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When the country music industry comes together for the 59th annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards on Nov. 19, the event could be considered a convention of the unconventional.
The ballot is stacked with artists and projects that are quirky and/or test the genre’s boundaries. New artist of the year nominee Shaboozey shifted over the last year from an R&B-flavored outlier to a major country artist. New artist contender Stephen Wilson Jr. packs a rough-cut blues-rock sound. Americana import The War and Treaty is a vocal duo finalist. Post Malone‘s F-1 Trillion is an album of the year option by a pop artist. Jelly Roll‘s musical event entry with Brandon Lake, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” relies on a dramatic gospel performance. Vocal group finalists The Red Clay Strays paint an alternative country shade on the format. And six-time nominee Ella Langley, who was signed in New York and employs out-of-the-country-box marketing, broke out with “you look like you love me,” a Riley Green-assisted recitation that casts the female protagonist as sexually aggressive, which is uncharacteristic for country.
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“For Ella to come out and say, ‘Hey, it’s been a while,’ and take it from there, [she] just puts it out there,” Big Machine Label Group president/CEO Scott Borchetta says. “It’s amazing.”
Even some of country’s primary artists are using final-five videos to bring unconventionality to the format. Lainey Wilson‘s”Somewhere Over Laredo” employs computer imaging to drop the singer out of an airplane without a parachute and land her in the middle of a desert where the scenery rolls and folds beneath her. And Chris Stapleton‘s “Think I’m in Love With You” clip finds an eccentric character — comparable, perhaps, to Seinfeld’s Cosmo Kramer — dancing weirdly through his neighborhood unnoticed in a plot with deeper lessons about the afterlife.
All of these artists and nominated projects challenge country’s norms in different ways, each of them operating as a satellite hovering around the genre’s core. Since each of them tugs against the center from a different point in its orbit, country is operating — for the moment, at least — with an enviable sonic balance.
“Country has always been one of those formats where there’s a sound, there’s a look,” says Johnny Chiang, SiriusXM/Pandora vp of music programming, country. “But yet, over the past three or four years, and still today, I can’t think of a radio format that’s more diverse in sound than country.”
Historically, the genre has adhered closely to a central identity, guided to a degree by the traditionally minded segment of its customer base. A strong preservationist wing tended to guard against country losing its basic identity, and that part of the audience had some representation among the format’s creative class.
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But country has increasingly appealed to a younger demographic — particularly since the streaming business has matured — and that faction of its consumers grew up with a wider range of music. That’s reflected in the breadth of the country music those listeners are willing to engage. The variety of acts and projects on the awards ballot shows that diversity.
“It’s not necessarily that the CMA, as an organization, is rewarding them,” suggests BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville executive vp of recorded music JoJamie Hahr. “The consumers are telling us who the superstars are, and everybody who votes for the CMAs are listening.”
Those listeners don’t generally see country music in the same way that previous generations might have viewed it. Cheating, heartache and drinking were once perceived as the genre’s primary topics. Breakups are still key and so is drinking, though it’s as much a symbol of partying as a means of drowning sorrow. Those changes have made it easier to connect with audience segments that likely would have ignored country in the past.
“It’s rebellious, a little bit edgy,” Borchetta says of current country. “There’s not a lot of super-successful young rock bands right now, and I think country’s benefiting from that because these guys are out touring like rock bands did back in the day.”
The current wave of country artists is also better equipped to interact with the industry’s infrastructure. Its creators are increasingly educated through music business programs at Nashville’s Belmont University or Murfreesboro’s Middle Tennessee State University, where they’re trained to think more strategically about their careers. And since they’ve usually released an EP or two and built a following on social media before they sign with a major label, they also have a handle on what makes them unique.
The executives have likewise attended the music-business programs in large numbers, and they’re more prone to appreciate inventive marketing and branding strategies. There’s still pressure to conform to existing career templates, but artists and their teams are generally more focused on forging unique paths than in some previous eras.
Megan Moroney, whose voice benefits from an identifiable catch and smoky tone, rode her uniqueness to a female vocalist nomination. And while she met with pressure to smooth out her sound, producer Kristian Bush, who came to prominence as one-half of Sugarland, helped her resist.
“They were trying to get me to make Megan’s vocal cleaner,” he recalls. “And I was like, ‘No, man, this is what’s cool. This is her fingerprint.’ I’m an artist. I can tell you exactly what this is, right? This is what makes you [unique]. So don’t take it away from them. Turn it up. That’s kind of the way I treat my production stuff, which is, ‘Let’s find out what’s cool about you, and let’s just make that really loud.’ “
While the unconventional efforts might widen the country universe, the genre’s core is still significant. Nominees such as Green, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson and Zach Top become even more important in establishing a home base that holds all the satellite sounds together.
“I texted [Leo 33 label head] Katie Dean on my way home [on Nov. 12] because I heard a new Zach Top on [SiriusXM’s] The Highway,” Hahr notes. “I’m so thankful that a Zach Top exists, because the song was so cool. What he has done paving the way in the format, to bring back that ’90s country sound, I think it just makes our format maybe the most unique because we’re welcoming all sorts of sounds and, really, a combination of formats.”
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That provides some perspective, perhaps, regarding fans’ fervor surrounding Morgan Wallen. He moves freely between country’s center and its more expansive sounds, essentially representing the format’s elasticity.
“Morgan Wallen is country’s representative in today’s music and how today’s consumer, especially younger consumers, are blurring the genre lines,” Chiang suggests. “They love Morgan. One song sounds country, the next one is hip-hop, and he has collabs and so on. They love that, too, and they don’t punish him. They don’t say, ‘Well, you’re not supposed to sound like this.’ We have a whole generation of consumers that don’t think that way.”
Thus, the range of the CMA ballot adheres to a belief in risk and unconventionality that has long been heralded in country’s C-suites, though not always observed. Borchetta, for one, is following this batch of norm-busting nominees with other singular acts, such as bluesy Preston Cooper and the shape-shifting Jack Wharff Band.
“This format always does best,” Borchetta says, “when the net is the widest.”
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Little Big Town, Keith Urban, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lauren Daigle, Steve Martin and Alison Brown are all set to take part in the 2025 CMA Awards.
Urban and Little BIg Town are recent additions to the performers lineup, with Little Big Town having recently released a surprise original holiday song, “The Innkeeper.”
Also taking part in the evening is Cody Johnson, who is up for several trophies this year, among them entertainer of the year, while others who will appear during the evening include CMA Country Christmas co-hosts Daigle and Jordan Davis. Beyond musicians, others set to make appearances include comedian Leanne Morgan, actress/model/philanthropist Elizabeth Hurley, and Landman star Billy Bob Thornton.
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The ceremony is set for Wednesday (Nov. 19) and will be hosted by Lainey Wilson, broadcasting live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on ABC, with next-day viewing also being available on Hulu.
Leading up to this year’s CMA Awards, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson tie for the most nominations, with six nominations apiece. Zach Top follows with five nominations, while Johnson and Riley Green have four nominations apiece. Vying for this year’s entertainer of the year honor are Johnson, Wilson, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen.
The CMAs also released information on CMA Awards Backstage Live, hosted by country artist Lauren Alaina and HaleyyBaylee, which will broadcast live on CMA’s TikTok channel and will take viewers behind the scenes at Bridgestone Arena during the CMA Awards.
Here are the performers and presenters that have been announced for the 2025 CMA Awards. Additional names will be added as they are announced.
Performers
Keith Urban
Little Big Town
Kelsea Ballerini
BigXthaPlug
Brandi Carlile
Kenny Chesney
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Patty Loveless
Megan Moroney
Old Dominion
The Red Clay Strays
Shaboozey
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
Tucker Wetmore
Lainey Wilson
Stephen Wilson Jr.
Presenters
Lady A
Alison Brown
Jessica Capshaw
Billy Ray Cyrus
Lauren Daigle
Jordan Davis
Elizabeth Hurley
Cody Johnson
Bert Kreischer
Brandon Lake
Ella Langley
Steve Martin
Leanne Morgan
NE-YO
Chris O’Donnell
Kimberly Perry
LeAnn Rimes
Alan Ritchson
Lara Spencer
Billy Bob Thornton
Grace Van Patten
Gretchen Wilson
Bailey Zimmerman
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Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, and Chris Stapleton have joined the list of performers for the 59th annual CMA Awards. Hosted by Lainey Wilson, the show is set to broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday (Nov. 19) from 8:00-11:00 p.m. ET on ABC and will be available the next day on Hulu.
All of the newly-booked performers are established country stars except for Carlile, whose music incorporates Americana, alternative country, pop and folk rock. Ballerini is set to debut her new song, “I Sit in Parks.” Green will perform his hit “Worst Way,” which topped Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. The Red Clay Strays will perform their song “People Hatin’.”
Stapleton, reigning CMA male vocalist of the year and three-time nominee this year, will perform “Bad as I Used To Be” from F1: The Movie. Also, Lambert will join Stapleton for a performance of their duet “A Song to Sing.” Old Dominion — who are vying for their eighth consecutive win as CMA vocal group of the year — will perform a medley of their hits “Break Up With Him,” “Memory Lane,” “One Man Band,” “Hotel Key” and “Snapback.”
Four-time CMA entertainer of the year winner Chesney will mark his 2025 induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame with a performance. The Lambert/Stapleton collaborative performance is one of at least three collabs set for the show, which previously announced a BigXthaPlug/Luke Combs performance and another by Shaboozey/Stephen Wilson Jr.
Other performers already announced are Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore and host Wilson. Presenters for the 59th Annual CMA Awards will be announced soon. Tickets are on-sale now here.
The 59th Annual CMA Awards is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton serves as executive producer, Alan Carter is director, and Jon Macks is head writer.
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Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill will add to his already considerable collection of accolades, when he is honored with the 2025 CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award during the 59th annual CMA Awards, slated for Nov. 19 in Nashville and airing on ABC. This year’s CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, will be held at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, and will broadcast on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The awards show will also stream the following day on Hulu.
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The CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award is given to “an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music,” a release from the CMA states, adding, “The award recognizes those who have achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, streaming numbers, record sales, and public representation at the highest level,” as well as artists who have “positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre over the course of many years.”
Previous recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award include Johnny Cash (2015), Alan Jackson (2022), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Loretta Lynn (2021), Nelson (2012), Charley Pride (2020) and George Strait (2024).
Recently, Gill signed a lifetime record deal with his longtime label home, Nashville’s MCA Records, and issued the EP 50 Years From Home: I Gave You Everything I Had, which released Oct. 17.
To date, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, including four wins for song of the year, for his hits “When I Call Your Name,” “Look at Us,” “I Still Believe in You” and “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” He also shares the record for the most times hosting the CMA Awards, which he hosted from 1992 to 2003. He has previously won other CMA honors, including the CMA’s Irving Waugh award of excellence in 2014, as well as the CMA foundation humanitarian award in 2017, and is a four-time CMA triple play award honoree.
Gill was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. He has also won 22 Grammy Awards. In addition to his accomplishments as a solo artist, Gill has been part of several groups, including Pure Prairie League, The Cherry Bombs and The Time Jumpers. He was also invited to join the Eagles on tour in 2017, and continues contributing his talents to the legendary group.
“Vince embodies the very best of what Country Music stands for,” Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, said in a statement. “He’s a true trailblazer, one who gives back to the community, honors the roots of our genre, and even now, continues to share his talent with fans across the globe. As a Country Music Hall of Fame member, 18-time CMA Award winner, and former 12-time CMA Awards host, he remains a vibrant force in our industry, and we’re honored to celebrate an artist whose influence is so deeply woven into the fabric of our format.”
This year’s Country Music Assn. Awards will be held Nov. 19, keeping the 59th edition of the show in the same late November slot it occupied last year.
The CMA Awards ceremony was moved two weeks back from its usual early November time frame in 2024 to distance itself from the general election. The move also avoids any potential conflict with the World Series, in case the baseball series goes to game seven as it did in 2016 for the CMA Awards’ 50th anniversary. “Even a number of our board members who are Cubs fans went to the game and skipped the awards that year,” CMA CEO Sarah Trahern says.
Last year, “when we tested being out of that early window because of the election, we felt good,” Trahern says. “The ratings were strong. Also, ABC used to have another award show in that space where they no longer have it. So, getting through all of the end-of-the-season shows that tend to finale in November gave us a little bit of a window right before Thanksgiving. It was a good tune-in window, so we’re going to try it again.” The move also gives the show two extra weeks after the final nominations are announced for set up and pre-production. The show will air on ABC and Disney + Nov. 19 and then on Hulu starting the day after.
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The move could become permanent, Trahern says, “if the window continues to do well for us. Every year, ABC might make up their mind based on other competitive programming situations, but I think we’re feeling pretty good about that third week.”
The CMA has also examined its voting procedures and made significant changes this year to reflect the broadening reach of country music.
“One of the things that we’ve really spent the last year on culminated in some membership category changes to impact this year’s voting,” Trahern says. “It has to do with broadening the reach of some of the categories and being able to make folks [at] the coastal labels eligible to vote because more people are actually in the country music space.”
Though the changes weren’t implemented until this year, Tiffany Kerns, CMA senior vp of industry relations and philanthropy, stresses that discussions on how to incorporate New York and Los Angeles executives working in the country music space began a few years ago as artists like Zach Bryan, Warren Zeiders, Koe Wetzel and Megan Moroney began to emerge.
