The nominees for the 2025 CMA Awards are in, with Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson leading the list with six nods each. While there are plenty of worthy nominees, including Zach Top getting five nominations, and Tucker Wetmore receiving his first-ever CMA Awards nomination, there are several artists who should have been nominated, but weren’t.
Keep reading to find out who was surprisingly snubbed from this year’s list.
1. Luke Bryan
Luke Bryan hasn’t been nominated for a CMA Award since 2022, and that was for his “Buy Dirt” collaboration with Jordan Davis. The last time Bryan was nominated for a solo category is 2018, when he was nominated for Entertainer of the Year. The last time Bryan won an award is 2015, when he was named Entertainer of the Year, for the second year in a row.
Meanwhile, Bryan had one of the biggest years of any artist in country music. He had two back-to-back No., 1 hits with “Love You, Miss You, Mean It” and “Country Song Came On,” the latter of which became his 32nd time at the top of the charts. He also headlined his Country Song Came On Tour, and was a judge on American Idol. His omission is certainly not for lack of effort.
2. Keith Urban
Keith Urban hasn’t been nominated for a CMA Award since 2020, and he hasn’t won one since 2018, when he was named the Entertainer of the Year. In September, Urban released one of the most critically-acclaimed albums, with HIGH, the record that is the result of him scrapping a former project, determined to only release the best project possible. HIGH includes “Straight Line,” “Messed Up As Me” and “4X4XU,” his duet with Wilson.
Urban also kicked off his High and Alive World Tour, which is still in progress. Why he didn’t receive any nominations is truly odd.
3. Carly Pearce
It’s a mystery how Carly Pearce wasn’t nominated, for anything. While we love that Kelsea Ballerini and Miranda Lambert were both nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, Pearce had just as much success in the last year as both of them, talented as they are, and maybe more. Pearce had a hit single with “Truck on Fire,” from hummingbird, and headlined her own international Hummingbird World Tour.
Not to mention, Pearce’s vocals are always flawless. She will, without question, go down in history as one of the genre’s best singers of all time. She was also snubbed last year, which feels very, very odd.
4. Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll did receive one nomination, but it was for Musical Event of the Year, for his “Hard Fought Hallelujah” duet with Brandon Lake. It’s a worthy nomination, but Jelly Roll deserved so much more. Jelly Roll had two back-to-back hits, with “Liar” and “Heart of Stone.” He also headlined his massive Beautifully Broken Tour, and then joined Post Malone on his major tour.
The Nashville native definitely deserved to be nominated in more than one category.
5. Kenny Chesney
Like Jelly Roll, Kenny Chesney received one nomination, also for Musical Event of the Year, his for his “You Had To Be There” collaboration with Moroney. But Chesney also could have easily been named in other categories. He has a total of 33 No. 1 hits, including the recent “Just To Say We Did.” He also headlined his Las Vegas residency, and will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
6. Kane Brown
How Kane Brown is completely eliminated from the list of CMA Awards’ nominees is truly baffling. Brown released his The High Road record at the start of the year, which includes “Miles on It” and “Backseat Driver,” both No. 1 hits. He also headlined his own The High Road Tour. Artists with far less success have multiple nominations. He also was, surprisingly, snubbed last year as well.
7. Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery‘s days of being snubbed at awards shows are hopefully coming to an end. With his monster hit with “Bottle Rockets” with Hootie & the Blowfish (which was released too late to be considered for this year’s voting period), McCreery is bound to hear his name in the list of nominees in 2026.
Still, no one works harder than McCreery. He headlined his own tour, and toured with Brown, and had a hit single with “Fall of Summer.” Even more surprising, McCreery has never been nominated for a CMA Award.
8. Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton did receive one nomination, for his “Pour Me A Drink” collaboration with Post Malone, which is nominated for Musical Event of the Year. But one nomination, for a song on another artist’s album, isn’t enough after the year Shelton had.
Shelton’s masterful For Recreational Use Only album came out in May. He also celebrated his 30th No. 1 hit, with “Texas,” and headlined his own star-studded Friends and Heroes Tour. There is no way Shelton’s days of winning CMA Awards are over.
Shelton’s last nomination prior to this year is in 2019, which he also won, for Single of the Year, with “God’s Country.”
9. Thomas Rhett
How Thomas Rhett was completely ignored by the CMA – again – is perplexing. Rhett released his stunning About A Woman album in August of 2024. The record, an ode of sorts to his wife, Lauren Akins, includes two No. 1 singles, with “Beautiful as You” and “After All the Bars Are Closed.” Rhett also headlined his Better in Boots Tour.
Rhett hasn’t even been nominated since 2021. He’s a true talent that deserves a lot more recognition for his talent and hard work.
10. Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean has done plenty to earn a CMA Awards nomination. Aldean had his 30th No. 1 hit with “Whiskey Drink,” and headlined his massive Highway Desperado Tour.
Oddly, although Aldean has had more success than most, his last CMA Awards nomination took place in 2022. Even more surprising, he hasn’t won a CMA Award since 2011, for his “Don’t You Wanna Stay” duet with Kelly Clarkson, which won Musical Event of the Year. Aldean also won Album of the Year in 2011, for My Kinda Party. For an artist of Aldean’s caliber, he seems to be almost completely overlooked by the CMA Awards every year.
11. Jon Pardi
Jon Pardi broke the mold with his Honkytonk Hollywood album, released in April. The record, his fifth studio album, is his first record produced by Jay Joyce, proving Pardi is ready to break out of whatever self-imposed mold he once gave himself. Honkytonk Hollywood includes his current single, “Friday Night Heartbreaker.”
Pardi, who also launched his Honkytonk Hollywood Tour, only won one CMA Award, in 2017, for New Artist of the Year. He hasn’t been nominated since 2022.