Riley Green is having a massive moment! His deluxe album “Don’t Mind If I Do” just landed a major Album of the Year nomination at the 2026 ACM Awards! The Academy is calling it “unskippable,” with every single track getting better than the last.

RILEY GREEN JUST EARNED A HUGE HONOR. 

His deluxe album “Don’t Mind If I Do” has been nominated for Album of the Year at the ACM Awards, and the Academy is raving about it.

But here’s what has fans talking the most…

ACM Awards 2026 Album of the Year Nominees Announcement  

The nomination puts Riley Green alongside some of the biggest names in country music. The Academy specifically praised “Don’t Mind If I Do,” saying it’s “unskippable” and that each track gets better than the last.

Yet the list has raised eyebrows.

While several strong albums by male artists made the cut, only one female artist appears on the Album of the Year nominee list. This has many fans asking: Is Riley’s album really better than every single album released by his female peers this year?

And that’s not all… 

The conversation has quickly turned into a broader discussion about gender representation in country music awards and whether the nomination process truly reflects the current landscape.

This is why the fans are talking

From celebration of Riley’s success to questions about the bigger picture, this nomination has sparked plenty of debate.

Ella Langley and Riley Green Win Single of the Year

Riley Green is no stranger to winning at the ACMs. He won the previous year for best single of the year for his collaboration with Ella Langley. Their massive hit ‘You look Like You Love Me’ was the reason why country music’s current hottest stars won gold at the award show.

Yet the nomination list tells a larger story.

With only one female artist included among the Album of the Year nominees, many are questioning whether the awards are keeping up with the growing influence and success of women in country music. This has led to passionate discussions about fairness, visibility, and how male-dominated the top categories still appear to be.

Here’s the truth fans are debating right now..

Is Riley Green’s “Don’t Mind If I Do” truly the strongest album of the year, or does the limited female representation on the list reflect a deeper issue in how country music honors its artists? Either way, the conversation around this nomination is far from over.

Riley Green’s deluxe album just received a major ACM Album of the Year nomination  but the list has sparked a bigger conversation.  

 Do you think Riley’s album deserves the nomination, or are you concerned about the lack of female artists on the list? Drop your thoughts in the comments.