The CMT Music Awards took over Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena last night, and man it was quite a show!
Carrie Underwood was the night’s big winner taking home two trophies, Video of the Year for “Cry Pretty” and Female Video of the Year for “Love Wins.”Kane Brown took home the trophy for Male Video of the Year for "Lose It," while while Dan + Shay won Duo Video of the Year for "Speechless" and Keith Urban continued his CMT winning ways taking home Collaborative Video of the Year for “Coming Home," his song with Julia Michaels.
Meanwhile,Zac Brown Band took home the award for Group Video for “Somebody I Used To Know,” and had a message for new artists, which got Zac censored. He told them, “have courage to stand up against the machine, be yourself, work hard and one day you can stand up here and tell all the haters to F-off. “
Little Big Town were back as hosts for a second year in a row and got the job done, making jokes about whether “Old Town Road” is country or not (they seem to think it is), Dan +Shay’s makeup routine, the “Game of Thrones” Starbucks cup, beer pong in the audience with Midland and more.
Of course, what the night is known for is the performances, and there sure were some great ones.Highlights included:
- Thomas Rhett got the party started with his fun new song “Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time,” featuring Little Big Town and special guest Trombone Shorty.
- Brett Young and Boyz II Men recreated their “CMT Crossroads” special, teaming up for Brett’s “Here Tonight”
- Toby Keith took to the outdoor stage to sing his brand new single “That’s Country Bro,” before he was joined by Cole Swindell for Toby’s classic tune “Beer For My Horses.”
- Kelsea Balellerini opened her performance of “Miss Me More” with just her and her guitar, surrounded by an arena full of cellphone lights, and then eventually took the main stage with her band.
- Hosts Little Big Town returned to perform their emotional track “The Daughters,” under a glowing globe, and sparkly lights.
- Maren Morris brought some soul to the night for “Shade,” and was then joined by Sheryl Crow for their collaboration “Prove You Wrong,” although Stevie Nicks,who’s also featured on the song, wasn’t there.
- After Kimberly Schlapman and Karen Fairchild talked about the lack of female representation on country radio, they introduced Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker,who teamed for probably the single best moment of the night, a performance of Tanya’s classic track “Delta Dawn.” They were joined by a star-studded female guest list, including Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood, Lauren Alaina, Deana Carter, Rae LynnandCarly Pearce.
- Carrie Underwood didn’t actually perform at Bridgestone. Instead Carrie performed her song “Southbound” live from the Parthenon monument at Nashville’s Centennial Park. The party-like performance featured a lot of glow sticks and pyro.
- All of this year’s Breakthrough Video of the Year nominees got to perform a bit of their nominated songs on the Ram Trucks Side Stage, including Jimmie Allen (“Best Shot”),Jordan Davis (“Take It From Me”),Mitchell Tenpenny (“Drunk Me”),Morgan Wallen (“Whiskey Glasses”),Runaway June (“Buy My Own Drinks”), and Tenille Townes (“Somebody’s Daughter”).
- Luke Combs closed he show with a rousing rendition of his latest single “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” although there was so much confetti at the end yoy could barely see him.
- Among the other performances: Zac Brown Band performed “Someone I Used To Know,”Luke Bryan performed “Knockin’ Boots,” Kane Brown,performed his single “Short Skirt Weather” on at a stage in Downtown Nashville,Dan + Shay performed “All To Myself" also outside, and Keith Urban performed his brand new single “We Were.”
2019 CMT MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS LIST
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Carrie Underwood – “Cry Pretty” - WINNER
- Kane Brown – “Good as You”
- Keith Urban feat. Julia Michaels – “Coming Home”
- Kelsea Ballerini – “Miss Me More”
- Luke Combs – “She Got the Best of Me”
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Cole Swindell – “Break Up in the End”
- Eric Church – “Desperate Man”
- Jason Aldean feat. Miranda Lambert – “Drowns The Whiskey”
- Kane Brown – “Lose It” - WINNER
- Kenny Chesney – “Get Along”
- Luke Bryan – “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset”
- Thomas Rhett – “Life Changes”
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Brandi Carlile – “The Joke”
- Carly Pearce – “Closer To You”
- Carrie Underwood – “Love Wins” - WINNER
- Kacey Musgraves – “Space Cowboy”
- Kelsea Ballerini – “Miss Me More”
- Maren Morris – “GIRL”
- Miranda Lambert – “Keeper of the Flame"
DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Brothers Osborne – “I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)”
- Dan + Shay – “Speechless” - WINNER
- Florida Georgia Line – “Simple”
- LOCASH – “Feels Like A Party”
- Maddie & Tae – “Friends Don’t”
- Sugarland feat. Taylor Swift – “Babe”
GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Eli Young Band – “Love Ain’t”
- LANCO – “Born to Love You”
- Little Big Town – “Summer Fever”
- Midland – “Burn Out”
- Old Dominion – “Hotel Key”
- Zac Brown Band – “Someone I Used To Know” - WNNER
BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Ashley McBryde – “Girl Goin’ Nowhere (At Marathon Music Works)” - WINNER
- Jimmie Allen – “Best Shot”
- Jordan Davis – “Take It From Me”
- Mitchell Tenpenny – “Drunk Me”
- Morgan Wallen – “Whiskey Glasses”
- Runaway June – “Buy My Own Drinks”
- Tenille Townes – “Somebody’s Daughter”
COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell – “What Happens In A Small Town”
- Darius Rucker feat. Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Charles Kelley – “Straight To Hell”
- Dierks Bentley feat. Brothers Osborne – “Burning Man”
- Jason Aldean feat. Miranda Lambert – “Drowns The Whiskey”
- Keith Urban feat. Julia Michaels – “Coming Home” - WINNER
- Sugarland feat. Taylor Swift – “Babe”
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
- Brett Eldredge and Meghan Trainor – “Let You Be Right” (From CMT Crossroads)
- Boyz II Men and Brett Young – “Motownphilly” (From CMT Crossroads)
- Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and Gladys Knight – “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (From 2018 CMT Artists of the Year)
- Luke Combs and Leon Bridges – “Beautiful Crazy” (From CMT Crossroads) - WINNER
- Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile – “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” (From 2018 CMT Artists of the Year)
- Zac Brown Band and Shawn Mendes – “Keep Me In Mind” (From CMT Crossroads)