Updated March 20, 2023
The highly anticipated nominations for the 2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS, Paramount Global’s signature country music tentpole, have been unveiled by CMT today. The entirely fan-voted award show will be hosted by 2023 nominees Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, and will air LIVE from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 2, 2023 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS. Fans can also stream the show live and on demand on Paramount+.*
With each winner selected by the fans, voting is now open at vote.cmt.com. Leading this year’s star-studded list of nominees is breakout superstar Lainey Wilson, with a total of four nominations. This includes the highly coveted “Video of the Year,” “Female Video of the Year,” “Collaborative Video of the Year,” and “CMT Performance of the Year.”
Several other artists also received multiple nominations, including Cody Johnson and first-time nominee Jelly Roll, who both received three nods this year. Co-host Kane Brown also received three nominations.
The CMT MUSIC AWARDS is known for its recognition of outstanding performances and achievements in country music, and this year’s show promises to be no different. With the winners entirely determined by fan votes, country music enthusiasts are encouraged to make their voices heard and vote for their favorite artists.
CMT Awards Performers
Main Stage
- Blake Shelton
- With 8 career wins across two decades of nominations, the 2018 “Video of the Year” winner will again look to take home the night’s biggest award and will return to the CMT stage for the first time in 5 years to perform new single “No Body.”
- Carly Pearce
- Following last year’s fiery performance of “Diamondback,” the 2018 “Breakthrough Video of the Year” winner will again take the stage for another can’t-miss performance. The 10x nominee also looks to take home two wins for “Female Video of the Year” and “CMT Performance of the Year.”
- Cody Johnson
- The Texas powerhouse made an unforgettable debut at the 2022 awards, tying for most wins of the night and wowing audiences with “‘Til You Can’t,” which is nominated for “CMT Performance of the Year.” He’ll bring his hit single “Human” live to Austin’s Moody Center and compete for three more buckles, including the coveted “Video of the Year.”
- Keith Urban
- Vying for his 4th “Video of the Year” win and also nominated for his memorable show opening performance at the 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS for “Wild Hearts,” the second-most nominated artist in CMT history, with 9 wins, will once again bring a high-energy, can’t miss performance to the CMT stage.
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Fresh off her critically-acclaimed SNL appearance, Ballerini will add to her co-hosting duties with another show-stopping performance on the CMT stage. She’s also up for two awards: “Female Video of the Year” and “Video of the Year.”
- Lainey Wilson
- Following one of the most unforgettable performances of the 2022 awards for her rain-soaked collab of “Never Say Never” with Cole Swindell, the Yellowstone star – and this year’s most-nominated artist (4x) – looks to take home her first CMT belt buckle and will bring her hit “Heart Like a Truck” live from the Austin stage.
RAM Trucks Side Stage
- Avery Anna
- With her unique sound of reflective balladry, 2023 CMT Next Women of Country member Avery Anna will make her award show debut with a performance of “Narcissist,” which also earned her a first-time nomination for “Breakthrough Female Video of the Year.”
- Chapel Hart
- Unstoppable trio Chapel Hart – named to CMT’s Next Women of Country franchise in 2021 – won over the nation with a viral “America’s Got Talent” audition and will bring a show-stopping performance of “You Can Have Him Jolene” to CMT audiences for their award show debut.
- Jackson Dean
- Fast-rising outlaw country singer/songwriter Jackson Dean will make his CMT debut with a hard-hitting performance of his No. 1 single “Don’t Come Lookin,” which has been featured in hit series Yellowstone and also earned him a first-ever award show nod in “Breakthrough Male Video of the Year” category.
- Lily Rose
- Groundbreaking country artist, GLAAD Media Award winner and 2022 CMT Next Women of Country member Lily Rose sets her CMT Music Awards debut with a performance of new single, “Whatcha Know About That.”
- Megan Moroney
- Vying for her first CMT belt buckle this year, 2x CMTMA nominee and 2023 CMT Next Women of Country inductee Megan Moroney will treat fans to her hit song “Tennessee Orange” and compete in both “Breakthrough Female Video of the Year” and “CMT Digital First Performance of the Year” categories.