“We always have to look at not only the artists, but the teams that are behind those artists and what is preventing them from being engaged with us, because it is more than just voting,” Kerns says. “We need them to understand, especially if [they’re] not familiar with how we interact or what our voting process is.”
As the CMA had those conversations with coastal companies, they realized that many of the executives weren’t eligible to vote. It wasn’t because they didn’t meet the professional voting criteria of working full time in music and earning their income primarily from the country music industry, it was because there wasn’t room on their company’s voting roster. To maintain the integrity of the voting process and to avoid bloc voting, the number of voting members any company can have, whether it’s a label, management company or booking agency, is limited.
But Kerns says the need to expand was crucial, as long as it was done in the right way. “We need to make sure that we are not just thinking of preserving what we have but being inclusive and thinking about what we don’t. We have to be forward thinking. We have to be the membership organization that is helping drive the future of country music,” she says. “[We had] conversations with the label heads to make sure that they were on board with us, but we also wrestled with it a bit too. We want to make sure, again, that we’re upholding that integrity piece, [and] making sure when our current members see the changes, they’re not concerned.”
That meant reassuring the current members that the criteria to be an individual voter had not changed, only that the number of voters any label could have on its roster expanded. Previously, an eligible voter on a coastal label had to be included on its Nashville-based counterpart’s voting roster and often spaces were already filled. Now, coastal labels that work directly with country artists can have their own voting roster that is proportionate to the number of country artists it works with.
Kerns says that around 70% of CMA’s 6,468 voting members live in Tennessee, with the remainder largely coming from Texas, California and New York. “Texas was a really good model for how we needed to approach the coastals, because they have also operated really siloed from Nashville as well,” she says.
Kerns and her team also “got under the tent with all sorts of different businesses” to make sure they had appropriate representations on committees and voting, Trahern says, calling it the biggest membership realignment in at least 20 years. “The industry has changed so much so we want to make sure that not just for voting purposes, but for everything else we offer our members that we are reflecting the way the country music industry shows up today.”
The expansion for the coastal voters will not significantly alter the overall number of voters, Kerns says. “I don’t anticipate it having a big impact this year. There will definitely be a few 100, but the coastals are not going to provide 1000s of members,” she says. “If you think about a coastal [company] adding three to four, you’re not going to see this giant impact. We didn’t do it as a tactic to recruit or have a certain number of members. It was more about who is not able to participate right now that needs to be and then making sure that we are evolving to support that.”
As a way of further supporting and recruiting members, the CMA launched the Member Ambassador Program in April. The program empowers a selected number of CMA members to help recruit new members and answer questions any potential new members may have.
“There is going to be no better way to educate and inform potential members and or current members than by their peers,” Kerns says. “I think for us, we wanted to identify individuals that are eager, ready, comfortable and confident to essentially be extensions of the CMA staff.”
Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, sent a letter to all members on Thursday (May 1) in which she urged them to vote “with intention, with passion and with a deep appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that define excellence in Country Music.”
Trahern wrote, in part: “Your vote is more than just a ballot. It is your voice, your expertise, and your influence in defining the legacy of this genre. With the 2025 awards season upon us, we encourage you to engage thoughtfully in this process. … Because the CMA Awards don’t just happen for the industry—they happen because of it.”
The letter was sent concurrent with the CMA releasing its full schedule of key dates for the 2025 CMA Awards, CMA Broadcast Awards, CMA Touring Awards, CMA International Awards, and CMA Industry Honors.
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Trahern’s letter echoes one that Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, sent to all voting members last July in which he stated: “you owe it to your peers to vote intentionally, deliberately, with pride and with purpose.”
Mason dramatized his point with a telling anecdote. “Last Grammy season, I heard a Grammy voter say they hadn’t taken a specific artist seriously since a performance they saw more than 10 years ago. I was shocked and disturbed by that. There is no place in our organization for such bias, grudge-holding, or careless voting. It’s about the current year and the quality of the work, period!
“There should be no other rationale for voting. If you are taking into account an artist’s older work, or their reputation, or race, or gender, what label they are on, who their manager is, how many friends participated in the project, or anything else like that, you’re not doing your job. I know most of you already do but please, just listen to the music, and evaluate it! You are the reason the Grammy Award is so special.”
Trahern, who was on Billboard‘s 2025 Women in Music list, wasn’t quite as emphatic and specific in her message (see her full letter below), but both leaders made the same point: Your vote matters. Take this seriously.
Here are the key dates, eligibility requirements, and voting processes across CMA’s annual awards cycle, followed by Trahern’s letter, in full.
