Country Music Association Awards facts for kids

Most recent CMA Award winners

Award Entertainer of the Year Album of the Year Winner Morgan Wallen Leather (Cody Johnson)   Award Male Vocalist of the Year Female Vocalist of the Year Winner Chris Stapleton Lainey Wilson

The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are special prizes given to country music artists and people who work in radio. These awards celebrate amazing achievements in the country music world. Each year, there's a big TV show where popular country music artists perform and receive awards. Sometimes, pop and rock artists also make appearances. The first CMA Awards were given out in 1967, and the show was first shown on TV the next year.

History of the CMA Awards

The very first CMA Awards ceremony happened on October 20, 1967, in Nashville. It wasn't shown on TV. That night, Eddy Arnold won the Entertainer of the Year award.

The second CMA Awards show was in October 1968. NBC recorded it and showed it on TV a few weeks later. Since then, the awards have been shown live on TV, usually in October or November. NBC broadcast the show from 1969 to 1971. Then, CBS took over from 1972 to 2005. Since 2006, ABC has been the network for the CMA Awards.

From 1968, the awards were held at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. This included the Ryman Auditorium at first, and then the new Grand Ole Opry House from 1974 to 2004. In 2005, the show moved to Madison Square Garden in New York City for one year. Since 2006, the awards have been held at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. In 2020, the 54th CMA Awards were held at the Music City Center in Nashville.

Since 2017, the ceremony has been held on the second Wednesday of November. Before that, it was usually on the first Wednesday. The change was made to avoid clashing with a possible Game Seven of the Major League Baseball World Series. The 2016 CMA Awards aired on the same night as the final game of the 2016 World Series, and the baseball game had more viewers.

How Winners Are Chosen

Albums and songs released between July 1 of the year before and June 30 of the award show's year can be considered for an award. More than 7,300 people from the Country Music Association vote for the nominees and winners. They vote in three different rounds.

CMA Award Categories

Each year, awards are given in twelve main categories for artists. There are also nine awards for radio broadcasters.

Artist Awards

• Entertainer of the Year
• Male Vocalist of the Year
• Female Vocalist of the Year
• Vocal Group of the Year
• Vocal Duo of the Year (started in 1970)
• New Artist of the Year (used to be called the Horizon Award until 2008)
• Musician of the Year
• Album of the Year
• Single of the Year
• Song of the Year
• Musical Event of the Year (separated from Vocal Duo in 1988)
• Video of the Year (started in 1985)

The difference between the Duo and Event awards is that Duo is for two artists who usually perform together. The Event award is for one-time collaborations between artists.

Since 2012, there has also been a Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors artists for their long and successful careers.

Special Achievements

Only a few artists have won the top awards in the same year. Vince Gill and Alan Jackson are the only ones to win Entertainer of the Year, Male/Female Vocalist or Group/Duo of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year all in the same year.

Radio Awards

These awards recognize the best radio personalities and stations across different market sizes.

• National Personality of the Year
• Major Market Personality of the Year
• Large Market Personality of the Year
• Medium Market Personality of the Year
• Small Market Personality of the Year
• Major Market Station of the Year
• Large Market Station of the Year
• Medium Market Station of the Year
• Small Market Station of the Year

International Achievement Awards

The CMA also gives awards to artists and music leaders from outside the United States.

International Artist Achievement Award

This award used to be called the International Touring Artist Award. It celebrates a U.S.-based artist who has done a great job of growing and promoting country music outside of the United States. The Chicks were the first artists to win this award twice. In 2008, more than one artist won the award.

• 2023: Luke Combs
• 2022: Ashley McBryde
• 2021: Luke Combs
• 2020: Keith Urban
• 2019: Kacey Musgraves
• 2018: Little Big Town
• 2017: Carrie Underwood
• 2016: Kacey Musgraves
• 2014: Brad Paisley
• 2013: Taylor Swift
• 2012: Lady Antebellum
• 2011: Brad Paisley
• 2009: Taylor Swift
• 2008: Dierks Bentley and Brooks & Dunn
• 2007: Dwight Yoakam
• 2006: Dixie Chicks
• 2005: Keith Urban
• 2004: Dolly Parton
• 2003: Dixie Chicks
• 2002: Bellamy Brothers
• 2001: Lonestar
• 2000: Reba McEntire
• 1999: Shania Twain
• 1998: Trisha Yearwood
• 1997: The Mavericks
• 1996: BR5 49

Global Country Achievement Award

This award is named after Jeff Walker. It honors a country music artist from outside the United States who has helped make country music more popular in their home country. This award started in 2003 and has been given out every year since, except for 2015. Artists from Australia have won this award most often.

