Luke Combs Reveals Surprising Choice For CMA Entertainer Of The Year
on Nov 18, 2025
Who Is Nominated For Entertainer Of The Year At The 2025 CMA Awards?
Luke Combs walks into the 2025 CMA Awards with three nominations to his name. He earned nods in some of the premier categories: Single, Male Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year.
Combs won the latter award twice, securing back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2022. This year, he’s up against a powerhouse group of fellow nominees, including Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson, and Lainey Wilson.
Of those nominees, only Wallen and Wilson have won Entertainer of the Year in the past. They won in 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Stapleton has been nominated for the award eight times before, but never won. Meanwhile, this is Johnson’s first year being nominated for the coveted trophy.
RELATED: EVERY DETAIL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2025 CMA AWARDS
If Wilson wins this year, she’ll make history as only the third female artist to win Entertainer of the Year twice. Barbara Mandrell and Taylor Swift previously accomplished the feat.
Johnson could also make history with an Entertainer of the Year victory. According to data gathered by VegasInsider.com, if he wins, he’d be the 12th artist to do so in the first year as a nominee. He’d be the first male artist to achieve this milestone in 20 years, since Keith Urban in 2005.
Luke Combs Declared His Pick For Entertainer Of The Year, And He Didn’t Name Himself
When asked by Taste of Country Nights to name his choice for CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2025, Luke Combs gave a surprising answer. He didn’t name himself!
Instead, Combs shone the spotlight on two artists he believes deserve the honor.
“I mean, I think Lainey’s chances are high,” he said. “But CoJo [Cody Johnson] would be kinda sick, too, you know what I mean? He’s great. I love him, too.”
In addition to being nominated, Combs and Wilson will also perform during the ceremony. Unfortunately, Johnson is unable to sing after undergoing eardrum surgery in October.
However, he still plans to attend and was named as one of the show’s special guests. He told Country Countdown‘s Lon Helton that he’ll be introducing Wilson’s performance.
“I’ll be attending, but just gonna sit back and watch,” he said. “I think I’ll get to announce Lainey’’s performance. So I’ll be involved, but not in the capacity I wanted.”
You can see Combs, Wilson, and Johnson during the 2025 CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 19th. Tune in on ABC at 8/7c and watch to the end to see if any of them win Entertainer of the Year!
