This year’s CMA Awards were marked by powerful female artist wins, as well as several first-time wins and a changing of the guard in certain categories.
Lainey Wilson earned her second entertainer of the year win (she previously won in 2023), as well as her fourth consecutive female vocalist of the year win, and her second album of the year win (this year for Whirlwind). Ella Langley‘s collaboration with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me,” was named both single and song of the year.
Zach Top earned his first CMA Award win for new artist of the year, while the longtime winning streaks of both Chris Stapleton and Old Dominion shifted. The male vocalist of the year honor, held by Stapleton for the past four years (he’s won the category eight total times), went to first-time category winner Cody Johnson. Old Dominion’s seven-year winning streak in the vocal group of the year category was upended by newcomers The Red Clay Strays, who picked up their first CMA Award win. In the musician of the year category, celebrated steel guitarist Paul Franklin took home musician of the year for the first time, with 33 total nominations in the category, with his first nomination occurring in 1989.
As heartfelt and illustrious as many of this year’s awards-winning moments were, the evening’s performances were equally inspired, from Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton’s groovy, sultry collaboration, to Shaboozey teaming with Stephen Wilson Jr.
The evening also featured its share of medleys, as Kenny Chesney and Old Dominion both leaned on older hits for their performances, as Old Dominion celebrates a decade of hits, while Kenny Chesney is a newly-minted Country Music Hall of Fame inductee.
The evening was filled with electrifying performances, and here, Billboard counts down the night’s top performances.
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Old Dominion Celebrates 10 Years With a Medley of Hits
Old Dominion, celebrating 10 years of music together with their new album Barbara, performed a medley of hits including “Break Up With Him,” “Memory Lane,” “Snap Back,” “Hotel Key” and “One Man Band,” offering a potent reminder of the group’s steady string of hits over the past decade. With the audience singing along to every word, it’s clear this group has built a remarkably strong connection with their fans and an enduring catalog of hits. Still, given that they just released new music, it would have been nice to have heard some fresher songs from the new album included in the mix.
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BigXthaPlug, Luke Combs Offer a Hip-Hop/Country Fusion
BigXthaPlug already scored a major Billboard Hot 100 hit with his Bailey Zimmerman collab “All The Way,” but his album I Hope You’re Happy features country and hip-hop fusions with several artists, among them Luke Combs. Combs opened the show earlier in the evening, and returned to the stage to perform “Pray Hard” with BigXthaPlug, with a performance that showcased the powerful vocals and onstage charisma of both performers, though at moments the vocals seemed to overpower each other.
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Kenny Chesney Celebrates Milestone Year With Energetic CMAs Performance
Kenny Chesney, a newly-minted Country Music Hall of Fame member and New York Times bestselling author (for his book Heart Life Music with author/journalist Holly Gleason), gave a potent reminder of just why he continues to be one of country music’s most storied performers. He commanded the CMAs stage with a retrospective of hits that included his party-ready “American Kids,” and the island-tinged “When The Sun Goes Down.” He ended with a heartfelt tribute to late songwriter (and longtime Chesney collaborator) Brett James, saying, “Brett James, we love you,” as photos of James were shown on the screen behind Chesney. Still, as with Old Dominion’s performance, it would have been nice to hear some of Chesney’s newer songs showcased as well.
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Kelsea Ballerini Offers Elegant Performance of “I Sit in Parks”
Kelsea Ballerini turned in a theatrical, elegant performance of her new ballad, “I Sit in Parks,” from her new EP Mount Pleasant. Seated on a swing and dressed in a simple red gown, she performed her new song about the struggle between familial longing and chasing her career dreams. As she sang, the background faded to a stormy setting, as Ballerini leaned back into the falling rain, creating a beautifully poetic visual.
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Tucker Wetmore Brings Confidence on ‘Wind Up Missin’ You’
Tucker Wetmore performed his hit “Wind Up Missin’ You,” beginning his performance seated on a stool and drawing the audience in with an intimate, vulnerable delivery. But he quickly commanded the full expanse of the main stage, displaying an ease and charisma as an entertainer. “Wind Up Missin’ You” reached the top 5 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
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The Red Clay Strays’ Rock-Fueled ‘People Hatin”
Alabama group The Red Clay Strays, known for their songs such as “Wondering Why,” brought more blistering, bluesy-rock to the CMAs with a performance of their recent release “People Hatin’.” Though their vocals were at times slightly muffled, the group’s churning guitar and searing percussion were undeniable, evincing their reputation as a group with exceptional talent.
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Riley Green Brings Sultry ‘Worst Way’
Riley Green brought one of the evening’s sultriest performances, with his hit “Worst Way.” Against an understated stage design, Green’s unadorned, straightforward country vocal performance took the lead, letting the song’s raw emotion, and Green’s powerful but never overdone delivery, stay in the spotlight.
