2023 CMA Awards: The Complete Winners List
Jelly Roll was named New Artist of the Year at the 57th annual CMA Awards. “Most importantly there is something poetic about a 39-year-old man winning New Artist of the Year,” Jelly Roll hollered from the stage. “Keep going, baby! Success is on the other side of it.”
But the biggest upset was in the Entertainer of the Year category where Lainey Wilson, a first-time Entertainer nominee, won the top prize. “It finally feels like country music is starting to love me back,” she said through tears. Wilson beat out last year’s winner Luke Combs and became the first woman to win Entertainer of the Year since Taylor Swift in 2011.
Elsewhere, Wilson won Album of the Year for Bell Bottom Country, Old Dominion took home Vocal Group of the Year, and Brothers Osborne were named Vocal Duo of the Year.
Combs’ recording of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 song “Fast Car” won both Single of the Year and Song of the Year. The latter category recognizes the songwriter and made Chapman the first Black songwriter to ever win the CMA Song of the Year trophy. “I’m sorry I couldn’t join you all tonight. It’s truly an honor for my song to be newly recognized after 35 years of its debut,” Chapman, who wasn’t present, wrote in a prepared statement. “Thank you to the CMAs and a special thanks to Luke and all of the fans of ‘Fast Car.'”
The 57th CMA Awards winners list:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson – WINNER
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“Fast Car,” Luke Combs – WINNER
“Heart Like a Truck,” Lainey Wilson
“Need a Favor,” Jelly Roll
“Next Thing You Know,” Jordan Davis
“Wait in the Truck,” Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson)
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville, Ashley McBryde
Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson – WINNER
Gettin’ Old, Luke Combs
One Thing at a Time, Morgan Wallen
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, Kelsea Ballerini
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Fast Car,” Luke Combs (Songwriter: Tracy Chapman) – WINNER
“Heart Like a Truck,” Lainey Wilson (Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson)
“Next Thing You Know,” Jordan Davis (Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne)
“Tennessee Orange,” Megan Moroney (Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams)
“Wait in the Truck,” Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson) (Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt)
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Lainey Wilson – WINNER
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton – WINNER
Morgan Wallen
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion – WINNER
Zac Brown Band
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks and Dunn
Brothers Osborne – WINNER
Dan + Shay
Maddie and Tae
The War and Treaty
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Save Me,” Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
“She Had Me at Heads Carolina (Remix),” Cole Swindell and Jo Dee Messina
“Thank God,” Kane Brown (with Katelyn Brown)
“Wait in the Truck,” Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson) – WINNER
“We Don’t Fight Anymore,” Carly Pearce (feat. Chris Stapleton)
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Light On in the Kitchen,” Ashley McBryde
“Memory Lane,” Old Dominion
“Need a Favor,” Jelly Roll
“Next Thing You Know,” Jordan Davis
“Wait in the Truck,” Hardy (feat. Lainey Wilson) – WINNER
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Zach Bryan
Jelly Roll – WINNER
Parker McCollum
Megan Moroney
Hailey Whitters
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jenee Fleenor – WINNER
Paul Franklin
Rob McNelley
Derek Wells
Charlie Worsham