Lainey Wilson, Kane Brown & Other Artists Lead 2023 CMT Music Award Noms

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Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Kane Brown, Carrie Underwood and other powerhouse country artists are nominated in some of the most highly-anticipated categories at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

Wilson leads with four nominations, followed by Johnson, Jelly Roll (a first-time nominee) and Brown, who were each nominated in three categories. Underwood is nominated again in the Video of the Year category, which lists the most-ever nominees. The “Ghost Story” superstar is the reigning artist to earn the highest number of awards in CMT history, with 25 wins. Twenty-one artists received first-time nods at the upcoming awards show. The list of nominees “spotlights rising stars, country icons and out-of-genre superstars,” CMT notes in a press release Wednesday morning (March 8).

The Video of the Year category lists 16 nominees, including Underwood. Others include Ashley McBryde (with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark and Pillbox Patti), Blake Shelton, Gabby Barrett, Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban, Little Big Town and others. CMT seeks to spotlight rising artists with its expanded Breakthrough Video of the Year category, breaking out male and female nominees for the first time, per CMT’s announcement on Wednesday. Nominees include Kylie Morgan, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade, Bailey Zimmerman, Jackson Dean, Nate Smith and more.

The 21 first-time CMT Music Awards nominees include: 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. Judd is nominated twice, including once with her late mother, Naomi Judd, for the beloved mother-daughter duo’s final performance together at the 2022 CM Music Awards show. The Judds delivered a powerful rendition of “Love Can Build A Bridge.”

Other first-time nominees and out-of-genre artists include Black Pumas, Emmy Russell and Jake Scott. Pop titan Katy Perry also received a nod, marking her first in nearly a decade.

Brown is set to co-host the fan-voted awards show with Kelsea Ballerini. The 2023 CMT Music Awards will air live from Moody Center in Austin, Texas, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, per CMT. The show is set for April 2 on CBS.

See the full list of 2023 CMT Music Awards nominees here:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

GROUP/DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR 

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

 

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

 

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR 

CMT DIGITAL-FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

  • 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)