Lainey Wilson Becomes Third Woman to Solo Host 2025 CMA Awards in Nashville

Lainey Wilson will solo host the 59th Annual CMA Awards broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on November 19, 2025, marking her second year hosting and making her one of the few women to do so alone, following Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. Wilson, a nine-time CMA Award winner and the 2023 Entertainer of the Year, is tied for the most nominations this year with six, including Entertainer of the Year. The show will air on ABC and be available the next day on Hulu. This is a notable shift from last year when Wilson co-hosted with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, and only the second time in over two decades the CMAs have had a solo host, the previous being Luke Bryan in 2021. The CMA Awards, known as Country Music's Biggest Night, is the longest-running annual music awards program on network television and is produced by the Country Music Association. Wilson expressed her honor and excitement at hosting solo again, highlighting her deep connection to the genre and the awards.