2025 CMA Awards
Eligibility Period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
Voting Process: All CMA professional voting members may vote in three rounds. As of today, 6,468 professional members are eligible to vote.
Nomination Ballot: Voters write in any artist or project they think deserves a nomination. If it fits the criteria for that category, it counts.
Second Ballot: The top 20 vote-getters from the first round move forward (only the top 15 for entertainer of the year). Members may vote for up to five candidates in each category.
Final Ballot: The top five from the second round become the official nominees—and CMA members vote one last time to choose the winners. Members may vote for one nominee in each category.
Musician of the Year: Voting in all rounds remains limited to eligible voters in the following membership categories: musician, artist, composer, and producer/engineer/studio.
Song of the Year: New this year, only eligible voters in the following membership categories may vote in the nomination and second ballots: composer, artist, musician, producer/engineer/studio, and publisher/PRO. All eligible voters may vote in the final ballot.
All three rounds of voting will be conducted online by Election Services Corp. (ESC). All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
Nomination Ballot: Emailed to eligible CMA members on Monday, July 7; Closes Wednesday, July 16 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Second Ballot: Emailed on Tuesday, Aug. 5; Closes Monday, Aug. 18 at 6:00 p.m. CT; Final nominees in each of the 12 categories will be announced later this summer.
Final Ballot: Emailed on Wednesday, Oct. 1; Closes Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 6:00 p.m. CT
Membership Deadline & Information: To vote in all three rounds, prospective CMA members must apply for membership by Sunday, June 1 at CMAmember.com. Only CMA professional voting members have voting privileges. The professional voting tier is offered to industry professionals who primarily work within country music.
2025 CMA Broadcast Awards
Eligibility Period: Performances and events between June 1, 2024 – May 31, 2025
Submission Process: Apply now online at broadcast.CMAawards.com. Guidelines and entry instructions are available on the site. CMA membership is not required to submit.
Eligible Categories: broadcast personality of the year and radio station of the year in four market sizes: major market, large market, medium market and small market
National broadcast personality of the year in two formats: daily and weekly
Syndicated, short-form, hub voice-tracking, digital service providers, and satellite personalities with live-stream broadcasts are eligible to apply for national broadcast personality of the year.
Submission Period: Open Thursday, May 1 through Monday, June 30 at 5:00 p.m. CT
Judging Process & Information: Entries will be reviewed and evaluated online by a panel of radio and industry professionals.; CMA Broadcast Awards winners will be notified in early October and recognized at the 59th Annual CMA Awards ceremony. All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
2025 CMA Touring Awards
Eligibility Period: Oct. 1, 2024 – Sept. 30, 2025
Nomination Ballot: A nomination ballot will be sent to current CMA professional voting members in the following member categories: affiliated, artist, composer, entertainment services, musician, personal manager, record company, talent agent, advertising/marketing/communications, venue, talent buyer/promoter and touring personnel. Each member is eligible to submit one nomination for each award category.
Second Ballot: Any candidate that meets the eligibility criteria and receives a minimum of three nominations will be placed on the second ballot. Eligible CMA members may vote for up to five candidates in each category for which they choose to vote.
Selection of Final Nominees: The Top 20 vote recipients from the second ballot will be presented to a CMA Touring Awards task force to develop a slate of at least five but no more than eight potential nominees for each of the CMA Touring Awards categories.
Final Ballot: The final ballot consisting of the approved nominees is sent to eligible CMA members for voting. Each member may vote for one nominee in each category they choose to vote.
All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
Nomination Ballot: Opens Monday, July 21. Closes Friday, Aug. 1 at 5:00 p.m. CT
Second Ballot: Opens Tuesday, Aug. 26; Closes Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 5:00 p.m. CT
Final Ballot: Opens Monday, Dec. 1; Closes Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 5:00 p.m. CT
2025 CMA International Awards
Nomination Process & Information: All CMA professional voting members may submit nominations. A CMA International Awards task force reviews the nominations and makes winner recommendations to the CMA board of directors, which approves the recipients.
There are six CMA International Award categories—Jo Walker Meador International Award, Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award, Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award, International Country Broadcaster Award, International Artist Achievement Award, and Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award.
Nomination Ballot: Open now through Saturday, May 31. Nominate now at https://CMAmember.lnk.to/IntlNomsPR.
2025 CMA Industry Honors
Nomination Process & Information: All CMA members may submit nominations for the following CMA Industry Honors —CMA Foundation Humanitarian Award, Irving Waugh Award of Excellence, Joe Talbot Award, CMA Touring Lifetime Achievement Award, Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, CMA Songwriter Advocate Award, and Studio Recording Icon Award.
