Country Music Association Awards
The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards or CMAs, are presented to country music artists and broadcasters to recognize outstanding achievement in the country music industry. The televised annual presentation ceremony features performances and award presentations by popular country music artists, with occasional appearances from pop and rock artists. The CMA Awards were first presented in 1967, and televised for the first time the following year.
History
The first CMA awards were presented at an untelevised ceremony at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in 1967; the Entertainer of the Year award that night went to Eddy Arnold. The second annual CMA awards were presented in October 1968; NBC taped the ceremony and televised it a few weeks later. Since then, the awards have been televised live, usually in October or November, by NBC from 1969 through 1971, by CBS from 1972 through 2005, and by ABC beginning in 2006. Starting in 1968 they were held at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry.In 2005, the awards show was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Since 2006, they have been held at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.
Prior to 2017, the awards were generally held on the first Wednesday in November. However, since then the awards have been rescheduled for later in the month to avoid conflict with a possible game seven of Major League Baseball’s World Series, since the 2016 ceremony aired the same night as Fox’s eventual telecast of game seven of the 2016 Series, which beat the CMA Awards in the ratings.
Eligibility and voting
Albums and songs released between July 1 of the previous calendar year and June 30 of the award show's year are eligible for consideration. More than 7,300 individuals from the Country Music Association trade group vote for the nominees and winners through three rounds of balloting.Awards
Annual awards are given in the following twelve categories: Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, New Artist, Vocal Group, Vocal Duo, Single, Album, Song, Musical Event, Music Video, and Musician. The distinction between the Duo and Event awards is that the former is presented to two artists who normally perform together, while the latter was specifically created to honor one-off collaborations. Nine awards are also given to radio broadcasters for Station of the Year and Personality of the Year, as well as National Personality of the Year to the host of a nationally syndicated show. Since 2012, the ceremony features a Lifetime Achievement Award. Vince Gill, and Alan Jackson are the only individuals to win Entertainer of the Year, Male/Female Vocalist of the Year or Group/Duo of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year all in the same year.Categories
- Entertainer of the Year
- Male Vocalist of the Year
- Female Vocalist of the Year
- Vocal Group of the Year
- Vocal Duo of the Year
- New Artist of the Year
- Musician of the Year
- Album of the Year
- Single of the Year
- Song of the Year
- Musical Event of the Year
- Video of the Year
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- International Achievement Award
- Comedian of the Year
- Instrumental Group of the Year
- 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
Major awards
| Year | Entertainer of the Year | Male Vocalist of the Year | Female Vocalist of the Year | New Artist of the Year / Horizon Award | Song of the Year | Album of the Year |
| 2019 | Garth Brooks | Luke Combs | Kacey Musgraves | Ashley McBryde | Luke Combs, Wyatt B. Durrette III, Robert Williford - "Beautiful Crazy" | Girl |
| 2018 | Keith Urban | Chris Stapleton | Carrie Underwood | Luke Combs | Chris Stapleton and Mike Henderson – "Broken Halos" | Golden Hour |
| 2017 | Garth Brooks | Chris Stapleton | Miranda Lambert | Jon Pardi | Taylor Swift – "Better Man" | ' |
| 2016 | Garth Brooks | Chris Stapleton | Carrie Underwood | Maren Morris | Lori McKenna – "Humble and Kind" | Mr. Misunderstood |
| 2015 | Luke Bryan | Chris Stapleton | Miranda Lambert | Chris Stapleton | Liz Rose, Lori McKenna and Hillary Lindsey – "Girl Crush" | Traveller |
| 2014 | Luke Bryan | Blake Shelton | Miranda Lambert | Brett Eldredge | Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally, Brandy Clark – "Follow Your Arrow" | Platinum |
| 2013 | George Strait | Blake Shelton | Miranda Lambert | Kacey Musgraves | Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington, Jimmy Yeary – "I Drive Your Truck" | Based on a True Story... |
| 2012 | Blake Shelton | Blake Shelton | Miranda Lambert | Hunter Hayes | Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton – "Over You" | Chief |
| 2011 | Taylor Swift | Blake Shelton | Miranda Lambert | The Band Perry | Kimberly Perry – "If I Die Young" | My Kinda Party |
| 2010 | Brad Paisley | Blake Shelton | Miranda Lambert | Zac Brown Band | Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin – "The House That Built Me" | Revolution |
| 2009 | Taylor Swift | Brad Paisley | Taylor Swift | Darius Rucker | Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller, James Otto – "In Color" | Fearless |
| 2008 | Kenny Chesney | Brad Paisley | Carrie Underwood | Lady Antebellum | Jennifer Nettles – "Stay" | Troubadour |
| 2007 | Kenny Chesney | Brad Paisley | Carrie Underwood | Taylor Swift | Bill Anderson, Jamey Johnson, Buddy Cannon – "Give It Away" | It Just Comes Natural |
| 2006 | Kenny Chesney | Keith Urban | Carrie Underwood | Carrie Underwood | Craig Wiseman, Ronnie Dunn – "Believe" | Time Well Wasted |
| 2005 | Keith Urban | Keith Urban | Gretchen Wilson | Dierks Bentley | Bill Anderson, Jon Randall – "Whiskey Lullaby" | There's More Where That Came From |
| 2004 | Kenny Chesney | Keith Urban | Martina McBride | Gretchen Wilson | Craig Wiseman, Tim Nichols – "Live Like You Were Dying" | When the Sun Goes Down |
| 2003 | Alan Jackson | Alan Jackson | Martina McBride | Joe Nichols | Doug Johnson, Kim Williams – "Three Wooden Crosses" | ' |
| 2002 | Alan Jackson | Alan Jackson | Martina McBride | Rascal Flatts | Alan Jackson – "Where Were You " | Drive |
| 2001 | Tim McGraw | Toby Keith | Lee Ann Womack | Keith Urban | Larry Cordle, Larry Shell – "Murder on Music Row" | O Brother, Where Art Thou? |
| 2000 | Dixie Chicks | Tim McGraw | Faith Hill | Brad Paisley | Mark D. Sanders, Tia Sillers – "I Hope You Dance" | Fly |
| 1999 | Shania Twain | Tim McGraw | Martina McBride | Jo Dee Messina | Beth Neilsen Chapman, Annie Roboff, Rob Lerner – "This Kiss" | A Place in the Sun |
| 1998 | Garth Brooks | George Strait | Trisha Yearwood | Dixie Chicks | Steve Wariner, Billy Kirsch – "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" | Everywhere |
| 1997 | Garth Brooks | George Strait | Trisha Yearwood | LeAnn Rimes | Matraca Berg, Gary Harrison – "Strawberry Wine" | Carrying Your Love with Me |
| 1996 | Brooks & Dunn | George Strait | Patty Loveless | Bryan White | Vince Gill – "Go Rest High on That Mountain" | Blue Clear Sky |
| 1995 | Alan Jackson | Vince Gill | Alison Krauss | Alison Krauss | Gretchen Peters – "Independence Day" | When Fallen Angels Fly |
| 1994 | Vince Gill | Vince Gill | Pam Tillis | John Michael Montgomery | Alan Jackson, Jim McBride – "Chattahoochee" | ' |
| 1993 | Vince Gill | Vince Gill | Mary Chapin Carpenter | Mark Chesnutt | John Barlow Jarvis, Vince Gill – "I Still Believe in You" | I Still Believe in You |
| 1992 | Garth Brooks | Vince Gill | Mary Chapin Carpenter | Suzy Bogguss | Max D. Barnes, Vince Gill – "Look at Us" | Ropin' the Wind |
| 1991 | Garth Brooks | Vince Gill | Tanya Tucker | Travis Tritt | Tim DuBois, Vince Gill – "When I Call Your Name" | No Fences |
| 1990 | George Strait | Clint Black | Kathy Mattea | Garth Brooks | Don Henry, Jon Vezner – "Where've You Been" | Pickin' on Nashville |
| 1989 | George Strait | Ricky Van Shelton | Kathy Mattea | Clint Black | Max D. Barnes, Vern Gosdin – "Chiseled in Stone" | ' |
| 1988 | Hank Williams, Jr. | Randy Travis | K. T. Oslin | Ricky Van Shelton | K. T. Oslin – "80's Ladies" | Born to Boogie |
| 1987 | Hank Williams, Jr. | Randy Travis | Reba McEntire | Holly Dunn | Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz – "Forever and Ever, Amen" | Always & Forever |
| 1986 | Reba McEntire | George Strait | Reba McEntire | Randy Travis | Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz – "On the Other Hand" | Lost in the Fifties Tonight |
| 1985 | Ricky Skaggs | George Strait | Reba McEntire | Sawyer Brown | Lee Greenwood – "God Bless the USA" | Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind |
| 1984 | Alabama | Lee Greenwood | Reba McEntire | The Judds | Larry Henley, Jeff Silbar – "Wind Beneath My Wings" | A Little Good News |
| 1983 | Alabama | Lee Greenwood | Janie Fricke | John Anderson | Wayne Carson Thompson, Johnny Christopher, Mark James – "Always on My Mind" | The Closer You Get... |
| 1982 | Alabama | Ricky Skaggs | Janie Fricke | Ricky Skaggs | Wayne Carson Thompson, Johnny Christopher, Mark James – "Always on My Mind" | Always on My Mind |
| 1981 | Barbara Mandrell | George Jones | Barbara Mandrell | Terri Gibbs | Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman – "He Stopped Loving Her Today" | I Believe in You |
| 1980 | Barbara Mandrell | George Jones | Emmylou Harris | No award presented | Bobby Braddock, Curly Putman – "He Stopped Loving Her Today" | Coal Miner's Daughter Soundtrack |
| 1979 | Willie Nelson | Kenny Rogers | Barbara Mandrell | No award presented | Don Schlitz – "The Gambler" | The Gambler |
| 1978 | Dolly Parton | Don Williams | Crystal Gayle | No award presented | Richard Leigh – "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" | It Was Almost Like a Song |
| 1977 | Ronnie Milsap | Ronnie Milsap | Crystal Gayle | No award presented | Roger Bowling, Hal Bynum – "Lucille" | Ronnie Milsap: Live |
| 1976 | Mel Tillis | Ronnie Milsap | Dolly Parton | No award presented | Larry Weiss – "Rhinestone Cowboy" | Wanted! The Outlaws |
| 1975 | John Denver | Waylon Jennings | Dolly Parton | No award presented | John Denver – "Back Home Again" | A Legend in My Time |
| 1974 | Charlie Rich | Ronnie Milsap | Olivia Newton-John | No award presented | Don Wayne – "Country Bumpkin" | A Very Special Love Song |
| 1973 | Roy Clark | Charlie Rich | Loretta Lynn | No award presented | Kenny O'Dell – "Behind Closed Doors" | Behind Closed Doors |
| 1972 | Loretta Lynn | Charley Pride | Loretta Lynn | No award presented | Freddie Hart – "Easy Loving" | Let Me Tell You About a Song |
| 1971 | Charley Pride | Charley Pride | Lynn Anderson | No award presented | Freddie Hart – "Easy Loving" | I Won't Mention It Again |
| 1970 | Merle Haggard | Merle Haggard | Tammy Wynette | No award presented | Kris Kristofferson – "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" | Okie from Muskogee |
| 1969 | Johnny Cash | Johnny Cash | Tammy Wynette | No award presented | Bob Ferguson – "The Carroll County Accident" | Johnny Cash at San Quentin |
| 1968 | Glen Campbell | Glen Campbell | Tammy Wynette | No award presented | Bobby Russell – "Honey" | Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison |
| 1967 | Eddy Arnold | Jack Greene | Loretta Lynn | No award presented | Dallas Frazier – "There Goes My Everything" | There Goes My Everything |