Lainey Wilson leads 2023 CMT Music Awards nominations

Twenty-one artists receive first-time nods as CMT spotlights rising stars, country icons and out-of-genre superstars

CMT has unveiled the highly-anticipated nominations for the 2023 CMT Music Awards, Paramount Globalโ€™s signature country music tentpole entirely fan-voted award show. Hosted by 2023 nominees Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the show airs live from Austin, Texasโ€™ Moody Center on Sunday, April 2nd from 8-11 pm ET/PT on CBS and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Each winner is selected by the fans, with voting now open at vote.cmt.com.

Breakout superstar Lainey Wilson leads this yearโ€™s star-studded list with a total of four nominations, including the highly coveted โ€œVideo of the Year,โ€ โ€œFemale Video of the Year,โ€ โ€œCollaborative Video of the Yearโ€ and โ€œCMT Performance of the Year.โ€ Artists with three nods this year include Cody Johnson, first-time nominee Jelly Roll and co-host Kane Brown.

The first round of nominations for the highly coveted โ€œVideo of the Yearโ€ award includes 16 acts, including another nod for Carrie Underwood, who reigns as the most awarded artist in CMT history with a total of 25 wins and is also slated to perform. Also facing off for the nightโ€™s biggest award: Ashley McBryde with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark + Pillbox Patti, Blake Shelton, Cody Johnson, Elle King + Dierks Bentley, Gabby Barrett, HARDY + Lainey Wilson, Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Walker Hayes, plus co-hosts Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown with wife Katelyn.

New this year, CMT continues its longstanding history of recognizing the next wave of rising stars by expanding its โ€œBreakthrough Video of the Yearโ€ category into Male and Female for the first time, recognizing the tremendous increase in the genreโ€™s breakout talent with a total of 12 nominees across the twin categories. This yearโ€™s โ€œBreakthrough Femaleโ€ nominees include Avery Anna, Kylie Morgan, MacKenzie Porter, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade and Tiera Kennedy; Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll and Nate Smith will compete in โ€œBreakthrough Male.โ€

Across all categories, CMT is recognizing 21 first-time nominees: Avery Anna, Bailey Zimmerman, Charley Crockett, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll, Katelyn Brown, Kylie Morgan, Lukas Nelson, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade, Nate Smith, Pillbox Patti, The War And Treaty, Tiera Kennedy and Wynonna Judd, who receives two nominations, including one with her late mother, Naomi Judd, for their final performance together at the 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS. The show continues to celebrate out-of-genre range of talent with first time nominees Black Pumas, Emmy Russell and Jake Scott; Katy Perry also receives her first nomination since 2015.

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 from 8-11:30 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.

Performers, presenters and additional details about the 2023 CMT Music Awards on CBS will be announced soon.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top 6 nominees, from the first round of voting, will be announced on March 27. The final 3 nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day, April 2. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.

  • Ashley McBryde, Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark & Pillbox Patti – โ€œBonfire At Tina’sโ€
  • Blake Shelton – โ€œNo Bodyโ€
  • Carrie Underwood – โ€œHate My Heartโ€
  • Cody Johnson – โ€œHumanโ€
  • Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – โ€œWorth A Shotโ€
  • Gabby Barrett – โ€œPick Me Upโ€
  • Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson – โ€œwait in the truckโ€
  • Jimmie Allen – โ€œDown Homeโ€
  • Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – โ€œThank Godโ€
  • Keith Urban – โ€œWild Heartsโ€
  • Kelsea Ballerini – โ€œHEARTFIRSTโ€
  • Little Big Town – โ€œRich Manโ€
  • Luke Bryan – โ€œCountry Onโ€
  • Luke Combs – โ€œThe Kind Of Love We Makeโ€
  • Morgan Wallen – โ€œYou Proofโ€
  • Walker Hayes – โ€œAAโ€
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist.

  • Carly Pearce – โ€œWhat He Didn’t Doโ€
  • Carrie Underwood – โ€œGhost Storyโ€
  • Gabby Barrett – โ€œPick Me Upโ€
  • Kelsea Ballerini – โ€œHeartfirstโ€
  • Lainey Wilson – โ€œHeart Like A Truckโ€
  • Maren Morris – โ€œHumble Questโ€
  • Miranda Lambert – โ€œActin’ Upโ€
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist.

