Morgan Wallen to Perform at 2023 Billboard Music Awards From Atlanta Braves’ Ballpark
Morgan Wallen is the leading male finalist at the Billboard Music Awards, set for Sunday, Nov. 19, and he was just announced Monday (Nov. 13) as the latest performer on the 2023 awards show.
Wallen has 17 nods across 16 categories at the 2023 BBMAs, including top male artist, top Billboard 200 artist, and top Hot 100 artist. And he’ll use his performance on Sunday’s show not to highlight a radio single, but a fan-favorite track.
Knoxville, Tenn., native Wallen will take the stage during the awards to perform “98 Braves” and will perform at the Braves’ home field, Truist Park in Atlanta, while the country singer is in the middle of his sold-out U.S. tour.
“’98 Braves” peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year, the week Wallen’s One Thing at a Time album debuted. The country superstar’s latest album spent 16 nonconsecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200, while its single “Last Night” spent 16 nonconsecutive weeks atop the all-genre Hot 100.
“’98 Braves” applies the similar philosophies of chance in baseball to life in lyrics such as “You win some and lose some/ It ain’t always home runs, and that’s just the way life plays.” The song was written by John Byron, Josh Miller and Travis Wood.
Wallen’s other BBMA nods include “Last Night” for top Hot 100 song, top streaming song and top country song, while he earned a second nod in the top country song category with “You Proof.”
Previously announced 2023 BBMA performers include Bebe Rexha & David Guetta, Karol G, NewJeans and Peso Pluma.
Wallen has previously won BBMA honors, including top country artist and top country male artist in 2020, as well as top country album that same year, for his 30-song project Dangerous: The Double Album.
Taylor Swift is the top finalist at the 2023 BBMAs with nods in 20 categories. Wallen and SZA are tied with 17 entries each, followed by The Weeknd (16); Drake and Zach Bryan (14); Luke Combs (10); 21 Savage, Metro Boomin and Miley Cyrus (nine each); Beyoncé and Rema (seven each); Bad Bunny and Peso Pluma (six each); and Ariana Grande, Guetta, Eslabon Armado, Karol G, NewJeans and Selena Gomez (five each).
The 2023 Billboard Music Awards Presented by Marriott Bonvoy — which will be produced by dick clark productions — will have a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Spotify “Fans First,” which will bring fans up close and personal with their favorite artists. Performances and awards will roll out across the BBMAs and Billboard social channels, as well as via BBMAs.watch on Sunday, Nov. 19. Billboard Music Awards performers will be revealed daily on BBMAs social channels.
One special BBMAs performance and two exclusive acceptance speeches will be hosted at hotel brands within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy will be providing a select group of fans access to attend five BBMAs performances via Marriott Bonvoy Moments. Other sponsors include Lexus, who will be surprising one lucky fan with VIP treatment with a private ride in a luxury Lexus vehicle to the one-of-a-kind performance.
Jessica Nicholson
Billboard