also his most personal.
“You want to make albums, and you want to feel like you’re moving the needle or not doing what you did on the previous album,” Aldean tells his record label. “And I think this album is probably a little more personal than a lot of the stuff we cut in the past. Songs like ‘Help You Remember,’ going through family stuff with that song on both sides of our family, my side of the family, and my wife’s side of the family, dealing with dementia and those kind of things.
“It’s really kind of hit home, and our family pretty tough, and so we wrote this song,” he continues. “And things like that, just letting people in a little bit on stuff that’s personal to us and our family. Obviously, having Britt sing on one of the songs, [‘Easier Gone’], I mean, haven’t done that.”