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Morgan Wallen Receives 2025 CMA Awards International Artist Achievement Award
Already a 2025 CMA Award winner.
This year, Morgan Wallen is up for several trophies at the CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Album of the Year for his album I’m The Problem. He is also the reigning Entertainer of the Year and has 18 career CMA nominations in total, and has won just two of them, New Artist of the Year in 2019 and the aforementioned Entertainer of the Year in 2024.
Of course, he was banned from attending the CMA Awards in 2021 after a the infamous video surfaced of him using a racial slur, and he did not attend the show last year despite winning the evening’s biggest award. In many ways, Wallen and the CMA Awards have a complicated relationship, and it’s highly unlikely we’ll see him there this year, either.
Just about a week ago, we heard him take a shot at the CMA Awards during a surprise duet with Ella Langley, so I think it’s pretty safe to say there’s no love lost between Morgan and the CMA.
But he’s already a winner, as they announced last night that he is receiving the International Artist Achievement Award, which is:
“Given to a U.S.-based artist who has demonstrated significant creative growth, development, and promotion of country music internationally. It recognizes an artist’s success in expanding country music’s reach and influence outside of the United States, honoring their contributions to the global country music industry.”
Other recent winners of this award include artists Luke Combs and Ashley McBryde, and obviously, Morgan has had huge success overseas and previously broke a record at London’s Hyde Park for the largest country concert in the U.K. on July 4, 2024, which drew over 50,000 fans.
He’s sold out tons of shows overseas, and has fans that stream his music all over the world. It can’t be understated just how massive he is worldwide, and I don’t think any other artist deserved it more than him when it comes to international impact in country music this year.
I’m not sure how much it’s going to mean to him, and we’ll see if he ends up taking home any other CMA trophies this year, but he’s already a winner before the show has even aired:
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The 2025 CMA Awards will air live from the Bridgestone Arena on November 19 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC with Lainey Wilson taking over as solo host this year.
You can view the full list of nominees below.
2025 CMA Awards Nominees
Entertainer of the Year
Morgan Wallen
Luke Combs
Lainey Wilson
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Album of the Year
Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
Producer: Kristian Bush
Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey
F-1 Trillon – Post Malone
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
Mix Engineers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Male Vocalist of the Year
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Zach Top
Female Vocalist of the Year
Lainey Wilson
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Vocal Group of the Year
Old Dominion
The Red Clay Strays
Little Big Town
Lady A
Rascal Flatts
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Dan + Shay
Brothers Osborne
The War and Treaty
Maddie & Tae
Single of the Year
“4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
Producer: Kristian Bush
Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
“I Never Lie” – Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Mix Engineer: Mat Rovey
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green
Producer: Will Bundy
Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
Song of the Year
“4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
“Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney
“I Never Lie” – Zach Top
Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
“Texas” – Blake Shelton
Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green
Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
New Artist of the Year
Zach Top
Ella Langley
Stephen Wilson Jr.
Tucker Wetmore
Shaboozey
Musician of the Year
Jenee Fleenor (Fiddle)
Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar)
Brett Mason (Guitar)
Rob McNelley (Guitar)
Derek Wells (Guitar)
Music Video of the Year
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney
Directors: Alexander Gavillet, Megan Moroney
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood
Director: Dustin Haney
“Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson
Director: TK McKamy
“Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton
Director: Running Bear
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney
Musical Event of the Year
“Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green ft. Ella Langley
Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake w/ Jelly Roll
Producer: Micha Nichols
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson w/ Carrie Underwood
Producer: Trent Willmon
“Pour Me A Drink” – Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome
“You Had to Be There” – Megan Moroney ft. Kenny Chesney
Producer: Kristian Bush
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