Best: Backup Dancers Galore<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-megan-moroney-backup-dancers.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images \t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tBackup choreography during country music performances? We\u2019re here for it \u2014 and honestly, we want more of it! The country queens delivered killer sets all night, most backed by a crew of female dancers right by their side. It started at the top of the show as host Lainey Wilson kicked things off with a medley of hits while dancers sashayed through the Bridgestone Arena. Later in the night, she was joined by seven dancers in black with silver fringe (that we\u2019re sure David Crosby would have loved) for her performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d And during Megan Moroney\u2019s pink slumber-party take on \u201c6 Months Later,\u201d she was surrounded by dancers in matching PJs for some delightful choreography to the fun country-pop hit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nBest: It\u2019s a Guitar Rock Revival, Man!<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-rollingstone-2022\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-red-clay-guitar-rock.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Astrida Valigorsky\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tWhile twangy traditional country is surging, guitar rock is also on the rise. Two of the night\u2019s best performances chugged along on the strength of some loud-ass guitars: Chris Stapleton\u2019s growling \u201cBad As I Used to Be\u201d and the Red Clay Strays\u2019 \u201cPeople Hatin\u2019.\u201d Luke Combs\u2019 band turned their amps up to 11 too. And even Riley Green got a piece of the action, opening his rendition of \u201cWorst Way\u201d with a snaking electric guitar intro. We\u2019ll always stan for pedal steel, but this is a trend we were more than happy to hear.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWorst: Luke Combs Gets Fenced In<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-luke-combs.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tLuke Combs opened the CMA Awards with his latest single \u201cBack in the Saddle.\u201d It\u2019s a blast of muscular country-rock that crackles with energy. But why was he and his band so fenced in? And we mean that literally: Combs\u2019 band members were cordoned off behind a stockyard, like bulls waiting for their eight seconds. It looked weird, to be sure, but it also restricted Combs, one of country\u2019s most emotive live performers, who had to sing in what looked like a cattle chute. Wild horses should run free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nBest: Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless Show How to Tribute<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"Brandi](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-brandi-patty.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner\/Billboard\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tTrading verses on Vince Gill\u2019s 1990 hit \u201cWhen I Call Your Name,\u201d Carlile and Loveless did the Lifetime Achievement Award winner right. They harmonized on the chorus and hit all the high notes in their tender, heartfelt tribute that made Gill himself emotional. It was a great example of how the lifetime achievement\/tribute portion of an awards show doesn\u2019t always have to be the most cringeworthy part \u2014 sometimes it can even be the highlight. Just as good? Gill\u2019s acceptance speech, in which he not only honored his wife, Amy Grant, but spoke at length about the man the honor is named after: Willie Nelson. \u201cWhat I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family. He calls his band \u2018family,’\u201d Gill said. \u201cMan, that\u2019s a great way to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: BigXthaPlug Gets Bleeped<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-bigxthaplug.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tWhy have BigXthaPlug close the show if you\u2019re not going to let him do his thing? The Dallas rapper who crossed over into Music Row this year with his album I Hope You\u2019re Happy<\/em> teamed up with Luke Combs for their collab \u201cPray Hard.\u201d At just over two minutes, the song is already brief, and it felt even shorter thanks to all the censoring of the lyrics \u2014\u00a0because our virgin ears apparently just can\u2019t hear the words \u201cshit\u201d and \u201cass\u201d at 10:50 p.m. Eastern time. It was a statement to have BigX on the CMAs, but he was underused, making the last performance of the night a musical letdown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Lainey Wilson\u2019s Medley Magic<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-lainey-monologue-medley.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tKelly Clarkson\u2019s \u201cKellyokes\u201d might have some competition. Lainey Wilson opened the CMA Awards with a bang, delivering a killer medley of country hits \u2014 singing them back to the stars who made them famous. Taking the stage in a white, Elvis Presley-like jumpsuit with gold accents (plus a killer CMA-branded belt buckle), Wilson tore through \u201cWhite Horse\u201d to Chris Stapleton, \u201cHillbilly Deluxe\u201d to Brooks & Dunn, \u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d to Ella Langley, and \u201cRedneck Woman\u201d to Gretchen Wilson. She then brought out Little Big Town for \u201cGirl Crush\u201d before closing with \u201cWhere the Blacktop Ends\u201d alongside Keith Urban. Wilson makes anything sound like her own. (She also found a new gear with a highly choreographed and entertaining performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d) It\u2019s no wonder she swept the awards show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: \u2018Rolling Stone\u2019 Is Country\u2019s Favorite Shoutout (After Jesus)<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-RS-shoutouts.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Astrida Valigorsky\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tNot to brag or anything, but Rolling Stone<\/em> got a mention \u2014 or actually,\u00a0three! \u2014 at the CMA Awards. Sure, Jesus and his father got the bulk of the gratitude but we\u2019d argue we\u2019re a close second. First came Kelsea Ballerini, who debuted her introspective \u201cI Sit in Parks,\u201d shouting out how much we love her: \u201cRolling Stone says I\u2019m on the right road.\u201d Later, Kenny Chesney took things back to 2013 with a rendition of \u201cAmerican Kids,\u201d where he drops RS<\/em>\u2018s name in the chorus: \u201cPut me on the cover of the Rollin\u2019 Stone.\u201d (Keep manifesting, Kenny!) And finally, Old Dominion might not have been thinking of the magazine when they wrote \u201cOne Man Band,\u201d but they do sing, \u201cI don\u2019t wanna be a one man band\/I don\u2019t wanna be a rolling stone alone,\u201d in their medley. We\u2019ll take that one as a win, too!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWorst: The CMAs Really Need an In Memoriam Segment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-todd-snider-in-memoriam.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Beth Gwinn\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tCountry music suffered some tragic losses this year: Grand Ole Opry queen Jeannie Seely<\/a>, songwriter Brett James<\/a>, and, most recently, the alt-country troubadour Todd Snider<\/a>. Yet the CMAs didn\u2019t pay any sort of official tribute. It\u2019s high time the show devotes a segment each year to those we\u2019ve lost. In the case of Seely and Snider, it\u2019d have been a way to illustrate the opposite ends of country\u2019s wide spectrum. And for James, who wrote massive radio hits like \u201cJesus, Take the Wheel,\u201d it\u2019d help recognize the humans behind the song. Mad respect to Kenny Chesney, who took matters into his own hands and flashed a photo of James onscreen during his performance of \u201cWhen the Sun Goes Down,\u201d a James solo write.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Stephen Wilson Jr. Meets His Moment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-swj-shaboozey.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tDespite sold-out shows and critical praise for his album Son of Dad<\/em>, Stephen Wilson Jr. has been regarded as a cult country act. That all changed last night, when the singer, songwriter, and onetime microbiologist was placed in front of a mass audience and met the moment. Wilson hypnotized the audience in the arena and those watching at home with a haunting performance of Ben E. King\u2019s \u201cStand by Me,\u201d earning a standing ovation in the process. He returned later to back up Shaboozey on their collab \u201cTook a Walk.\u201d\u00a0Seeing the wildly eclectic artists together onstage underscored country music\u2019s wide umbrella, and left us feeling that the future of the genre is in great hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWTF: Zach Top\u2019s Beer:30 Acceptance Speech<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t![\"NASHVILLE,](\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/CMA-best-worst-zach-top.jpg?w=300\")
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tZach Top is committed to his Coors. After being named New Artist of the Year, the singer-songwriter who turned heads with a debut album titled Cold Beer & Country Music<\/em> took the stage with a frosty one in hand. He claimed he forgot to leave it at his seat, but then dramatically took a swig at the mic. Banquet Beer product placement? Maybe. But it was a fun moment that helped give the CMAs some levity and looseness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n\tBackup choreography during country music performances? We\u2019re here for it \u2014 and honestly, we want more of it! The country queens delivered killer sets all night, most backed by a crew of female dancers right by their side. It started at the top of the show as host Lainey Wilson kicked things off with a medley of hits while dancers sashayed through the Bridgestone Arena. Later in the night, she was joined by seven dancers in black with silver fringe (that we\u2019re sure David Crosby would have loved) for her performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d And during Megan Moroney\u2019s pink slumber-party take on \u201c6 Months Later,\u201d she was surrounded by dancers in matching PJs for some delightful choreography to the fun country-pop hit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
