Ella Langley and Riley Green win big at the star-studded 2025 Country Music Association Awards

By Canadian Press on November 19, 2025.

NEW YORK (AP) — Excuse me, you look like you like … country award shows. And you’re in luck: The 2025 Country Music Association Awards are here.

Early on it was a big night for Ella Langley and Riley Green, who took home the first award, single of the year, for their retro radio hit, “You Look Like You Love Me.”

The second award went to Brooks & Dunn for vocal duo of the year, their 16th win in the category. “I heard earlier tonight, ‘Man, y’all ever get sick of this?’” Kix Brooks said in his acceptance speech. “Hell no!”

The 59th annual CMA Awards were broadcast live Wednesday from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on ABC and will be available to stream Thursday on Hulu.

It may very well prove to be a big night for women in country music. Langley, Megan Moroney and host Lainey Wilson led this year’s nominations with six nods each.

Wilson was also competing for the night’s highest honor — CMA entertainer of the year — against Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen, last year’s winner in the category.

Combs opened the show with a fiery rendition of his single “Back in the Saddle,” setting the stage for Wilson to launch into a spirited medley. She was joined by a star-studded crew of surprise collaborators, Little Big Town and Keith Urban among them.

The nominees for new artist of the year were Langley, Shaboozey, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr. and Zach Top, who performed his ode to six-strings, “Guitar,” early in the show.

And the legendary Vince Gill was to be presented with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

Shaboozey, Stapleton, Langley, Moroney, Wetmore, Wilson and Wilson. Jr were all set to perform, as well as Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays and rapper BigXThaPlug.

The CMA Awards are nominated and voted on by members of the Country Music Association, which includes music executives, artists, publicists, songwriters and other industry professionals.

Maria Sherman, The Associated Press

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