Surprises & Snubs At The 2025 CMA Awards
on Nov 21, 2025
Stars Gather For “Country Music’s Biggest Night”
On November 19th, the country music community came together to celebrate the 59th annual CMA Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual ceremony delivered memorable performances, surprising wins, and exciting collaborations.
Hosted by Lainey Wilson, the evening celebrated both newcomers and veterans of the industry. See the complete list of winners here!
Each year, fans and followers do their best to predict who will take home the coveted glass trophies. Inevitabley, the show delivers moments that no one saw coming. Read on for a list of surprises and snubs at this year’s CMA Awards!
Surprises And Snubs From The 59th CMA Awards
Surprise: The Red Clay Strays
There’s a new group in town! The Red Clay Strays took home the CMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year. It was their first CMA win, and with it, they broke Old Dominion’s seven-year winning streak in the category.
Snub: Morgan Wallen
Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Morgan Wallen earned a nod in the category again this year, as well as for Male Vocalist and Album. Despite having a massive year and breaking many records in the genre, he did not earn any awards at the CMAs. Additionally, he chose not to attend for the second consecutive year.
Surprise: Cody Johnson
After four years of nominations, Cody Johnson took home the award for Male Vocalist of the Year. Many consider this to be Chris Stapleton’s category, with six wins already under his belt.
Snub: Megan Moroney
Going into the night, Megan Moroney was tied with Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley for the most nominations of the year, each earning six. However, she did not win any categories and left empty-handed.
Surprise: Paul Franklin
Steel guitarist Paul Franklin is widely regarded as a respected figure in the country music community. After a staggering 33 years of nominations, he finally took home the award for Musician of the Year.
Snub: Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll received one nomination at this year’s CMA Awards for his collaboration with Brandon Lake, “Hard Fought Hallelujah.” The award ultimately was given to Blake Shelton and Post Malone. Many felt that Jelly Roll deserved nods in some of the larger categories, given his successful year. He was one of the artists noticeably absent from the ceremony.
RELATED: HOW TO WATCH THE 2025 CMA AWARDS IF YOU MISSED THEM WHEN THEY AIRED
