CMT Music Awards Performers Announced: Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton & More

The 2023 CMT Music Awards is nearly upon us, with country music’s only fan-voted awards show scheduled for Sunday, April 2 from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center.

Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Keith Urban, co-host Kelsea Ballerini and Lainey Wilson will each take the stage to perform, joining previously announced performers Carrie Underwood and co-host Kane Brown and wife Katelyn Brown.

Additional performers, presenters and details will be announced soon.

Lainey Wilson is the leading nominee. She nabbed four nods, including ‘Video Of The Year’, ‘Female Video Of The Year’, ‘Collaborative Video Of The Year’ and ‘CMT Performance Of The Year’.

Cody Johnston, Kane Brown and Jelly Roll follow, each with three nominations.

There are 17 nominees in the first round of fan voting for the night’s top honour – ‘Video of the Year’ – including Carrie Underwood, who, with 25 wins, is the most-awarded artist in CMT history.

Other nominees for the night’s top honour include: Ashley McBryde with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark and Pillbox Patti; Blake Shelton; Cody Johnson; Elle King and Dierks Bentley; Gabby Barrett; HARDY and Lainey Wilson; Jimmie Allen; Keith Urban; Little Big Town; Luke Bryan; Luke Combs; Morgan Wallen; Walker Hayes; Kelsea Ballerini; and Kane Brown with wife, Katelyn.

In addition, CMT is expanding its ‘Breakthrough Video of the Year’ category into male and female subcategories to more thoroughly celebrate country music’s new talent.

There are 12 nominees across the twin categories, including Avery Anna, Kylie Morgan, MacKenzie Porter, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade and Tiera Kennedy in ‘Breakthrough Female’. Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll and Nate Smith comprise the ‘Breakthrough Male’ category.

There are 21 first-time nominees at this year’s show, including 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.

Out-of-genre artists include Black Pumas, Emmy Russell with Jake Scott, and Katy Perry, who receives her first nomination since 2015.

2023 CMT MUSIC AWARDS Nominations:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top six nominees, from the first round of voting, will be announced on March 27. The final three 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 - “Bonfire at Tina’s”
• Blake Shelton - “No Body”
• Carrie Underwood - “Hate My Heart”
• Cody Johnson - “Human”
• Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley - “Worth a Shot”
• Gabby Barrett - “Pick Me Up”
• HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson - “wait in the truck”
• Jimmie Allen - “Down Home”
• Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown - “Thank God”
• Keith Urban - “Wild Hearts”
• Kelsea Ballerini - “HEARTFIRST”
• Little Big Town - “Rich Man”
• Luke Bryan - “Country On”
• Luke Combs - “The Kind of Love We Make”
• Morgan Wallen - “You Proof”
• Walker Hayes - “AA”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

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

• Carly Pearce - “What He Didn’t Do”
• Carrie Underwood - “Ghost Story”
• Gabby Barrett - “Pick Me Up”
• Kelsea Ballerini - “HEARTFIRST”
• Lainey Wilson - “Heart Like a Truck”
• Maren Morris - “Humble Quest”
• Miranda Lambert - “Actin’ Up”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

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

• Bailey Zimmerman - “Rock and a Hard Place”
• Cody Johnson - “Human”
• Cole Swindell - “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”
• Jelly Roll - “Son of a Sinner”
• Kane Brown - “Like I Love Country Music”
• Luke Combs - “The Kind of Love We Make”
• Morgan Wallen - “Wasted on You”

GROUP/DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR

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

• Dan + Shay - “You (Performance Video)”
• Lady A - “Summer State of Mind”
• Little Big Town - “Hell Yeah”
• Parmalee - “Take My Name”
• The War and Treaty - “That’s How Love Is Made”
• Zac Brown Band - “Out in the Middle”

FEMALE BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR

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

• Avery Anna - “Narcissist”
• Kylie Morgan - “If He Wanted to He Would”
• MacKenzie Porter - “Pickup”
• Megan Moroney - “Tennessee Orange”
• Morgan Wade - “Wilder Days”
• Tiera Kennedy - “Found It in You”

MALE BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR

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

• Bailey Zimmerman - “Fall in Love”
• Corey Kent - “Wild as Her”
• Drake Milligan - “Sounds Like Something I’d Do”
• Jackson Dean - “Don’t Come Lookin’”
• Jelly Roll - “Son of a Sinner”
• Nate Smith - “Whiskey on You”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists.

• Elle King feat. Dierks Bentley - “Worth a Shot”
• HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson - “wait in the truck”
• Ingrid Andress with Sam Hunt - “Wishful Drinking”
• Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown - “Thank God”
• Midland feat. Jon Pardi - “Longneck Way to Go”
• Russell Dickerson feat. Jake Scott - “She Likes It”
• Thomas Rhett & Katy Perry - “Where We Started”

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 - “Colors” (from 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS)
• Chris Stapleton - “Whenever You Come Around” (from “CMT Giants: Vince Gill”)
• Cody Johnson - “‘Til You Can’t” (from 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS)
• Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson - “Never Say Never” (from 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS)
• Darius Rucker - “Let Her Cry” (from “CMT Storytellers”)
• Emmy Russell & Lukas Nelson - “Lay Me Down” (from “Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Loretta Lynn”)
• LeAnn Rimes with Ashley McBryde & Carly Pearce - “One Way Ticket” (from “CMT Crossroads: LeAnn Rimes & Friends”)
• Keith Urban - “Wild Hearts” (from 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS)
• The Judds - “Love Can Build a Bridge” (from 2022 CMT MUSIC AWARDS)
• Wynonna Judd & Brandi Carlile - “The Rose” (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 - “Time of the Cottonwood Trees” (from “CMT Campfire Sessions”)
• Chris Young - “Gettin’ You Home” (from “CMT Stages”)
• Ingrid Andress - “Wishful Drinking” (from “CMT Studio Sessions”)
• Jelly Roll - “Son of a Sinner” (from “CMT All Access”)
• Megan Moroney - “Tennessee Orange” (from “CMT Viral to Verified”)
• Scotty McCreery - “Damn Strait” (from “CMT Campfire Sessions”)

For more information and news, visit CMT.com.