The 57th annual Country Music Association Awards kicked off Wednesday night at Bridgestone Arena, with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning on hosting duty. Lainey Wilson leads the pack this year with nine nods and she made history as the only artist to ever lead nominations in her first two times on the ballot. This year, the former New Artist of the Year winner is also competing for the coveted Entertainer of the Year prize.
Wilson is followed in nominations by Jelly Roll, who is a first-time contender and earned five nominations. Luke Combs and HARDY follow with four nominations. Among those with three nominations are Ashley McBryde, Chris Stapleton, Jordan Davis, and Morgan Wallen, as well as musician/producer Derek Wells, producer/mix engineer Joey Moi, and songwriter/producer Jordan Schmidt.
This year’s CMA Awards sees 29 first-time nominees, including John Osborne of Brothers Osborne (with his first solo nod), Hailey Whitters, and Zach Bryan, among others. Tracy Chapman, who wrote the hit 1988 song “Fast Car” that Combs covered and garnered attention for, is also among the first-time nominees. As the sole writer of the song, which earned Combs a Single of the Year nomination, she received a nomination in the Song of the Year category.
This year’s show will also feature show-stopping performances by Kelsea Ballerini, Wallen, Post Malone, Kenny Chesney, Combs, Dan + Shay, Davis, HARDY, Alan Jackson, Cody Johnson, Mac McAnally, McBryde, The War And Treaty and Zac Brown Band.
More of country music’s best and brightest performing include Bryan, Wilson, Jelly Roll, K. Michell, Little Big Town, Megan Moroney, Old Dominion, Carly Pearce, Stapleton, and Tanya Tucker.
The 57th Annual CMA Awards airs live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and stream exclusively on Hulu the following day.
See the full list of 2023 CMA winners below.
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Carrie Underwood
Chris Stapleton
Lainey Wilson
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
“Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll; Producer: Austin Nivarel; Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
“wait in the truck” – HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson; Producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells; Mix Engineer: Joey Moi
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde; Producers: John Osborne, John Peets; Mix Engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen; Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery; Mix Engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; Mix Engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
“Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
“Tennessee Orange” – Megan Moroney; Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
“wait in the Truck” – HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Kelsea Ballerini
Lainey Wilson
Miranda Lambert
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Chris Stapleton
Cody Johnson
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll featuring Lainey Wilson; Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; Producer: Zach Crowell
“Thank God” – Kane Brown featuring Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff
“wait in the truck” – HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson; Producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce featuring Chris Stapleton; Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Charlie Worsham
Derek Wells
Jenee Fleenor
Paul Franklin
Rob McNelley
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Light On In The Kitchen” – Ashley McBryde; Director: Reid Long
“Memory Lane” – Old Dominion; Directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
“Need a Favor – Jelly Roll; Director: Patrick Tohill
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Director: Running Bear
“wait in the truck” – HARDY featuring Lainey Wilson; Director: Justin Clough
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Hailey Whitters
Jelly Roll
Megan Moroney
Parker McCollum
Zach Bryan
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The confirmation of their nuptials comes just days after Benson’s mother, Shannon Benson, shared a photo on Instagram of what looks to be her daughter and her new son-in-law wearing wedding bands. Benson, 33, just recently confirmed that she is pregnant. Read More