  • Bailey Zimmerman – โ€œRock and A Hard Placeโ€
  • Cody Johnson – โ€œHumanโ€
  • Cole Swindell – โ€œShe Had Me At Heads Carolinaโ€
  • Jelly Roll – โ€œSon Of A Sinnerโ€
  • Kane Brown – โ€œLike I Love Country Musicโ€
  • Luke Combs – โ€œThe Kind Of Love We Makeโ€
  • Morgan Wallen – โ€œWasted On Youโ€
GROUP/DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists.

  • Dan + Shay – โ€œYou (Performance Video)โ€
  • Lady A – โ€œSummer State Of Mindโ€
  • Little Big Town – โ€œHell Yeahโ€
  • Parmalee – โ€œTake My Nameโ€
  • The War And Treaty – โ€œThat’s How Love Is Madeโ€
  • Zac Brown Band – โ€œOut In The Middleโ€
BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a female artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.

  • Avery Anna – โ€œNarcissistโ€
  • Kylie Morgan – โ€œIf He Wanted To He Wouldโ€
  • MacKenzie Porter – โ€œPickupโ€
  • Megan Moroney – โ€œTennessee Orangeโ€
  • Morgan Wade – โ€œWilder Daysโ€
  • Tiera Kennedy – โ€œFound It In Youโ€
BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a male artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.

  • Bailey Zimmerman – โ€œFall In Loveโ€
  • Corey Kent – โ€œWild as Herโ€
  • Drake Milligan – โ€œSounds Like Something I’d Doโ€
  • Jackson Dean – โ€œDon’t Come Lookin’โ€
  • Jelly Roll – โ€œSon Of A Sinnerโ€
  • Nate Smith – โ€œWhiskey On Youโ€
COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists.

  • Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley – โ€œWorth A Shotโ€
  • Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson – โ€œwait in the truckโ€
  • Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt – โ€œWishful Drinkingโ€
  • Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – โ€œThank Godโ€
  • Midland feat. Jon Pardi – โ€œLongneck Way To Goโ€
  • Russell Dickerson feat. Jake Scott – โ€œShe Likes Itโ€
  • Thomas Rhett & Katy Perry – โ€œWhere We Startedโ€
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).

  • Black Pumas & Mickey Guyton – โ€œColorsโ€ (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
  • Chris Stapleton – โ€œWhenever You Come Aroundโ€ (from CMT Giants: Vince Gill)
  • Cody Johnson – โ€œโ€˜Til You Canโ€™tโ€ (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
  • Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson – โ€œNever Say Neverโ€ (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
  • Darius Rucker – โ€œLet Her Cryโ€ (from CMT Storytellers)
  • Emmy Russell & Lukas Nelson – โ€œLay Me Downโ€ (from Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Loretta Lynn)
  • Keith Urban – โ€œWild Heartsโ€ (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
  • LeAnn Rimes with Ashley McBryde & Carly Pearce – โ€œOne Way Ticketโ€ (from CMT Crossroads: LeAnn Rimes & Friends)
  • The Judds – โ€œLove Can Build A Bridgeโ€ (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
  • Wynonna Judd & Brandi Carlile – โ€œThe Roseโ€ (from Naomi Judd: A River of Time Celebration)
CMT DIGITAL-FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Musical performance from a production, series or livestream created for CMT digital / social channels; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).

  • Charley Crockett – โ€œTime of the Cottonwood Treesโ€œ (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
  • Chris Young – โ€œGettinโ€™ You Homeโ€ (from CMT Stages)
  • Ingrid Andress – โ€œWishful Drinkingโ€ (from CMT Studio Sessions)
  • Jelly Roll – โ€œSon of A Sinnerโ€ (from CMT All Access)
  • Megan Moroney – โ€œTennessee Orangeโ€ (from CMT Viral To Verified)
  • Scotty McCreery – โ€œDamn Straitโ€ (from CMT Campfire Sessions)

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn