The 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards had an attendance problem. Half of the awards were announced during a show-ending prize dump, because the winners weren’t there to collect them.
There were eight nominees in the People’s Artist of 2024 category and only one (Kane Brown) was in attendance. This explains the odd decision to omit the night’s biggest prize from the program.
Could you imagine Entertainer of the Year being announced in a footnote?
Related: 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards Winners [Full List]
So, what happened?
There are very good reasons for the absence of several of country music’s biggest stars, but the trend points to a long-running problem in country music: Four network awards shows is at least one too many.
Here are 13 artists who didn’t attend the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards on Thursday night (Sept. 26), and why.
13 Country Stars Who Skipped the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards
Seven of the artists on this list of stars who skipped the PCCAs had very good reason to do so. The rest either had personal commitments, or simply chose to kick back in their PJs at home. Their absence explains why major awards were announced in one big batch at the end of the show.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
2024 People’s Choice Country Awards Red Carpet Pictures
See pictures from the red carpet at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, taken before Thursday night’s (Sept. 26) NBC broadcast.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes