Hold your horses! These country artists just made CMA Awards history!
Lainey Wilson won entertainer of the year for a second time in three years. She joins Barbara Mandrell and Taylor Swift among women with two entertainer trophies. Wilson hosted the event and won album of the year for Whirlwind. She previously won album of the year for Bell Bottom Country. Wilson also won female vocalist of the year for a fourth straight year. Only Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert matched or exceeded that run. Miranda won six straight years between 2010 and 2015. Wilson’s wins mark a rise in her award total and industry standing.
Brooks & Dunn extended their lead with vocal duo of the year for a 16th time. That win pushed their total CMA haul to 20 awards. They now hold the record for most CMA trophies by any act. Ronnie Dunn also claimed an additional trophy for song of the year for a co-writer, leaving him with one more personal trophy than his partner. Their other CMA wins include album of the year in 1994 and entertainer of the year in 1996.
Ella Langley and Riley Green won single, song and music video of the year for “you look like you love me”. Their single became the first collaboration by two solo artists to win single of the year in 1976. Langley also became the first artist to win video of the year for a clip that she co-directed. The song first gained eligibility last year under musical event rules but met single of the year criteria during the current eligibility period. The split shows how award rules treat release dates and chart performance differently.
The Red Clay Strays won vocal group of the year, ending Old Dominion’s seven year streak. The Alabama band earned this recognition after recent wins at Americana and ACM events. Their win shows how rapidly a newer band can rise in prominence over a short time span. The award highlights a changing field and spotlights groups expanding country rock influence.
Post Malone won musical event of the year for “Buy Me a Drink” featuring Blake Shelton. He became the most recent artist known primarily outside country music to win that award. Past winners with similar profiles include Lil Nas X, Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Buffett and Robert Plant. Post Malone’s success reflects ongoing cross genre collaboration in country music.
These six artists combined long histories and surprising breakthroughs for a memorable awards night. The 59th CMA Awards produced several record moments and set new talking points for the next year. Fans and industry watchers will track how these wins affect radio play, touring and future nominations. The awards show stayed true to country traditions and opening doors for wider musical partnerships. Industry reactions varied, and streaming totals climbed rapidly. Tour dates sold out in several cities.
#CMAAwards2025 #LaineyWilson #BrooksAndDunn #EllaLangley #PostMalone