Austin Snell Partied Like a CMA Winner, Without a Nomination

Austin Snell may not have been nominated for a CMA Award in 2025, but he still showed up, showed out… and celebrated like a winner.

The rising country rocker — and self-proclaimed espresso martini enthusiast — posted a cheeky video the day after the awards, summing up his big night.

“Didn’t win any CMA awards this year, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t hammer espresso martinis like I did…” he captioned a clip on Instagram.

Snell attended the show in Nashville, but it’s the afterparty energy that really stole the spotlight. The best part? Again — he wasn’t even in the running.

CMA Rookie, Pro-Level Celebration

Snell might not have had a nomination this year, but he’s been having the kind of breakout moment that usually lands you on that list soon.

Read More: 2025 CMA Awards Winners Revealed — See the Full List!

The Air Force veteran–turned–grunge-country standout dropped his Home Sweet Hell EP this year and quickly racked up millions of streams on his catalog.

His gritty, genre-bending singles like “Drunk,” “Heavy Metal,” and “Excuse the Mess” have earned him a loyal fanbase and a tour slot with Brantley Gilbert.

So yeah, the martinis? Kinda earned.

If This Is the Energy Without a Nom…

We’re just saying: if Austin Snell partied this hard without a CMA nod, we’re slightly concerned (in the best way) about what happens when he actually wins one.

We can only assume more espresso, less sleep, and maybe a viral video or two.

Meanwhile, at the CMAs…

The 2025 CMA Awards brought out country’s biggest names — and handed out some serious hardware on Wednesday (Nov. 19) in Nashville.

Read More: 9 Country Stars Who Skipped the 2025 CMA Awards

Lainey Wilson had a historic night, hosting solo for the first time and winning Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year.

Ella Langley and Riley Green also hit big, winning Song, Single, and Musical Event of the Year for “You Look Like You Love Me.”