Best: It\u2019s a Guitar Rock Revival, Man!<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Astrida Valigorsky\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tWhile twangy traditional country is surging, guitar rock is also on the rise. Two of the night\u2019s best performances chugged along on the strength of some loud-ass guitars: Chris Stapleton\u2019s growling \u201cBad As I Used to Be\u201d and the Red Clay Strays\u2019 \u201cPeople Hatin\u2019.\u201d Luke Combs\u2019 band turned their amps up to 11 too. And even Riley Green got a piece of the action, opening his rendition of \u201cWorst Way\u201d with a snaking electric guitar intro. We\u2019ll always stan for pedal steel, but this is a trend we were more than happy to hear.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWorst: Luke Combs Gets Fenced In<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tLuke Combs opened the CMA Awards with his latest single \u201cBack in the Saddle.\u201d It\u2019s a blast of muscular country-rock that crackles with energy. But why was he and his band so fenced in? And we mean that literally: Combs\u2019 band members were cordoned off behind a stockyard, like bulls waiting for their eight seconds. It looked weird, to be sure, but it also restricted Combs, one of country\u2019s most emotive live performers, who had to sing in what looked like a cattle chute. Wild horses should run free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nBest: Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless Show How to Tribute<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner\/Billboard\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tTrading verses on Vince Gill\u2019s 1990 hit \u201cWhen I Call Your Name,\u201d Carlile and Loveless did the Lifetime Achievement Award winner right. They harmonized on the chorus and hit all the high notes in their tender, heartfelt tribute that made Gill himself emotional. It was a great example of how the lifetime achievement\/tribute portion of an awards show doesn\u2019t always have to be the most cringeworthy part \u2014 sometimes it can even be the highlight. Just as good? Gill\u2019s acceptance speech, in which he not only honored his wife, Amy Grant, but spoke at length about the man the honor is named after: Willie Nelson. \u201cWhat I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family. He calls his band \u2018family,’\u201d Gill said. \u201cMan, that\u2019s a great way to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: BigXthaPlug Gets Bleeped<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tWhy have BigXthaPlug close the show if you\u2019re not going to let him do his thing? The Dallas rapper who crossed over into Music Row this year with his album I Hope You\u2019re Happy<\/em> teamed up with Luke Combs for their collab \u201cPray Hard.\u201d At just over two minutes, the song is already brief, and it felt even shorter thanks to all the censoring of the lyrics \u2014\u00a0because our virgin ears apparently just can\u2019t hear the words \u201cshit\u201d and \u201cass\u201d at 10:50 p.m. Eastern time. It was a statement to have BigX on the CMAs, but he was underused, making the last performance of the night a musical letdown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Lainey Wilson\u2019s Medley Magic<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tKelly Clarkson\u2019s \u201cKellyokes\u201d might have some competition. Lainey Wilson opened the CMA Awards with a bang, delivering a killer medley of country hits \u2014 singing them back to the stars who made them famous. Taking the stage in a white, Elvis Presley-like jumpsuit with gold accents (plus a killer CMA-branded belt buckle), Wilson tore through \u201cWhite Horse\u201d to Chris Stapleton, \u201cHillbilly Deluxe\u201d to Brooks & Dunn, \u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d to Ella Langley, and \u201cRedneck Woman\u201d to Gretchen Wilson. She then brought out Little Big Town for \u201cGirl Crush\u201d before closing with \u201cWhere the Blacktop Ends\u201d alongside Keith Urban. Wilson makes anything sound like her own. (She also found a new gear with a highly choreographed and entertaining performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d) It\u2019s no wonder she swept the awards show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: \u2018Rolling Stone\u2019 Is Country\u2019s Favorite Shoutout (After Jesus)<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Astrida Valigorsky\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tNot to brag or anything, but Rolling Stone<\/em> got a mention \u2014 or actually,\u00a0three! \u2014 at the CMA Awards. Sure, Jesus and his father got the bulk of the gratitude but we\u2019d argue we\u2019re a close second. First came Kelsea Ballerini, who debuted her introspective \u201cI Sit in Parks,\u201d shouting out how much we love her: \u201cRolling Stone says I\u2019m on the right road.\u201d Later, Kenny Chesney took things back to 2013 with a rendition of \u201cAmerican Kids,\u201d where he drops RS<\/em>\u2018s name in the chorus: \u201cPut me on the cover of the Rollin\u2019 Stone.\u201d (Keep manifesting, Kenny!) And finally, Old Dominion might not have been thinking of the magazine when they wrote \u201cOne Man Band,\u201d but they do sing, \u201cI don\u2019t wanna be a one man band\/I don\u2019t wanna be a rolling stone alone,\u201d in their medley. We\u2019ll take that one as a win, too!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWorst: The CMAs Really Need an In Memoriam Segment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Beth Gwinn\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tCountry music suffered some tragic losses this year: Grand Ole Opry queen Jeannie Seely<\/a>, songwriter Brett James<\/a>, and, most recently, the alt-country troubadour Todd Snider<\/a>. Yet the CMAs didn\u2019t pay any sort of official tribute. It\u2019s high time the show devotes a segment each year to those we\u2019ve lost. In the case of Seely and Snider, it\u2019d have been a way to illustrate the opposite ends of country\u2019s wide spectrum. And for James, who wrote massive radio hits like \u201cJesus, Take the Wheel,\u201d it\u2019d help recognize the humans behind the song. Mad respect to Kenny Chesney, who took matters into his own hands and flashed a photo of James onscreen during his performance of \u201cWhen the Sun Goes Down,\u201d a James solo write.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Stephen Wilson Jr. Meets His Moment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tDespite sold-out shows and critical praise for his album Son of Dad<\/em>, Stephen Wilson Jr. has been regarded as a cult country act. That all changed last night, when the singer, songwriter, and onetime microbiologist was placed in front of a mass audience and met the moment. Wilson hypnotized the audience in the arena and those watching at home with a haunting performance of Ben E. King\u2019s \u201cStand by Me,\u201d earning a standing ovation in the process. He returned later to back up Shaboozey on their collab \u201cTook a Walk.\u201d\u00a0Seeing the wildly eclectic artists together onstage underscored country music\u2019s wide umbrella, and left us feeling that the future of the genre is in great hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWTF: Zach Top\u2019s Beer:30 Acceptance Speech<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tZach Top is committed to his Coors. After being named New Artist of the Year, the singer-songwriter who turned heads with a debut album titled Cold Beer & Country Music<\/em> took the stage with a frosty one in hand. He claimed he forgot to leave it at his seat, but then dramatically took a swig at the mic. Banquet Beer product placement? Maybe. But it was a fun moment that helped give the CMAs some levity and looseness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile twangy traditional country is surging, guitar rock is also on the rise. Two of the night\u2019s best performances chugged along on the strength of some loud-ass guitars: Chris Stapleton\u2019s growling \u201cBad As I Used to Be\u201d and the Red Clay Strays\u2019 \u201cPeople Hatin\u2019.\u201d Luke Combs\u2019 band turned their amps up to 11 too. And even Riley Green got a piece of the action, opening his rendition of \u201cWorst Way\u201d with a snaking electric guitar intro. We\u2019ll always stan for pedal steel, but this is a trend we were more than happy to hear.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
Worst: Luke Combs Gets Fenced In<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tLuke Combs opened the CMA Awards with his latest single \u201cBack in the Saddle.\u201d It\u2019s a blast of muscular country-rock that crackles with energy. But why was he and his band so fenced in? And we mean that literally: Combs\u2019 band members were cordoned off behind a stockyard, like bulls waiting for their eight seconds. It looked weird, to be sure, but it also restricted Combs, one of country\u2019s most emotive live performers, who had to sing in what looked like a cattle chute. Wild horses should run free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nBest: Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless Show How to Tribute<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner\/Billboard\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tTrading verses on Vince Gill\u2019s 1990 hit \u201cWhen I Call Your Name,\u201d Carlile and Loveless did the Lifetime Achievement Award winner right. They harmonized on the chorus and hit all the high notes in their tender, heartfelt tribute that made Gill himself emotional. It was a great example of how the lifetime achievement\/tribute portion of an awards show doesn\u2019t always have to be the most cringeworthy part \u2014 sometimes it can even be the highlight. Just as good? Gill\u2019s acceptance speech, in which he not only honored his wife, Amy Grant, but spoke at length about the man the honor is named after: Willie Nelson. \u201cWhat I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family. He calls his band \u2018family,’\u201d Gill said. \u201cMan, that\u2019s a great way to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: BigXthaPlug Gets Bleeped<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tWhy have BigXthaPlug close the show if you\u2019re not going to let him do his thing? The Dallas rapper who crossed over into Music Row this year with his album I Hope You\u2019re Happy<\/em> teamed up with Luke Combs for their collab \u201cPray Hard.\u201d At just over two minutes, the song is already brief, and it felt even shorter thanks to all the censoring of the lyrics \u2014\u00a0because our virgin ears apparently just can\u2019t hear the words \u201cshit\u201d and \u201cass\u201d at 10:50 p.m. Eastern time. It was a statement to have BigX on the CMAs, but he was underused, making the last performance of the night a musical letdown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Lainey Wilson\u2019s Medley Magic<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tKelly Clarkson\u2019s \u201cKellyokes\u201d might have some competition. Lainey Wilson opened the CMA Awards with a bang, delivering a killer medley of country hits \u2014 singing them back to the stars who made them famous. Taking the stage in a white, Elvis Presley-like jumpsuit with gold accents (plus a killer CMA-branded belt buckle), Wilson tore through \u201cWhite Horse\u201d to Chris Stapleton, \u201cHillbilly Deluxe\u201d to Brooks & Dunn, \u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d to Ella Langley, and \u201cRedneck Woman\u201d to Gretchen Wilson. She then brought out Little Big Town for \u201cGirl Crush\u201d before closing with \u201cWhere the Blacktop Ends\u201d alongside Keith Urban. Wilson makes anything sound like her own. (She also found a new gear with a highly choreographed and entertaining performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d) It\u2019s no wonder she swept the awards show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: \u2018Rolling Stone\u2019 Is Country\u2019s Favorite Shoutout (After Jesus)<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Astrida Valigorsky\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tNot to brag or anything, but Rolling Stone<\/em> got a mention \u2014 or actually,\u00a0three! \u2014 at the CMA Awards. Sure, Jesus and his father got the bulk of the gratitude but we\u2019d argue we\u2019re a close second. First came Kelsea Ballerini, who debuted her introspective \u201cI Sit in Parks,\u201d shouting out how much we love her: \u201cRolling Stone says I\u2019m on the right road.\u201d Later, Kenny Chesney took things back to 2013 with a rendition of \u201cAmerican Kids,\u201d where he drops RS<\/em>\u2018s name in the chorus: \u201cPut me on the cover of the Rollin\u2019 Stone.\u201d (Keep manifesting, Kenny!) And finally, Old Dominion might not have been thinking of the magazine when they wrote \u201cOne Man Band,\u201d but they do sing, \u201cI don\u2019t wanna be a one man band\/I don\u2019t wanna be a rolling stone alone,\u201d in their medley. We\u2019ll take that one as a win, too!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWorst: The CMAs Really Need an In Memoriam Segment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Beth Gwinn\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tCountry music suffered some tragic losses this year: Grand Ole Opry queen Jeannie Seely<\/a>, songwriter Brett James<\/a>, and, most recently, the alt-country troubadour Todd Snider<\/a>. Yet the CMAs didn\u2019t pay any sort of official tribute. It\u2019s high time the show devotes a segment each year to those we\u2019ve lost. In the case of Seely and Snider, it\u2019d have been a way to illustrate the opposite ends of country\u2019s wide spectrum. And for James, who wrote massive radio hits like \u201cJesus, Take the Wheel,\u201d it\u2019d help recognize the humans behind the song. Mad respect to Kenny Chesney, who took matters into his own hands and flashed a photo of James onscreen during his performance of \u201cWhen the Sun Goes Down,\u201d a James solo write.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Stephen Wilson Jr. Meets His Moment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tDespite sold-out shows and critical praise for his album Son of Dad<\/em>, Stephen Wilson Jr. has been regarded as a cult country act. That all changed last night, when the singer, songwriter, and onetime microbiologist was placed in front of a mass audience and met the moment. Wilson hypnotized the audience in the arena and those watching at home with a haunting performance of Ben E. King\u2019s \u201cStand by Me,\u201d earning a standing ovation in the process. He returned later to back up Shaboozey on their collab \u201cTook a Walk.\u201d\u00a0Seeing the wildly eclectic artists together onstage underscored country music\u2019s wide umbrella, and left us feeling that the future of the genre is in great hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWTF: Zach Top\u2019s Beer:30 Acceptance Speech<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tZach Top is committed to his Coors. After being named New Artist of the Year, the singer-songwriter who turned heads with a debut album titled Cold Beer & Country Music<\/em> took the stage with a frosty one in hand. He claimed he forgot to leave it at his seat, but then dramatically took a swig at the mic. Banquet Beer product placement? Maybe. But it was a fun moment that helped give the CMAs some levity and looseness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n\tLuke Combs opened the CMA Awards with his latest single \u201cBack in the Saddle.\u201d It\u2019s a blast of muscular country-rock that crackles with energy. But why was he and his band so fenced in? And we mean that literally: Combs\u2019 band members were cordoned off behind a stockyard, like bulls waiting for their eight seconds. It looked weird, to be sure, but it also restricted Combs, one of country\u2019s most emotive live performers, who had to sing in what looked like a cattle chute. Wild horses should run free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
