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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Lainey Wilson’s opening medley, Zach Top’s first CMA win and Vince Gill’s tribute were among the strongest moments of the 59th CMA Awards. The three-hour ceremony, hosted by Wilson at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 19, 2025, also delivered cross-genre collaborations and familiar award winners. There is no single objectively established “worst” moment: the most defensible criticism is about the show’s recurring tendency to reward familiar favorites, an assessment the Washington Post made while also recognizing newer winners.
The best moments of the 2025 CMA Awards
These choices weigh performance impact, emotional significance and how clearly each moment reflected the night. They are editorial judgments, not official CMA rankings.
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Lainey Wilson’s opening medley set the tone
Wilson opened with a choreographed musical monologue and medley honoring country hits, bringing artists in the audience into the performance. A later section included Little Big Town and Keith Urban. The CMA’s event recap describes the opening as a celebration of country music, while its performance archive lists the medley as part of the 2025 show.
The Washington Post singled out the choice to begin with a sincere account of Wilson’s childhood connection to the CMAs and leave comedy for later. That balance—personal before playful—makes the opener a persuasive pick for the night’s best opening moment.
#1 Best Overall
Zach Top turned a first win into an easy-to-love moment
Top performed “Guitar” and won new artist of the year, his first CMA Award. Accepting the trophy, he joked, “I can’t remember if I was supposed to put my beer down first or not.” The Associated Press reported the quip; the Washington Post also noted his visible enthusiasm and the guitar-shaped stage setup. His performance and acceptance together made the award feel like a genuine breakthrough, not just another name on the winners list.
Vince Gill’s tribute brought country legacies together
Gill received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless performed “When I Call Your Name,” and George Strait made a surprise appearance to present the honor. Strait praised Gill’s guitar playing, songwriting and singing, adding, “And oh, yeah, he plays with The Eagles.” The CMA’s recap and performance archive document the tribute; AP reported Strait’s remarks.
Gill supplied a comic note in his own acceptance, joking that he might be the recipient “that’s never smoked any weed,” a reference to the award’s namesake and his friend Willie Nelson. The humor did not diminish the tribute’s weight: the segment paired a career-spanning honor with performers and a presenter who each have a deep connection to country music.
Rank #2
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Lainey Wilson’s acceptance speech had a pointed message
Wilson won entertainer of the year, album of the year for Whirlwind, and female vocalist of the year. In her acceptance speech, she addressed people trying to pit women against one another: “For the folks that are sitting at home, in your mama’s basement, eating your Cheetos, trying to pit women against each other,” she said, before adding, “Y’all need to find something better to do.” AP reported the remarks. The speech gave one of the night’s biggest winners a clear moment of her own.
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The lineup included BigXthaPlug with Luke Combs on “Pray Hard,” Shaboozey with Stephen Wilson Jr. on “Took A Walk,” and Miranda Lambert with Chris Stapleton on “A Song To Sing,” according to the CMA recap and performance archive. AP framed the Combs–BigXthaPlug duet as a sign of country and rap crossover; that is the outlet’s interpretation of the performance, not a measurement of the wider industry.
The archive also lists performances by Kelsea Ballerini (“I Sit In Parks”), Luke Combs (“Back in the Saddle”), Chris Stapleton (“Bad As I Used To Be”), The Red Clay Strays (“People Hatin’”), Tucker Wetmore (“Wind Up Missin’ You”), Riley Green (“Worst Way”), Kenny Chesney (“American Kids” and “When the Sun Goes Down”), Old Dominion (a medley), Ella Langley (“Choosin’ Texas”), Stephen Wilson Jr. (“Stand By Me”) and Wilson (“Ring Finger”).
Rank #3
What the winners say about the night
The major results show how the ceremony balanced a dominant headliner with a handful of notable wins elsewhere. The official results come from the CMA; the organization says more than 7,000 voting members determine the awards and Deloitte tabulates the ballots.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Entertainer of the year | Lainey Wilson |
| Album of the year | Whirlwind, Lainey Wilson |
| Female vocalist of the year | Lainey Wilson |
| Song, single and music video of the year | “You Look Like You Love Me,” Ella Langley and Riley Green |
| Male vocalist of the year | Cody Johnson |
| Vocal group of the year | The Red Clay Strays |
| Vocal duo of the year | Brooks & Dunn |
| New artist of the year | Zach Top |
| Musical event of the year | “Pour Me A Drink,” Post Malone featuring Blake Shelton |
| Musician of the year | Paul Franklin |
The CMA recap says Wilson, Langley and Green each took home three awards. Langley and Green’s “You Look Like You Love Me” won song and single of the year, as well as music video of the year. Reacting to the song-of-the-year win, Langley called it “the gift that keeps on giving”; Green remarked, “How cool is it that a song with talking verses wins song of the year.”
Brooks & Dunn’s win was their 16th in the vocal-duo category, according to AP. Separately, the CMA says the pair reached 20 total CMA wins. Those numbers count different things: one is victories in a specific category, the other all CMA Awards. At the ceremony, Kix Brooks recalled hearing someone ask if the duo ever got sick of winning and answered, “Hell no!”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What was the worst moment?
No source establishes a consensus worst moment, so naming one as if viewers or critics agreed would overstate the evidence. The Washington Post review offers the clearest critical lens: it argues that CMA voters tend to reward familiar favorites repeatedly, while also noting newer winners Cody Johnson and The Red Clay Strays. That tension is a fair criticism of the results, but not proof that any one performance or award was the show’s worst moment.
On that criterion, the least satisfying part of the night was the possibility that familiar award patterns can make the results feel predictable. The counterpoint is important: Johnson and The Red Clay Strays won major categories, while Top earned his first CMA. The show’s results were not entirely a repeat of past winners.
How to watch the moments again
The CMA’s official video archive indexes the performances, including Wilson’s medley, Top’s “Guitar,” the Gill tribute and the featured collaborations. Its 2025 event recap and results provide the winners and ceremony details. The ceremony aired live on ABC on November 19, 2025; the sources cited here do not establish an audience or ratings figure.
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