Final recipients are selected and approved by the CMA board of directors.
Nomination Ballot: Open now through Sunday, Aug. 10. Nominate now at https://CMAmember.lnk.to/industryhonorsnomPR.
Here’s Trahern’s letter to voting members, in full:
Dear CMA Member,
At the Country Music Association, our awards and honors are more than just a moment of recognition—they are a reflection of the dedication, talent, and passion that fuel our genre. They give us the chance to celebrate one another and spotlight the very best of Country Music on a global stage. Every nomination, every win, and every honor become part of the story we’re writing together, a chapter forever etched in the history of Country Music. And at the heart of it all is you.
As a trade association, CMA exists to serve and support the people who make this industry thrive—those working day in and day out to create, promote, and elevate Country Music. The CMA Awards and our other honors are not decided by a panel of outsiders, but by those who know Country Music best: our members. Your vote is more than just a ballot. It is your voice, your expertise, and your influence in defining the legacy of this genre.
With the 2025 awards season upon us, we encourage you to engage thoughtfully in this process. Take the time to reflect on the music and achievements that have moved our industry forward. Vote with intention, with passion, and with a deep appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship that define excellence in Country Music. Because the CMA Awards don’t just happen for the industry—they happen because of it.
The official 2025 CMA ballot schedule is now available, outlining key dates for voting, submissions, and nominations. In addition to the CMA Awards, we recognize excellence across all aspects of our business, from the CMA Broadcast Awards and the CMA International Awards to the CMA Touring Awards and various Industry Honors. Each of these programs is a cornerstone of CMA’s commitment to honoring the people and moments that propel Country Music to new heights.
We encourage all industry professionals who are shaping our genre to take advantage of this opportunity and make their voices heard. If you know someone who is not yet a CMA member, please invite them to apply by Sunday, June 1, to qualify for full voting eligibility in the 2025 CMA Awards cycle.
As we look ahead to another year of recognizing excellence, we remain grateful for your ongoing commitment to our format and this community. Thank you for being part of this important tradition.
Sarah Trahern
Chief Executive Officer
Country Music Association
If Morgan Wallen watched the 2024 CMA Awards on TV last week, for most of the show, he probably felt he’d made the right decision to stay away from the proceedings at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. He lost six awards in a row, including male vocalist, single and song of the year. The night was shaping up to be a replay of the 2022 CMA Awards, where he went 0-2 or the 2023 show, where he went 0-3. Voters, it seemed, were reluctant to honor an artist who had been caught on video using a racial slur.
Then Jeff Bridges came onstage to present the evening’s final award. This time, Wallen won. Bridges mispronounced Wallen’s last name, but that clumsy move didn’t change the fact that Wallen had just won the biggest award in country music – and he wasn’t there to accept it.
Suddenly, Wallen’s decision to stay away looked very different. He had just been received an award that has gone to many of the greatest country stars of the past six decades – and he wasn’t there to accept it. If he had shown up, he could have thanked his fans and the country music community for their loyalty and for giving him a second chance. Instead, all we remember from that moment is an actor’s botched pronunciation of his last name.
Several previous CMA entertainer of the year winners were also no-shows. Eddy Arnold wasn’t present when he became the inaugural winner at the 1967 show, nor was John Denver in 1975 or Garth Brooks in 1997 or 1998. (A CMA official notes: “Good reminder that CMA does not know winners in advance.”)
This happens at all awards shows, where a top winner isn’t there in person to accept. It happened fairly often in the early years of the Grammy telecast, which launched in 1971. At the 1973 telecast, the only “Big Four” recipient who was on hand to accept was Ringo Starr, a featured artist on album of the year winner The Concert for Bangla Desh. No-shows happen much less often than they used to, especially at top-level shows like the Oscars and the Grammys. The coinage of the term EGOT in 1984 makes winning at these shows even more consequential than it used to be.
Three years ago, most thought the late Chadwick Boseman would win best actor at the Oscars for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The producers of the Oscar telecast even positioned that award last in the show – after best picture – thinking they would end the show with a powerhouse emotional moment. But the award instead went to previous winner Anthony Hopkins for The Father, who wasn’t even there to accept. Hopkins was the first best actor winner not to be there to accept since Paul Newman in 1987.
It’s a similar story in the best actress category at the Oscars. The last best actress winner who wasn’t on hand to win in person was Katharine Hepburn in 1982.