Best: Brandi Carlile and Patty Loveless Show How to Tribute<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner\/Billboard\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tTrading verses on Vince Gill\u2019s 1990 hit \u201cWhen I Call Your Name,\u201d Carlile and Loveless did the Lifetime Achievement Award winner right. They harmonized on the chorus and hit all the high notes in their tender, heartfelt tribute that made Gill himself emotional. It was a great example of how the lifetime achievement\/tribute portion of an awards show doesn\u2019t always have to be the most cringeworthy part \u2014 sometimes it can even be the highlight. Just as good? Gill\u2019s acceptance speech, in which he not only honored his wife, Amy Grant, but spoke at length about the man the honor is named after: Willie Nelson. \u201cWhat I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family. He calls his band \u2018family,’\u201d Gill said. \u201cMan, that\u2019s a great way to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: BigXthaPlug Gets Bleeped<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tWhy have BigXthaPlug close the show if you\u2019re not going to let him do his thing? The Dallas rapper who crossed over into Music Row this year with his album I Hope You\u2019re Happy<\/em> teamed up with Luke Combs for their collab \u201cPray Hard.\u201d At just over two minutes, the song is already brief, and it felt even shorter thanks to all the censoring of the lyrics \u2014\u00a0because our virgin ears apparently just can\u2019t hear the words \u201cshit\u201d and \u201cass\u201d at 10:50 p.m. Eastern time. It was a statement to have BigX on the CMAs, but he was underused, making the last performance of the night a musical letdown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Lainey Wilson\u2019s Medley Magic<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tKelly Clarkson\u2019s \u201cKellyokes\u201d might have some competition. Lainey Wilson opened the CMA Awards with a bang, delivering a killer medley of country hits \u2014 singing them back to the stars who made them famous. Taking the stage in a white, Elvis Presley-like jumpsuit with gold accents (plus a killer CMA-branded belt buckle), Wilson tore through \u201cWhite Horse\u201d to Chris Stapleton, \u201cHillbilly Deluxe\u201d to Brooks & Dunn, \u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d to Ella Langley, and \u201cRedneck Woman\u201d to Gretchen Wilson. She then brought out Little Big Town for \u201cGirl Crush\u201d before closing with \u201cWhere the Blacktop Ends\u201d alongside Keith Urban. Wilson makes anything sound like her own. (She also found a new gear with a highly choreographed and entertaining performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d) It\u2019s no wonder she swept the awards show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: \u2018Rolling Stone\u2019 Is Country\u2019s Favorite Shoutout (After Jesus)<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Astrida Valigorsky\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tNot to brag or anything, but Rolling Stone<\/em> got a mention \u2014 or actually,\u00a0three! \u2014 at the CMA Awards. Sure, Jesus and his father got the bulk of the gratitude but we\u2019d argue we\u2019re a close second. First came Kelsea Ballerini, who debuted her introspective \u201cI Sit in Parks,\u201d shouting out how much we love her: \u201cRolling Stone says I\u2019m on the right road.\u201d Later, Kenny Chesney took things back to 2013 with a rendition of \u201cAmerican Kids,\u201d where he drops RS<\/em>\u2018s name in the chorus: \u201cPut me on the cover of the Rollin\u2019 Stone.\u201d (Keep manifesting, Kenny!) And finally, Old Dominion might not have been thinking of the magazine when they wrote \u201cOne Man Band,\u201d but they do sing, \u201cI don\u2019t wanna be a one man band\/I don\u2019t wanna be a rolling stone alone,\u201d in their medley. We\u2019ll take that one as a win, too!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWorst: The CMAs Really Need an In Memoriam Segment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Beth Gwinn\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tCountry music suffered some tragic losses this year: Grand Ole Opry queen Jeannie Seely<\/a>, songwriter Brett James<\/a>, and, most recently, the alt-country troubadour Todd Snider<\/a>. Yet the CMAs didn\u2019t pay any sort of official tribute. It\u2019s high time the show devotes a segment each year to those we\u2019ve lost. In the case of Seely and Snider, it\u2019d have been a way to illustrate the opposite ends of country\u2019s wide spectrum. And for James, who wrote massive radio hits like \u201cJesus, Take the Wheel,\u201d it\u2019d help recognize the humans behind the song. Mad respect to Kenny Chesney, who took matters into his own hands and flashed a photo of James onscreen during his performance of \u201cWhen the Sun Goes Down,\u201d a James solo write.