Brooks & Dunn become most-awarded artists in CMA history

The duo has captured its 20th win

During the 59th Annual CMA Awards, Brooks & Dunn reached a milestone unmatched in the history of the Country Music Association. With their 16th win for Vocal Duo of the Year, the iconic pair brought their career total to 20 CMA Awards, officially becoming the most-awarded artists in CMA history. The historic achievement is the latest benchmark in a career that has set the bar for country music excellence for more than three decades. As the best-selling country duo of all time, Brooks & Dunn have built a legacy rooted in groundbreaking music, era-defining hits, and an enduring connection with fans that spans generations.

“It’s hard not to be emotional about it,” shares Dunn. “Every night at these sold-out venues, Kix will ask the crowd, ‘How many of you are here for your first Brooks & Dunn show?’ and 80% of the audience are raising their hands. So, we’ll take this honor and try to make y’all proud.”

Brooks continues, “Someone asked us last night, ‘Y’all ever get sick of this?’ And my answer was a quick ‘Oh, hell no.’ This is too good. Thank you very much.
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Once artists like Brooks & Dunn hit the Country Music Hall of Fame, folks don’t expect much in the way of new ideas. But, 30-plus years into their career, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn long ago dialed in their generation-defining sound and style. The best-selling duo of all time, their yin-and-yang country-rock blend has earned them 20 No. 1s, plenty of material to fill stadium-rocking set lists. And with a Grammy-winning, course-of-history-shifting catalog written mostly themselves, they could rest easy knowing without doubt they left a permanent mark on the American songbook. But the duo has always been the restless type.

Out now via Sony Music Nashville, Reboot II is the sequel to their acclaimed 2019 album Reboot and follows the same format of giving today’s most engaging artists in and out of country music the near-impossible task of reimagining an iconic Brooks & Dunn song, except this time, the artists were given maximum creative freedom. With styles ranging from progressive country and classic bluegrass to heavy metal, orchestral pop, and beyond, the very fabric of songs most country fans know by heart was transformed. Whether it was ‘90s grunge, ‘70s style studio rock, or swampy soul, the duo encouraged each artist to throw out the playbook. The album’s 18 tracks include reinterpreted hits such as “Neon Moon,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” and “Believe,” resulting in a dynamic and eclectic collection that spans genres and generations.

Brooks & Dunn have the record of the longest-running country music residency in Las Vegas with Reba McEntire, and criss-cross North America year after year on their sold-out tours. In the spring of 2026, the duo will trek on their first-ever string of UK dates, headlining Europe’s largest country music festival, C2C 2026, with stops in Belfast, Glasgow, and London. They’ll return to the U.S. shortly after for Stagecoach before rejoining Morgan Wallen for eight stops on his Still the Problem Tour 2026.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn