The 59th Annual Country Music Association Awards were on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The ceremony was broadcast live on ABC and was made available to stream the next day on Hulu. CMA award winner and six-time nominee this year, Lainey Wilson, hosted the ceremony.
Background On September 30, CMA announced that Wilson will return as host for the ceremony, but for the first time as a solo host. It is only the third time that the CMA Awards have had a solo female host, following Dolly Parton in 1988, and Reba McEntire in 1991.
On November 10, the association announced that eighteen-time CMA award winner and country legend, Vince Gill, would receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. A statement by the CMA chief executive officer Sarah Trahern read “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.”
Winners and nominees Nominations were announced on Monday, September 8, 2025, at 12:00 PM/CT via livestream on CMA's official Facebook and YouTube channel. The eligibility period for the nominees was July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. The winners and nominees are voted on by "over 7,100 professional voting members" of the Country Music Association. Entertainer of the YearAlbum of the YearLainey Wilson Luke Combs Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Morgan WallenWhirlwind — Lainey Wilson Am I Okay? — Megan Moroney Cold Beer & Country Music — Zach Top F-1 Trillion — Post Malone I'm the Problem — Morgan WallenMale Vocalist of the YearFemale Vocalist of the YearCody Johnson Luke Combs Chris Stapleton Zach Top Morgan WallenLainey Wilson Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Ella Langley Megan MoroneyVocal Group of the YearVocal Duo of the YearThe Red Clay Strays Lady A Little Big Town Old Dominion Rascal FlattsBrooks & Dunn Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Maddie & Tae The War and TreatySingle of the YearSong of the Year"You Look Like You Love Me" — Ella Langley (ft. Riley Green) "4x4xU" — Lainey Wilson "Ain't No Love In Oklahoma" — Luke Combs "Am I Okay?" — Megan Moroney "I Never Lie" — Zach Top"You Look Like You Love Me" — Ella Langley, Riley Green, Aaron Raitiere "4x4xU" — Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson "Am I Okay?" — Megan Moroney, Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird "I Never Lie" — Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top "Texas" — Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Kyle Sturrock, Lalo GuzmanNew Artist of the YearMusician of the YearZach Top Ella Langley Shaboozey Tucker Wetmore Stephen Wilson Jr.Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle Brent Mason, Guitar Rob McNelley, Guitar Derek Wells, GuitarMusic Video of the YearMusical Event of the Year"You Look Like You Love Me" — Ella Langley (ft. Riley Green) "Am I Okay?" — Megan Moroney "I'm Gonna Love You" — Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood "Somewhere Over Laredo" — Lainey Wilson "Think I'm in Love with You" — Chris Stapleton"Pour Me A Drink" — Post Malone (ft. Blake Shelton) "Don't Mind If I Do" — Riley Green (ft. Ella Langley) "Hard Fought Hallelujah" — Brandon Lake (with Jelly Roll) "I'm Gonna Love You" — Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood "You Had To Be There" — Megan Moroney (ft. Kenny Chesney)Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement AwardVince Gill
International Awards The international winners were announced on November 14, 2025. International Artist Achievement AwardGlobal Country Artist AwardLive Music Advancement Award Morgan Wallen Cameron Whitcomb Shannon Saunders
Performances Performer(s)Song(s)Luke Combs"Back In The Saddle"Lainey WilsonHosting Monologue Medley "White Horse" (with Charlie Worsham)"Hillbilly Deluxe""You Look Like You Love Me""Redneck Woman""Need You Now""Gunpowder and Lead""A Bar Song (Tipsy)""Girl Crush" (with Little Big Town)"Where The Blacktop Ends" (with Keith Urban)Zach Top"Guitar"Megan Moroney"6 Months Later"Chris Stapleton"Bad as I Used to Be"Kelsea Ballerini"I Sit in Parks"The Red Clay Strays"People Hatin'"Stephen Wilson Jr."Stand By Me"Kenny Chesney"American Kids""When the Sun Goes Down"Old Dominion"Break Up with Him""Memory Lane""One Man Band""Hotel Key""Snapback"ShaboozeyStephen Wilson Jr."Took A Walk"Lainey Wilson"Ring Finger"Miranda LambertChris Stapleton"A Song to Sing"Riley Green"Worst Way"Ella Langley"Choosin' Texas"Tucker Wetmore"Wind Up Missin' You"Brandi CarlilePatty LovelessWillie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award honoring Vince Gill"When I Call Your Name"BigXthaPlugLuke Combs"Pray Hard"
Presenters Presenter(s)NotesBilly Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth HurleyPresented Single of the YearLeanne MorganIntroduced Zach TopGretchen Wilson and Ne-YoPresented Vocal Duo of the YearLeAnn Rimes, Chris O’Donnell, and Jessica CapshawPresented New Artist of the YearBilly Bob ThorntonIntroduced The Red Clay StraysKimberly Perry and Grace Van PattenPresented Song of The YearBailey ZimmermanIntroduced Old DominionSteve Martin and Alison BrownPresented Album of the YearBert KreischerIntroduced Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr.Jordan Davis and Lauren DaiglePresented Vocal Group of the YearCody JohnsonIntroduced Lainey WilsonElla LangleyHonor Fort Campbell 101st Airborne DivisionAlan RitchsonIntroduced Riley GreenBrandon Lake and Lara SpencerPresented Male Vocalist of the YearGeorge StraitPresented Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award to Vince GillLady APresented Female Vocalist of the YearKeith UrbanPresented Entertainer of the Year
Reception Overnight viewership was 6.037 million viewers, down 1% from the previous year, but ranked number one for the top prime-time telecasts. The reception of the ceremony was generally favorable. Lainey Wilson was praised for her solo hosting debut, along with her opening medley of country hits. Many outlets also highlighted her pointed remarks, after winning Female Vocalist of the Year, on the online discourse surrounding women in country music, saying, "...And for the folks that are sitting at home in your mama’s basement eating your Cheetos, trying to pit women against each other: Y’all need to find something better to do".
Several performances drew acclaim, including Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas”, Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson, Jr.’s collaboration “Took a Walk”, as well as Brandi Carlile’s tribute to Vince Gill alongside Patty Loveless. Some publications also noted the surprise victories by The Red Clay Strays and Cody Johnson. The Seattle Times pointed out Zach Top’s standout win for New Artist of the Year as a neotraditional country performer, noting the humorous moment in which he accepted the award while holding a can of Coors Banquet.
Milestones and achievements
This is only the third ceremony to have multiple women leading the nominations. Occurring previously in 2013 (Kacey Musgraves and Taylor Swift) and 1986 (The Judds and Reba McEntire). Brooks & Dunn became the most awarded act in CMA history with 20 wins overall, including their sixteenth win for Vocal Duo of the Year in this ceremony. Ella Langley and Riley Green's "You Look Like You Love Me", is the only song in CMA history to win every award an individual song is eligible for, with: Musical Event of the Year in 2024; Song of the Year, Single of the Year, and Music Video of the Year in 2025. ("Whiskey Lullaby" being the closest to the milestone, until this achievement, with three of the four nominations won). Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire are tied with the most Female Vocalist of the Year nominations all-time with 18. Lainey Wilson became the third woman to win Female Vocalist of the Year four years in a row (previously accomplished by Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire). Lainey Wilson became the fourth host to win Entertainer for the Year the same year when they hosted the ceremony, (Barbara Mandrell in 1980 and 1981; Vince Gill in 1993 and 1994; Brad Paisley in 2010).
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