- Nate Smith
- Powerhouse vocalist and 2023 CMT Listen Up member Nate Smith will make his award show debut with Platinum-certified No. 1 single “Whiskey On You,” which also earned him a first-time nod for “Breakthrough Male Video of the Year.”
CMT Awards Nominees
Video of the year
- Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark & Pillbox Patti – “Bonfire At Tina’s”
- Blake Shelton – “No Body”
- Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart”
- Cody Johnson – “Human”
- Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
- Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
- HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
- Jimmie Allen – “Down Home”
- Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
- Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts”
- Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
- Little Big Town – “Rich Man”
- Luke Bryan – “Country On”
- Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
- Morgan Wallen – “You Proof”
- Walker Hayes – “AA”
Female Video of the Year
- Carly Pearce – “What He Didn’t Do”
- Carrie Underwood – “Ghost Story”
- Gabby Barrett – “Pick Me Up”
- Kelsea Ballerini – “HEARTFIRST”
- Lainey Wilson – “Heart Like A Truck”
- Maren Morris – “Humble Quest”
- Miranda Lambert – “Actin’ Up”
Male Video of the Year
- Bailey Zimmerman – “Rock and A Hard Place”
- Cody Johnson – “Human”
- Cole Swindell – “She Had Me At Heads Carolina”
- Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
- Kane Brown – “Like I Love Country Music”
- Luke Combs – “The Kind Of Love We Make”
- Morgan Wallen – “Wasted On You”
Group/Duo Video of the Year
- Dan + Shay – “You (Performance Video)”
- Lady A – “Summer State Of Mind”
- Little Big Town – “Hell Yeah”
- Parmalee – “Take My Name”
- The War And Treaty – “That’s How Love Is Made”
- Zac Brown Band – “Out In The Middle”
Breakthrough Female Video of the Year
- Avery Anna – “Narcissist”
- Kylie Morgan – “If He Wanted To He Would”
- MacKenzie Porter – “Pickup”
- Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange”
- Morgan Wade – “Wilder Days”
- Tiera Kennedy – “Found It In You”
Breakthrough Male Video of the Year
- Bailey Zimmerman – “Fall In Love”
- Corey Kent – “Wild as Her”
- Drake Milligan – “Sounds Like Something I’d Do”
- Jackson Dean – “Don’t Come Lookin’”
- Jelly Roll – “Son Of A Sinner”
- Nate Smith – “Whiskey On You”
Collaborative Video of the Year
- Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – “Worth A Shot”
- HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
- Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt – “Wishful Drinking”
- Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
- Midland feat. Jon Pardi – “Longneck Way To Go”
- Russell Dickerson feat. Jake Scott – “She Likes It”
- Thomas Rhett & Katy Perry – “Where We Started”
CMT Performance of the Year
- Black Pumas & Mickey Guyton – “Colors” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
- Chris Stapleton – “Whenever You Come Around” (from CMT Giants: Vince Gill)
- Cody Johnson – “‘Til You Can’t” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
- Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson – “Never Say Never” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
- Darius Rucker – “Let Her Cry” (from CMT Storytellers)
- Emmy Russell & Lukas Nelson – “Lay Me Down” (from Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn)
- Keith Urban – “Wild Hearts” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
- LeAnn Rimes with Ashley McBryde & Carly Pearce – “One Way Ticket” (from CMT Crossroads: LeAnn Rimes & Friends)
- The Judds – “Love Can Build A Bridge” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
- Wynonna Judd & Brandi Carlile – “The Rose” (from Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration)
CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year
- Charley Crockett – “Time of the Cottonwood Trees“ (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
- Chris Young – “Gettin’ You Home” (from CMT Stages)
- Ingrid Andress – “Wishful Drinking” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
- Jelly Roll – “Son of A Sinner” (from CMT All Access)
- Megan Moroney – “Tennessee Orange” (from CMT Viral To Verified)
- Scotty McCreery – “Damn Strait” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
More Information
CMT will additionally air CMT MUSIC AWARDS EXTENDED CUT with an added 30 minutes of new performances and extra bonus content on Thursday, April 6th (8:00-11:30 PM, ET/PT), in addition to all new programming as part of CMT MUSIC AWARDS WEEK. Additional details to be announced at a later date.