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Lainey Wilson Gives a ‘Ring Finger’
By the time she performed her song “Ring Finger,” Wilson had already taken home the album of the year honors for her album Whirlwind. Donning a silvery fringe outfit and her signature hat, she gave an energetic performance of “Ring Finger” from that Whirlwind album. Backed by dancers, she turned in a funky song of heartbreak, betrayal and defiance, turning a storyline that could have been drenched in sorrow into a furious dance groove.
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Luke Combs’ Fiery Performance Opener
Luke Combs kicked off the show with a performance of “Back in the Saddle,” a song currently in the top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Flanked by his band and plumes of fire and fireworks, Combs prowled the stage and turned in a vocal performance that was all grizzled determination, making for a sharp CMAs opening.
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Megan Moroney Ushers In ‘Cloud 9’ With a Pink-Toned Performance
Megan Moroney just launched her pink-hued new era, tied to her upcoming album Cloud 9, and her CMA Awards performance was appropriately awash in blush tones. Dressed in a floor-length fluffy robe, she opened the performance in a slumber party setting, flanked by dancers, as she performed the empowering “Six Months Later.” Midway through, she revealed a glittering, sequined pink dress, as the dancers joined in for an upbeat, buoyant performance.
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Ella Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’
Ella Langley performed her new fan-favorite song, “Choosin’ Texas,” complete with a pair of dancers and stage design that celebrated the Lone Star State. The song’s tale of losing a lover to a woman from Texas, and its old-school charm mixed with Langley’s deep twang, combined for a solid performance. At one point in the performance, the camera panned to one of the song’s co-writers, Miranda Lambert, who proudly held up a Texas flag.
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Lainey Wilson Honors Country Hits With Star-Packed Medley
Laiey Wilson launched the evening with plenty of energy, and also by highlighting the starpower and camaraderie in the crowd. She paid homage to years of hits by stepping down from the stage and swaggering through the rows of her friends and fellow artists, greeting them and performing their songs. She greeted Lady A while performing “Need You Now,” jammed with Shaboozey on his “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” and she offered up Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” (while LBT joined in with their always-stunning harmonies). Wilson also paid homage to Brooks & Dunn and Chris Stapleton and had plenty of good-natured fun with pals Miranda Lambert, as well as Ella Langley (performing and dancing with Langley while performing “You Look Like You Love Me”) and Gretchen Wilson (on “Redneck Woman”), before she was joined by Keith Urban, who performed “Where The Blacktop Ends.”
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Stephen Wilson Jr.’s Version of ‘Stand By Me’ Gains Standing Ovation
Stephen Wilson Jr. has quickly become one of country music’s rising artists, thanks to his top-shelf musicianship and his album Son of Dad. His CMA Awards performance, a rendition of “Stand By Me,” immediately elicited fans to illuminate the room with their cell phone lights, as he performed a raw, soul-stirring version that culminated in a standing ovation from the crowd.
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Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton Bring a ’70s Fusion
Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert brought the ’70s roller skating rink vibe of the music video for their song “A Song to Sing” to the CMAs stage, complete with ’70s-inspired suits and disco balls glittering around the stage. The voices blended beautifully, highlighting the song’s slow-burn feel.
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Zach Top Brings ’90s Country Power to His CMAs Performance
Zach Top’s CMA Awards performance dripped with ’90s country sounds and showcased his lifelong devotion to music, with Top lending his supple voice and expert musicianship playing to “Guitar,” the opening song from his sophomore album Ain’t In It For My Health. Appropriately, he and his band performed on a guitar-shaped stage, while Top himself offered up some fleet-fingered acoustic guitar picking.
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Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr. Garner Standing Ovation For Powerful Collab
Stephen Wilson Jr. made his second performance of the night when he joined Shaboozey for a collaboration “Took a Walk,” from the film The Long Walk. The stage was transformed into a sprawling field with a path breaking up the grassy area, while Shaboozey walked through it to join Wilson on the main stage. They were soon joined by backup singers, as they let loose with full-throttle voices, singing of weariness, loyalty and fortitude, ultimately drawing a standing ovation from the crowd.
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Brandi Carlile, Patty Loveless Honor Vince Gill
Vince Gill was honored mightily as he received the CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award during this year’s CMAs. Brandi Carlile began the tribute with a powerful and tender rendition of “When I Call Your Name,” and was soon joined by Patty Loveless, who originally sang harmony on the song when it was released in 1990.
“Congratulations, Vinny. I love you brother,” Loveless said.
Then, George Strait made a surprise appearance to honor Gill, praising his songwriting, singing and musicianship. “He can sing higher than anybody I know. He’s in the Country Music Hall of Fame and he’s just an immense talent. Oh yeah, and he plays with the Eagles…I could’ve just said that,” Strait said in honoring Gill.
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Chris Stapleton and His Band Offer a Bluesy Jam Session
Chris Stapleton gave a bluesy, harmonica and guitar-soaked version of “Bad As I Used to Be,” his contribution to the soundtrack of the F1 movie. Joined by his band, including his wife and fellow musician Morgane Stapleton, Stapleton unfurled a gritty, rockin’ jam session, spearheaded by his unmistakable, full-throttle voice.
