3 ACM Winners From 2000 We Still Can’t Get Enough of Now

What does a genre do after a successful decade of excellent music and big-name stars? Well, just like anything, it’s got to keep going! And in the early 2000s, that’s just what country music’s best did. They continued making new work and sharing it with adoring audiences.

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Here below, we wanted to go back in time and highlight three country stars from 2000 who helped keep the genre pushing ahead after the golden age of the 1990s. Indeed, these are three ACM winners from 2000 we still can’t get enough of now.

Shania Twain

Shania Twain released her self-titled debut LP in 1993. Seven years later, Twain was taking home the coveted Entertainer of the Year trophy at the 2000 Academy of Country Music Awards. The glamorous performer remains one of the beacons of the late 1990s and early 2000s country scene. In fact, she is one of the best-selling artists ever from any genre, with more than 100 million album sales to date. Bridging country with pop, Twain brought country sounds into a new era, getting a slew of fans interested in the lyrics and music.

Dixie Chicks

Known today as simply The Chicks, the Dallas-born singing group garnered Album of the Year at the 2000 ACMs thanks to the release of their celebrated 1999 LP, Fly. That record included hit songs like “Goodbye Earl”, “Cowboy Take Me Away”, and “Without You”. It was truly a smash sensation, helping the Texas group cement themselves as one of the gold standards of the day. It also helped them beat out other big name acts for the award like Asleep At The Wheel, George Jones, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill.

Brad Paisley

Every year, the ACMs honor the best releases from the biggest and brightest names in country music. But the awards pageant also takes a moment to showcase up-and-comers from the day. And that’s just what the show did in 2000, giving the trophy for Top New Male Vocalist to none other than Brad Paisley, who released his debut LP, Who Needs Pictures, in 1999. More than 20 years later, Paisley is still releasing albums. Looks like the ACMs knew what they were doing!

Photo by Beth Gwinn/Redferns