As country music’s biggest night draws near, the 59th Annual CMA Awards are shaping up to be a historic one, with more than twenty potential records hanging in the balance. From long-standing icons to fast-rising stars, several artists could walk away not only with trophies but with their names etched permanently in CMA history.
At the top of the list, Chris Stapleton and Brooks & Dunn are locked in a neck-and-neck race to become the most awarded artists in CMA history. Both sit at 19 career wins, but with three nominations this year, Stapleton could push his total to a record-breaking 22. Meanwhile, Brooks & Dunn—already nominated once in 2025—could move to 20 and reclaim sole possession of the all-time title. Stapleton could also extend his record in the Male Vocalist of the Year category with what would be his ninth win, while tying Blake Shelton and Vince Gill for the most consecutive victories (five straight).
No one, however, faces more potential for a banner night than Lainey Wilson. The reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year is in the running for six awards, meaning she could become the first woman ever to sweep all five major CMA categories—Entertainer, Female Vocalist, Album, Single, and Song of the Year—in one night, a feat only Alan Jackson has achieved before (in 2002). With 9 career wins already under her belt, Wilson also has a chance to surpass Miranda Lambert’s record as the most-awarded female solo artist in CMA history (14 wins). Even one victory would move her past Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift to become the second most-awarded female solo artist ever.
Wilson could also tie Miranda Lambert by becoming only the second woman to win Album of the Year twice (following her 2023 win for “Bell Bottom Country”), and a fourth consecutive Female Vocalist win would put her in rare company with Lambert and Reba McEntire. Should she win Entertainer of the Year again, she would join Taylor Swift and Barbara Mandrell as only the third woman in CMA history to take home the night’s biggest prize multiple times.
Several other familiar names are poised to make history as well. Old Dominion could earn their eighth straight Vocal Group of the Year win, keeping their streak alive and moving within one of The Statler Brothers’ all-time record of nine. Brooks & Dunn, nominated yet again, could claim their sixteenth Vocal Duo of the Year trophy, further solidifying their dominance in the category. Maddie & Tae, meanwhile, could break new ground as only the second all-female duo ever to win, and the first in over three decades to do so since The Judds.
Luke Combs also enters the night as one to watch. A win for “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” could make him one of only nine artists to win Single of the Year multiple times, while another Entertainer of the Year trophy would place him alongside legends like Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Alan Jackson with three total wins in the top category.
Elsewhere, Kenny Chesney’s collaboration with Megan Moroney, “You Had To Be There,” could deliver his fifth Musical Event of the Year win, breaking his tie with Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, and Vince Gill for the record. Ella Langley and Riley Green could also make history by becoming the first duo of collaborators to win Musical Event of the Year two years in a row with the same partnership, following their 2024 win for “You Look Like You Love Me.”
And with six nominations each, Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, and Megan Moroney could all tie or break the record for the most CMA Awards won in a single night (five), held by Wilson (2023), Alan Jackson (2002), Vince Gill (1993), and Johnny Cash (1969).
From newcomers like Zach Top, who could join the elite group of artists to win Male Vocalist of the Year on their first nomination, to veterans like Cody Johnson and his shot at Entertainer of the Year glory, the 2025 CMA Awards are loaded with potential milestones. Whether it’s a record-breaking night for Lainey Wilson, a history-making return for Brooks & Dunn, or another chapter in the unstoppable rise of Chris Stapleton, country music fans can expect a night filled with legacy-defining moments. Information provided by Vegas Insider.