Here are 20 times a big winner at an awards show was a no-show. This being Billboard, naturally we focus on music.
John Barry, 1967 Oscars
Cody Johnson‘s producer Trent Willmon is clarifying remarks he made about Shaboozey during the 2024 CMA Awards.
On Saturday (Nov. 23), Willmon took to social media to address the backlash he faced after appearing to throw shade at the “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hitmaker during Johnson’s album of the year acceptance speech for Leather.
“Ok… what I meant to express in my overly-shocked and excited state was that I am very proud of @codyjohnson,” Willmon wrote on Instagram. “He has worked his BOOTY off the last 15 years putting out and performing great music and it’s not an overnight success. I was so proud he’s finally getting recognized!”
The producer added, “And shout out to Shaboozey for your response to my fumble and having a great sense of humor, congrats on that 17-Week #1 Song!”
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During his CMA Awards speech, Willmon had told the Nashville audience, “It takes an army of people to make a great record, but I gotta tell ya, this is for this cowboy who’s been kicking shaboozey for a lot of years, y’all.”
Following the comment, many country music fans took to social media, expressing confusion and anger over the remark, which some interpreted as disrespecting Shaboozey. However, it was unclear whether Willmon’s comment was an intentional dig at the artist or simply an awkward attempt at humor that fell flat.
Shaboozey — who was nominated for new artist of the year and single of the year for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” at this year’s CMAs — didn’t seem upset by Willmon’s comment. After the show, he posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, “Ain’t nobody kicking me!”
Though Shaboozey didn’t win any CMA trophies, he has multiple opportunities for recognition ahead. He’s up for five Grammy Awards in 2025, including nominations for “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” in categories such as best country song, best country solo performance, and song of the year. Additionally, he’s nominated for best new Artist, while his collaboration with Beyoncé and Linda Martell, “Spaghettii,” from the album Cowboy Carter, is up for best melodic rap performance.
Shaboozey’s hit song “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has also dominated the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending 18 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 and is just one week away from setting a new record.
See Willmon’s full post about the Shaboozey comments on Instagram here.
Jelly Roll has had a stellar year, seeing his album Beautifully Broken debut at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200, notching No. 1 Country Airplay hits such as “I Am Not Okay” and “Halfway to Hell” and embarking on his first headlining arena trek, The Beautifully Broken Tour. Plus, he turned in a pair of top-shelf performances at this week’s CMA Awards, including a moving version of “Believe” with Brooks & Dunn.
However, though he had multiple nominations leading into this year’s CMAs, his name wasn’t among this year’s winners. Jelly Roll was nominated for entertainer of the year (which ultimately went to Morgan Wallen, marking his first win in the category), male vocalist of the year (which saw Chris Stapleton pick up his eighth win in that category) and album of the year (Jelly Roll’s Whitsitt Chapel was nominated, but Cody Johnson’s Leather was declared the victor in the category). Notably, Jelly Roll is featured on Leather, collaborating with Johnson on the song “Whiskey Bent.”
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Jelly Roll may not have walked away from this year’s CMAs with any new hardware in his arsenal — he won the CMA new artist of the year accolade in 2023 — but he’s not letting that get him down. Instead, he’s determined to work even harder ahead of next year’s CMA Awards, and he had plenty of praise for this year’s winners.
In a social media post, Jelly said he was grateful for his performance alongside Brooks & Dunn, showered praise on Wallen, Johnson and Stapleton, thanked his family, and revealed a moment of inspiration he took from watching Taylor Swift.
“Standing next to the two people that matter the most to me, we walked into the Bridgestone Arena for my second CMA ever as a nominated artist,” he wrote. “On the biggest night in country music on the biggest stage in Nashville I had the opportunity to stand next to a couple of living legends and praise Jesus in front of the world. Thank you Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, y’all could’ve picked any artist in the world bigger than me, I’ll never be able to thank y’all enough for giving me an opportunity to shamelessly stand on my faith in front of the world.”
He added of this year’s CMA Awards winners, “I know I don’t have to say this but, just so we are clear – Chris Stapleton was and always will be the Male Vocalist of the year as long as he is alive and I think we all agree about that. MORGAN WALLEN MY EAST TENNESSEE BROTHER finally got the flowers he deserves, no one has done more for country music in the last quarter of a century than Morgan has. And Cody, my brother and one of my best friends Cody Johnson, your album Leather is truly one of my favorite albums recorded in the last decade, any win for you is a win for me, you deserved this one, and now I can brag that I’m one of the only features on the CMA album of the year. To my wife and daughter, thank you both. You both stood by me when I wasn’t worth standing by I’m glad we are enjoying this rocket ride together.”
