Top 30 Contenders for the Country Music Hall of Fame

Modern Era Category

The following 30 artists are likely to be the in the running for the Country Music Hall of Fame. Three of the most significant achievements for country artists are winning a CMA or ACM Entertainer of the Year award and becoming a member of the Grand Ole Opry. See how the top 30 contenders stack up in those categories.

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Artist	CMA Entertainer of the Year	ACM Entertainer of the Year	Opry Member
The Chicks	✅	✅
Shania Twain	✅	✅
Keith Urban	✅	✅	✅
Brad Paisley	✅		✅
Miranda Lambert		✅
Dwight Yoakam
Clint Black			✅
Alison Krauss			✅
Faith Hill
Trisha Yearwood			✅
Carrie Underwood		✅	✅
Lee Ann Womack
Blake Shelton	✅		✅
Martina McBride			✅
Travis Tritt			✅
Taylor Swift	✅	✅
Diamond Rio			✅
Rascal Flatts			✅
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Steve Earle			✅
Jason Aldean		✅
Shenandoah
Mark Chesnutt
Collin Raye
Lucinda Williams
John Michael Montgomery
Little Big Town			✅
Little Texas
Billy Ray Cyrus
Kathy Mattea			✅

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Veterans Era Category

Artist	CMA Entertainer of the Year	ACM Entertainer of the Year	Opry Member
Charlie Rich	✅
John Denver	✅
John Prine
Gary Stewart
Linda Ronstadt
Gram Parsons
Rosanne Cash
Johnny Horton
Crystal Gayle			✅
Guy Clark
Eddie Rabbitt
Freddie Hart		✅	✅
Vern Gosdin
Mickey Gilley		✅
Jessi Colter
Freddy Fender
Steve Wariner			✅
Johnny Paycheck			✅
Linda Martell
Sammi Smith
Lynn Anderson
Doug Sahm
Billy Joe Shaver
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Jeannie C. Riley
Anne Murray
Jack Greene			✅
David Frizzell
Danny Davis & The Nashville Brass
Bobbie Gentry

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Future Eligible Artists

Artist	CMA Entertainer of the Year	ACM Entertainer of the Year	Opry Member
Chris Stapleton		✅
Luke Combs	✅		✅
Luke Bryan	✅	✅
Lainey Wilson	✅	✅	✅
Kacey Musgraves
Old Dominion
Morgan Wallen	✅
Thomas Rhett		✅
Brothers Osborne
Lady A			✅
Cody Johnson		✅
Maren Morris
Florida Georgia Line
Dan + Shay
Sturgill Simpson
Kelsea Ballerini			✅
Carly Pearce			✅
Pistol Annies
The Band Perry
Hardy
Ella Langley
Ashley McBryde			✅
Thompson Square
Darius Rucker			✅
Jimmie Allen
Megan Moroney
Jon Pardi			✅
Riley Green
The Red Clay Strays
Jason Isbell

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Hall of Famers with the Big Three

Artist	CMA Entertainer of the Year	ACM Entertainer of the Year	Opry Member
Garth Brooks	✅	✅	✅
Willie Nelson	✅	✅	✅
Dolly Parton	✅	✅	✅
Loretta Lynn	✅	✅	✅
Reba McEntire	✅	✅	✅
Barbara Mandrell	✅	✅	✅
Roy Clark	✅	✅	✅

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