• 2024: Josh Ross (Canada)
• 2023: Kaylee Bell (New Zealand)
• 2022: Ilse DeLange (The Netherlands)
• 2021: The Shires (UK)
• 2020: Ilse DeLange (The Netherlands)
• 2019: Travis Collins (Australia) and Ward Thomas (UK)
• 2018: Dean Brody (Canada)
• 2017: The Shires (UK)
• 2016: Gord Bamford (Canada)
• 2014: Morgan Evans (Australia)
• 2013: Gord Bamford (Canada)
• 2012: Jasmine Rae (Australia)
• 2011: The McClymonts (Australia)
• 2010: Tommy Emmanuel (Australia)
• 2009: Catherine Britt (Australia)
• 2008: Troy Cassar-Daley (Australia)
• 2007: Adam Harvey (Australia)
• 2006: Jason McCoy (Canada)
• 2005: Paul Brandt (Canada)
• 2004: Kasey Chambers and Slim Dusty (Australia)
• 2003: Lee Kernaghan (Australia)

International Broadcaster of the Year

This award is for radio broadcasters outside the United States. It recognizes those who have done a great job helping country music grow in their country. Up to three people can win this award each year, but they must be from different countries.

• 2021: Baylen Leonard (UK)
• 2020: Ben Earle (UK)
• 2019: Baylen Leonard (UK)
• 2018: Chris Stevens (UK)
• 2017: Bob Harris (UK)
• 2016: Paul McGuire (Canada)
• 2014: Ricky Ross (UK)
• 2013: Bob Harris (UK)
• 2012: David Burton (Australia), Takehisa Matsuda (Japan) and Lee Williams (UK)
• 2011: Ken McLeod (Scotland), Felicity Urquhart (Australia) and Brian D'Arcy (Northern Ireland)
• 2010: Sandy Harsch (Ireland), Larry Cann (Australia) and Alan Watkiss (UK)
• 2009: Grant Goldman (Australia), Casey Clarke (Canada) and Brian Clough (UK)
• 2008: Pio McCann (Ireland), John Bond (Australia) and Joe Fish (UK)
• 2007: Nick Erby (Australia), Jackie-Rae Greening (Canada) and Georges Lang (France)
• 2006: Tim Rogers (UK), Ian Holland (Australia) and Helen Macpherson (Scotland)
• 2005: The Odd Squad (Canada), Ray Hadley (Australia) and Bryan Burnett (Scotland)
• 2004: Trevor Campbell (UK), Bob Harris (UK) and Nikos Garavelas (Greece)
• 2003: Pat Geary (Scotland), Johnnie Walker (UK) and John Laws (Australia)
• 2002: Stuart Cameron and David Allan (UK)
• 2001: Gary Beattie (Australia) and Bill Black (UK)
• 2000: Thomas Jeier (Germany), Korneliusz Pacuda (Poland), John Nutting (Australia) and Dick Barrie (Scotland)
• 1999: Trevor Smith (Australia), Dieter Vulpus and Bernd Schroeder (Germany), Country FM (The Netherlands)
• 1998: Ruud Hermans and Jan de Jong (The Netherlands), Lloyd Cole (Wales) and Kirsten Helm Petersen (Denmark)
• 1997: Walter Fuchs (Germany), Nick Erby and John Laws (Australia)

CMA Awards Hosts

The first CMA Awards in 1967 were hosted by Sonny James and Bobbie Gentry. Vince Gill hosted the awards for many years, from 1992 to 2003. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood were a popular hosting duo from 2008 to 2018.

For the 2019 show, Carrie Underwood hosted with Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. Reba McEntire returned to host in 2020 with Darius Rucker. Luke Bryan hosted the 2021 show by himself. Luke Bryan then hosted the 2022 ceremony with Peyton Manning. Bryan and Manning returned to host the 2024 ceremony with Lainey Wilson.

Hosts by Number of Times Hosted

Award Milestones

Most Wins

Most Nominations

Winning Four Main Awards in One Year

Only two artists have won the top four awards in a single year. These awards are: Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Male Vocalist/Female Vocalist/Group/Duo of the Year, and Song of the Year. Vince Gill achieved this in 1993, and Alan Jackson did it in 2002.

Images for kids

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  Lainey Wilson

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  Chris Stapleton

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  Cody Johnson

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  Morgan Wallen