He ended his post by recalling inspiration he has taken from Taylor Swift, when Swift was in a similar situation, after her 2017 album Reputation did not receive a Grammy nomination in the album of the year category — though Reputation did pick up a nomination for best pop vocal album.
Jelly Roll wrote, “Lastly I seeen [sic] a clip the other day of Taylor Swift when she found out her album Reputation was not nominated for album of the year at the Grammys and her first response was “it’s ok, I just have to make a better record” – man that lit a fire under me in a way I’ve never had lit,” he said. “That was ultimate accountability in action in the real moment and that’s why Taylor is the legend she is. That was all said to say, I’m going to write a better album, I’m going to work harder and I’ll be back baby, I will be back. PS REPUTATION was one of the greatest albums ever written.”
See Jelly Roll’s post below:
Megan Moroney is just 27, but she already knows all about the ups and downs of awards shows. On Nov. 8, she learned that she had been passed over for a Grammy nomination for best new artist. Just 12 days later, she won the CMA Award for new artist of the year.
Moroney’s situation isn’t unique. Since 1981, when the Country Music Association introduced its horizon award (renamed new artist of the year in 2008), most of their winners haven’t received Grammy nods for best new artist. Even such giants as Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and Morgan Wallen were passed over for Grammy best new artist nods.
The situation has improved markedly in recent years, as the graphic below shows. But the Recording Academy still has work to do to make sure that country artists are getting a fair shake in the marquee categories.
Here is every CMA winner for the horizon award and new artist of the year, divided into four categories – those who also won the Grammy for best new artist; those who were nominated for the Grammy for best new artist but didn’t win (and who won in that category!); those who were not eligible for a new artist Grammy nomination that year (because of prior Grammy nods or wins); and those who were eligible for the Grammy, but were simply not nominated. The year shown is the year of the CMA ceremony where the artist won.
We cap this discussion by showing the four CMA winners for the horizon award/new artist of the year who have yet to win a Grammy in any category. (Moroney has lots of time to move off this last list.)
One lesson from this list is that we need a variety of awards shows – all-genre shows like the Grammys and genre-specific shows like the CMA Awards and their country brethren. What one show misses, hopefully, the other catches.
Won CMA Award; Won Best New Artist Grammy
1997: LeAnn Rimes 2006: Carrie Underwood2010: Zac Brown Band
Won CMA Award; Nominated for Best New Artist Grammy, But Lost
1984: The Judds (lost to Cyndi Lauper)1998: Dixie Chicks (lost to Lauryn Hill)2000: Brad Paisley (lost to Shelby Lynne)2004: Gretchen Wilson (lost to Maroon 5) 2007: Taylor Swift (lost to Amy Winehouse)2008: Lady A (lost to Adele)2011: The Band Perry (lost to Bon Iver) 2012: Hunter Hayes (lost to fun.)2013: Kacey Musgraves (lost to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)2016: Maren Morris (lost to Chance the Rapper) 2018: Luke Combs (lost to Dua Lipa) 2021: Jimmie Allen (lost to Olivia Rodrigo)2023: Jelly Roll (lost to Victoria Monét)
Won CMA Award; Not Eligible for Best New Artist Grammy That Year
1983: John Anderson (had been nominated for an early solo hit at the 1982 ceremony) 2009: Darius Rucker (had won two Grammys with Hootie & the Blowfish) 1995: Alison Krauss (had won three Grammys – one solo and one each with The Union Station and The Cox Family)2015: Chris Stapleton (had received three previous Grammy nods with his group, The SteelDrivers)
Won CMA Award; Not Nominated for Best New Artist Grammy
1981: Terri Gibbs 1982: Ricky Skaggs 1985: Sawyer Brown1986: Randy Travis 1987: Holly Dunn 1988: Ricky Van Shelton 1989: Clint Black 1990: Garth Brooks 1991: Travis Tritt 1992: Suzy Bogguss 1993: Mark Chesnutt1994: John Michael Montgomery 1996: Bryan White 1999: Jo Dee Messina 2001: Keith Urban 2002: Rascal Flatts 2003: Joe Nichols 2005: Dierks Bentley2014: Brett Eldredge 2017: Jon Pardi 2019: Ashley McBryde 2020: Morgan Wallen2022: Lainey Wilson 2024: Megan Moroney
Won CMA Award; Has Yet to Be Nominated for a Grammy in Any Category
1993: Mark Chesnutt2014: Brett Eldredge 2017: Jon Pardi 2024: Megan Moroney
