Country’s Biggest Night Gears Up: CMA Awards Reveal Star-Packed First Round of Performers
- All Country News
- 29 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The lights of Music City are about to burn brighter than ever as the Country Music Association and ABC unveil the first wave of performers for The 59th Annual CMA Awards. This year’s show promises to be a thrilling collision of tradition and transformation, a place where legends, trailblazers, and breakout stars will share one stage for one unforgettable night.
Airing live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19 on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu. The show’s freshly announced lineup reads like a love letter to the full spectrum of country music. From first-time nominees to genre-bending game changers, the stage will be lit with performances by BigXthaPlug, Luke Combs, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore, Lainey Wilson, and Stephen Wilson Jr.
Lainey Leads the Way
Returning to host for the second year in a row, reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Lainey Wilson is pulling double duty and if her powerhouse year is any indication, she’s more than up for the task. Nominated six times this year, Wilson will command the stage with a performance that’s being teased as one of the night’s defining moments.
Combs, Collabs, and Country Cool
Luke Combs, a three-time nominee this year, is bringing his brand of high-octane storytelling to the stage with a performance of “Back in the Saddle.” But Combs isn’t riding solo, he’s teaming up with Texas rapper BigXthaPlug for a bold, genre-crossing rendition of their new collaboration “Pray Hard.” It’s the kind of unexpected pairing that defines the CMA stage where country grit meets boundary-breaking swagger.
Meanwhile, Shaboozey, one of 2025’s biggest crossover stars, joins Stephen Wilson Jr. for a haunting performance of “Took A Walk,” their duet from The Long Walk, the cinematic adaptation of Stephen King’s 1979 novel. It’s a pairing that captures the spirit of country’s modern renaissance, fearless, creative, and impossible to ignore.
Rising Stars, Defining Moments
The next wave of country’s torchbearers are set to have their moments in the spotlight. Six-time nominee and reigning CMA Musical Event of the Year winner Ella Langley will deliver her fiery new single “Choosin’ Texas,” while fellow six-time nominee Megan Moroney, last year’s CMA New Artist of the Year, will perform her deeply personal fan-favorite, “6 Months Later.”
Neo-traditionalist Zach Top whose vintage twang is turning heads across the industry will bring his toe-tapping single “Guitar” to life, while breakout sensation Tucker Wetmore, nominated for New Artist of the Year, will bring the crowd to its feet with his viral hit “Wind Up Missin’ You.”
And in one of the night’s most heartfelt moments, Stephen Wilson Jr. will honor the enduring spirit of soul and country with a stirring cover of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.”
A Night to Remember
As anticipation builds, the CMA Awards continue to prove why they remain the gold standard of country music celebration, a place where stories meet songs, and artists meet their moment. With more performers and presenters still to be announced, this year’s show is shaping up to be an electrifying blend of grit, grace, and full-throttle artistry.
Tickets for The 59th Annual CMA Awards are on sale now at CMAawards.com/tickets.
So circle the date, grab your boots, and get ready because come November 19,
Nashville’s biggest night will once again remind the world why country music never stops evolving, and never stops shining.
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