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Stephen Wilson Jr. Meets His Moment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tDespite sold-out shows and critical praise for his album Son of Dad<\/em>, Stephen Wilson Jr. has been regarded as a cult country act. That all changed last night, when the singer, songwriter, and onetime microbiologist was placed in front of a mass audience and met the moment. Wilson hypnotized the audience in the arena and those watching at home with a haunting performance of Ben E. King\u2019s \u201cStand by Me,\u201d earning a standing ovation in the process. He returned later to back up Shaboozey on their collab \u201cTook a Walk.\u201d\u00a0Seeing the wildly eclectic artists together onstage underscored country music\u2019s wide umbrella, and left us feeling that the future of the genre is in great hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWTF: Zach Top\u2019s Beer:30 Acceptance Speech<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tZach Top is committed to his Coors. After being named New Artist of the Year, the singer-songwriter who turned heads with a debut album titled Cold Beer & Country Music<\/em> took the stage with a frosty one in hand. He claimed he forgot to leave it at his seat, but then dramatically took a swig at the mic. Banquet Beer product placement? Maybe. But it was a fun moment that helped give the CMAs some levity and looseness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n\tTrading verses on Vince Gill\u2019s 1990 hit \u201cWhen I Call Your Name,\u201d Carlile and Loveless did the Lifetime Achievement Award winner right. They harmonized on the chorus and hit all the high notes in their tender, heartfelt tribute that made Gill himself emotional. It was a great example of how the lifetime achievement\/tribute portion of an awards show doesn\u2019t always have to be the most cringeworthy part \u2014 sometimes it can even be the highlight. Just as good? Gill\u2019s acceptance speech, in which he not only honored his wife, Amy Grant, but spoke at length about the man the honor is named after: Willie Nelson. \u201cWhat I admire most about him is his willingness to include his family. He calls his band \u2018family,’\u201d Gill said. \u201cMan, that\u2019s a great way to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
WTF: BigXthaPlug Gets Bleeped<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tWhy have BigXthaPlug close the show if you\u2019re not going to let him do his thing? The Dallas rapper who crossed over into Music Row this year with his album I Hope You\u2019re Happy<\/em> teamed up with Luke Combs for their collab \u201cPray Hard.\u201d At just over two minutes, the song is already brief, and it felt even shorter thanks to all the censoring of the lyrics \u2014\u00a0because our virgin ears apparently just can\u2019t hear the words \u201cshit\u201d and \u201cass\u201d at 10:50 p.m. Eastern time. It was a statement to have BigX on the CMAs, but he was underused, making the last performance of the night a musical letdown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Lainey Wilson\u2019s Medley Magic<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jason Kempin\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tKelly Clarkson\u2019s \u201cKellyokes\u201d might have some competition. Lainey Wilson opened the CMA Awards with a bang, delivering a killer medley of country hits \u2014 singing them back to the stars who made them famous. Taking the stage in a white, Elvis Presley-like jumpsuit with gold accents (plus a killer CMA-branded belt buckle), Wilson tore through \u201cWhite Horse\u201d to Chris Stapleton, \u201cHillbilly Deluxe\u201d to Brooks & Dunn, \u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d to Ella Langley, and \u201cRedneck Woman\u201d to Gretchen Wilson. She then brought out Little Big Town for \u201cGirl Crush\u201d before closing with \u201cWhere the Blacktop Ends\u201d alongside Keith Urban. Wilson makes anything sound like her own. (She also found a new gear with a highly choreographed and entertaining performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d) It\u2019s no wonder she swept the awards show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
\nWTF: \u2018Rolling Stone\u2019 Is Country\u2019s Favorite Shoutout (After Jesus)<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Astrida Valigorsky\/WireImage\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tNot to brag or anything, but Rolling Stone<\/em> got a mention \u2014 or actually,\u00a0three! \u2014 at the CMA Awards. Sure, Jesus and his father got the bulk of the gratitude but we\u2019d argue we\u2019re a close second. First came Kelsea Ballerini, who debuted her introspective \u201cI Sit in Parks,\u201d shouting out how much we love her: \u201cRolling Stone says I\u2019m on the right road.\u201d Later, Kenny Chesney took things back to 2013 with a rendition of \u201cAmerican Kids,\u201d where he drops RS<\/em>\u2018s name in the chorus: \u201cPut me on the cover of the Rollin\u2019 Stone.\u201d (Keep manifesting, Kenny!) And finally, Old Dominion might not have been thinking of the magazine when they wrote \u201cOne Man Band,\u201d but they do sing, \u201cI don\u2019t wanna be a one man band\/I don\u2019t wanna be a rolling stone alone,\u201d in their medley. We\u2019ll take that one as a win, too!