CMA Awards 2025: What to Expect From Country Music’s Biggest Night

As Nashville gears up for the 59th Annual CMA Awards, the energy on Music Row has been electric all week. From surprise early winners to major performance announcements and red-carpet buzz, the build-up to Country Music’s Biggest Night has been nothing short of massive. With the show airing live tonight at 8/7c on ABC, here’s everything fans need to know before the curtain goes up at Bridgestone Arena.

Early CMA Winners Announced Ahead of Tonight’s Ceremony

Just hours before tonight’s broadcast, the CMA delivered its first round of good news.

• Post Malone & Blake Shelton won CMA Musical Event of the Year for their hit collab “Pour Me A Drink,” produced by Louis Bell and Charlie Handsome.
• Ella Langley & Riley Green earned CMA Music Video of the Year for “you look like you love me,” which Langley co-directed with John Park and Wales Toney.

The early wins set the stage for a night where newcomers and established stars stand on equal footing — a theme that’s defined much of this year’s CMA conversation.

Lainey Wilson Prepares for Her Solo Hosting Debut

One of the biggest storylines this week has been Lainey Wilson stepping into her first solo hosting role. After co-hosting last year, Wilson returns as the face of tonight’s show, and she’s walking in with six nominations, tying her for the most of any artist.

In interviews throughout the week, she’s described the night as a “pinch-me moment,” especially as she competes in top categories like Entertainer, Female Vocalist, and Album of the Year.

A Packed Week of Rehearsals, Surprises, and Red-Carpet Teases

Nashville has been buzzing all week with CMA-related activity:

• Rehearsals at Bridgestone: Fan videos and backstage clips across social media showed rehearsals from Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, and Zach Top – all prepping major moments for tonight’s broadcast.
• Lainey, Moroney & Langley Dominate the Pre-Show Conversation: With all three leading the pack with six nominations each, media outlets have been calling this “the year of the women” at the CMA Awards, with each bringing her own sound, style, and momentum into the night
• Red Carpet Predictions Flood Social Media: Stylists, outlets, and fans have spent the week speculating on show-stopping looks from Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, Kelsea Ballerini, Jelly Roll, and Reba McEntire. Lainey’s team hinted she’ll wear “something she’s never tried before.”
  

The Most Competitive Categories to Watch Tonight

Some of the tightest races at this year’s CMA Awards are shaping up to be the ones fans will be talking about long after the show wraps. Entertainer of the Year remains the night’s biggest toss-up, with reigning superstar Lainey Wilson facing major pressure from Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, and first-time nominee Cody Johnson. Album of the Year is equally stacked, with Stapleton’s Higher, Wilson’s Whirlwind, Jelly Roll’s Whitsitt Chapel, Kelsea Ballerini’s Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, and Tyler Childers’ Rustin’ in the Rain all bringing strong narratives and huge streaming numbers. The Female Vocalist category looks like another heavyweight battle, while Male Vocalist is more unpredictable than it’s been in years. Add in fiery matchups like Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year, and it’s clear that tonight’s CMA Awards are set to deliver some of the most competitive – and emotional – moments we’ve seen in a long time.

CMA Night Is Here – and Nashville Is Ready

With the spotlight on rising stars, legendary icons, and a genre that continues to push forward, tonight’s CMA Awards are set to be one of the most memorable yet.

From pre-show excitement to tonight’s live performances, from long-awaited wins to emotional tributes, the stage is set for a night that celebrates every corner of country music.

Tune in tonight – it’s almost showtime.