Hey, music buffs! Big news in the country scene: Damon Whiteside is set to wrap up his epic run as CEO of the Academy of Country Music after an awesome six-and-a-half years dedicated to transforming ACM into a major music powerhouse. Mark your calendars—his final bow as CEO will be June 30, 2026, but he’ll still play a key role throughout the rest of that year as CEO Emeritus.
During his stellar time at ACM, Damon broke records! He didn't just grow the membership to its most diverse mix ever—he also crushed it on the financial front, boosting profits by a stunning 150% in 2025 and is on track to level up with another 140% bump by 2026. Whoa!
Thanks to Damon’s out-of-the-box ideas, ACM is now jamming on bigger stages than ever before. He flipped the script by partnering with Amazon Prime Video, turning the ACM Awards into a glitzy global streaming event now locked in until 2028, expanding country music to more than 235 territories worldwide. He even brought jaw-dropping performances from stars like Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, and the Backstreet Boys into the hoedown mix!
Reba McEntire made massive waves as host for the 60th Anniversary ACM Awards, produced by none other than Whiteside. It hit a new high of 70% growth in viewers live-streaming from Amazon Prime Video.
Damon's journey is already legendary. Remember, before his ACM days, he was a driving force behind Disney's tween music scene and gave his all at the Country Music Association as CMO. Now, as this legend takes his time to shine on a different stage, ACM Board Chair Cris Lacy calls it like it is, celebrating Damon’s vision that helped bring country music from Nashville to the world stage.
So, what's next for ACM? A search is underway for a new leader who can rock it just like Damon did. Keep your ears tuned for the next exciting chapter in ACM's story!