Lainey Wilson is returning to host the CMA Awards, for the second year in a row. After hosting last year with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning. Wilson will host by herself for the upcoming ceremony. Bryan has hosted every year since 2021, with Peyton Manning joining him in 2022. The three hosted the show together in 2024.
“I grew up watching the CMA Awards like it was the Super Bowl, so to be hosting for a second year is a true honor,” Wilson says. “I’m humbled that CMA has trusted me with this role, and I can’t wait to love on this genre that has given me so much.”
The bell-bottom queen is ready, are y’all? ✨@LaineyWilson returns to host “The 59th Annual #CMAawards” LIVE November 19 on @ABCNetwork and stream next day on @Hulu! pic.twitter.com/WtnRaKKg57
— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) September 30, 2025
The 2025 CMA Awards Nominees
Wilson is tied with Ella Langley and Megan Moroney for the most nominations, with six each. Wilson is nominated for Single of the Year and Song of the Year for “4X4XU,” Album of the Year with Whirlwind, Female Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year, for “Somewhere Over Laredo,” and the night’s highest honor, Entertainer of the Year.
Wilson is nominated for Entertainer of the Year alongside Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen. Wilson won in the category one time, in 2023.
“It was huge that the people I look up to and respect voted for me,” Wilson shared with Everything Nash and other outlets after her win. “It’s really cool to be recognized. And the truth is, I’ve been working on my relationships in this town for 13 years, ’cause I knew at the end of the day, I could be a decent singer, and be a decent songwriter. But if I was a good person, people would remember that more than they would remember my songs.
“And I think in situations like that, that has come in handy,” she continued. “I will say, now that we won, I’m not the type of person that’s like, ‘All right, we did it. That’s it. We’ve just won the biggest award you can possibly win.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, well, they crowned me Entertainer of the Year, so it’s about time that I show them that I am,’ for the ones who thought that I deserved it, and for the ones that didn’t. That’s just who I am, and part of my DNA too.”
The 2025 CMA Awards Ceremony
The 2025 CMA Awards will air live on Wednesday, Nov. 19 on ABC, and stream the next day on Hulu. Performers and presenters will be announced in the near future.
Zach Top follows Wilson, Langley and Moroney, with five nominations. Riley Green and Johnson have four each. Kristian Bush, Combs, Stapleton and Wallen have three nominations. See a list of nominees here.
Photo Credit: Robby Klein/Disney