9 Artists Who Stand The Chance To Make History At The 2025 CMA Awards
on Sep 09, 2025 • Updated Nov 13, 2025
Nominees For The 2025 CMA Awards Were Announced On September 8th
The nominees for the 2025 CMA Awards were announced on Monday, September 8th—and several of the artists listed have the potential to make history at the ceremony on November 19th.
The ladies led the nominees this year. Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson tied for the most nominations, with six each.
As a bonus fact to kick us off, VegasInsider.com reports that any of these artists could tie or break the record for the most CMA Awards won in a single night. They would have to win all six of their categories to break the record, or five to tie. Four artists (Wilson, Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, and Johnny Cash) have won five awards at one ceremony.
Rising star Zach Top followed with five nods this year, while Riley Green and Cody Johnson earned four nominations.
RELATED: EVERY DETAIL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2025 CMA AWARDS
After the nominees were announced, the CMA shared a nominee fact sheet with the press. This sheet lists the artists who, if they win, stand the chance to make history at this year’s awards ceremony.
See those artists below, and learn why November 19th could be a career-defining night for them.
See The Artists Who Could Make History If They Win At The CMA Awards This Year
Lainey Wilson
Lainey Wilson has the chance to make history in multiple ways at this year’s CMA Awards!
If Wilson wins Entertainer of the Year, she will be the third female artist to win the award twice. Barbara Mandrell and Taylor Swift are the only female performers who’ve secured a double win in the category.
Additionally, Wilson could become the third singer to win the Female Vocalist of the Year award four years in a row. So far, only Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert have accomplished this.
Speaking of Lambert, she’s currently the most-winning female artist in the history of the CMA Awards, with 14 trophies to her name. However, if Wilson wins all six awards she’s nominated for this year (bringing her total career wins to 15), she will surpass Lambert.
If Wilson pulls off that feat, she’ll also be the sixth most-awarded artist in CMA history, right behind Alan Jackson (with 16 total career wins).
Also, VegasInsider.com found that Wilson could become the second woman in CMA history to win Album of the Year twice. Lambert won in 2010 and 2014. Wilson won the category in 2024 and is a strong contender to win again this year.
Adding on, according to VegasInsider.com, Wilson stands the chance to be the first female artist to win the five major awards in one ceremony. Those awards include: Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, and Song of the Year.
Alan Jackson is the only other artist who has ever accomplished this feat. He won those five awards at the 2002 CMA Awards.
Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton already has a place in the CMA Awards‘ history books, but he could add to his records at this year’s ceremony.
Stapleton and Brooks & Dunn are tied for the most CMA wins (with 19 each). If Stapleton adds to his total this year, he could break the tie, making him the sole record holder. He earned three nominations this year, so if he wins them all, his total wins would increase to 22.
Also, Stapleton has the chance to secure his ninth overall win and fifth consecutive win in the Male Vocalist of the Year category. He already holds the record for the most wins in the category. But if he wins, he could tie for a new record, as only Blake Shelton and Vince Gill have earned five consecutive wins in the category.
To top it off, if Stapleton wins Entertainer of the Year this year, it will be his first time winning the coveted trophy.
Old Dominion
Country group Old Dominion only earned one nod at this year’s CMA Awards, but it gives them the chance to add to an already established record.
The “Hotel Key” singers have won the Vocal Group of the Year award the past seven years, setting the record for the most consecutive wins in the category.
If they win this year and bring that total to eight, they’d make their record even more challenging for other groups to break in the future!
Brooks & Dunn
As mentioned above, Brooks & Dunn and Chris Stapleton are tied for the most CMA wins, with 19 each. If Brooks & Dunn win Vocal Duo of the Year this year and Stapleton wins nothing, they would be the sole record holders with 20 wins.
Brooks & Dunn have won Vocal Duo of the Year 14 times (which is a record). A win in the category this year would bring that up to an impressive total of 15.
Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney only earned one nomination from the CMA this year, but it could help him make history.
Chesney received a nod in the Musical Event of the Year category for his collaboration with Megan Moroney, “You Had to Be There.” If they win, Chesney would set the record as the artist with the most wins in the category, with five.
Currently, he’s tied with Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, and Vince Gill, who all have four career wins in the category.
Blake Shelton
This year, Blake Shelton earned his first CMA Award nomination since 2019. He earned a nod in the Musical Event of the Year category for his duet with Post Malone, “Pour Me a Drink.”
Shelton currently has 10 CMA wins to his name. If he wins Musical Event of the Year this Year, he’ll climb up the ranking to tie with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, who’ve earned 11 wins.
Ella Langley & Riley Green
According to VegasInsider.com, Ella Langley and Riley Green have the chance to make history thanks to their hit duets. Last year, the duo won Musical Event of the Year for their song “you look like you love me.” They’re nominated in the same category again this year for their latest collaboration, “Don’t Mind If I Do.”
If “Don’t Mind If I Do” wins Musical Event of the Year, then Langley and Green will become the first pair to win the category two years in a row.
Individually, Langley also stands the chance to become the tenth woman to win Female Vocalist of the Year in her first year of being nominated.
Cody Johnson
Cody Johnson earned four nominations from the CMA this year, including a nod for Entertainer of the Year. This is Johnson’s first time being nominated for Entertainer of the Year; therefore, he could secure his first win in the prestigious category.
According to VegasInsider.com, Johnson could be the 12th artist to win Entertainer of the Year in their first year as a nominee. He would also be the first male artist to accomplish the feat in 20 years, with the last being Keith Urban in 2005.
See who makes history at the 2025 CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 19th. The ceremony will air live on ABC at 8/7c, and will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.
In the meantime, check out a more detailed list of nominees in the slideshow below.