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWorst: The CMAs Really Need an In Memoriam Segment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Beth Gwinn\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tCountry music suffered some tragic losses this year: Grand Ole Opry queen Jeannie Seely<\/a>, songwriter Brett James<\/a>, and, most recently, the alt-country troubadour Todd Snider<\/a>. Yet the CMAs didn\u2019t pay any sort of official tribute. It\u2019s high time the show devotes a segment each year to those we\u2019ve lost. In the case of Seely and Snider, it\u2019d have been a way to illustrate the opposite ends of country\u2019s wide spectrum. And for James, who wrote massive radio hits like \u201cJesus, Take the Wheel,\u201d it\u2019d help recognize the humans behind the song. Mad respect to Kenny Chesney, who took matters into his own hands and flashed a photo of James onscreen during his performance of \u201cWhen the Sun Goes Down,\u201d a James solo write.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nBest: Stephen Wilson Jr. Meets His Moment<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Shearer\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tDespite sold-out shows and critical praise for his album Son of Dad<\/em>, Stephen Wilson Jr. has been regarded as a cult country act. That all changed last night, when the singer, songwriter, and onetime microbiologist was placed in front of a mass audience and met the moment. Wilson hypnotized the audience in the arena and those watching at home with a haunting performance of Ben E. King\u2019s \u201cStand by Me,\u201d earning a standing ovation in the process. He returned later to back up Shaboozey on their collab \u201cTook a Walk.\u201d\u00a0Seeing the wildly eclectic artists together onstage underscored country music\u2019s wide umbrella, and left us feeling that the future of the genre is in great hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n- \n
\nWTF: Zach Top\u2019s Beer:30 Acceptance Speech<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kevin Mazur\/Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\n\tZach Top is committed to his Coors. After being named New Artist of the Year, the singer-songwriter who turned heads with a debut album titled Cold Beer & Country Music<\/em> took the stage with a frosty one in hand. He claimed he forgot to leave it at his seat, but then dramatically took a swig at the mic. Banquet Beer product placement? Maybe. But it was a fun moment that helped give the CMAs some levity and looseness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n\tWhy have BigXthaPlug close the show if you\u2019re not going to let him do his thing? The Dallas rapper who crossed over into Music Row this year with his album I Hope You\u2019re Happy<\/em> teamed up with Luke Combs for their collab \u201cPray Hard.\u201d At just over two minutes, the song is already brief, and it felt even shorter thanks to all the censoring of the lyrics \u2014\u00a0because our virgin ears apparently just can\u2019t hear the words \u201cshit\u201d and \u201cass\u201d at 10:50 p.m. Eastern time. It was a statement to have BigX on the CMAs, but he was underused, making the last performance of the night a musical letdown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tKelly Clarkson\u2019s \u201cKellyokes\u201d might have some competition. Lainey Wilson opened the CMA Awards with a bang, delivering a killer medley of country hits \u2014 singing them back to the stars who made them famous. Taking the stage in a white, Elvis Presley-like jumpsuit with gold accents (plus a killer CMA-branded belt buckle), Wilson tore through \u201cWhite Horse\u201d to Chris Stapleton, \u201cHillbilly Deluxe\u201d to Brooks & Dunn, \u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d to Ella Langley, and \u201cRedneck Woman\u201d to Gretchen Wilson. She then brought out Little Big Town for \u201cGirl Crush\u201d before closing with \u201cWhere the Blacktop Ends\u201d alongside Keith Urban. Wilson makes anything sound like her own. (She also found a new gear with a highly choreographed and entertaining performance of \u201cRing Finger.\u201d) It\u2019s no wonder she swept the awards show.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tNot to brag or anything, but Rolling Stone<\/em> got a mention \u2014 or actually,\u00a0three! \u2014 at the CMA Awards. Sure, Jesus and his father got the bulk of the gratitude but we\u2019d argue we\u2019re a close second. First came Kelsea Ballerini, who debuted her introspective \u201cI Sit in Parks,\u201d shouting out how much we love her: \u201cRolling Stone says I\u2019m on the right road.\u201d Later, Kenny Chesney took things back to 2013 with a rendition of \u201cAmerican Kids,\u201d where he drops RS<\/em>\u2018s name in the chorus: \u201cPut me on the cover of the Rollin\u2019 Stone.\u201d (Keep manifesting, Kenny!) And finally, Old Dominion might not have been thinking of the magazine when they wrote \u201cOne Man Band,\u201d but they do sing, \u201cI don\u2019t wanna be a one man band\/I don\u2019t wanna be a rolling stone alone,\u201d in their medley. We\u2019ll take that one as a win, too!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tCountry music suffered some tragic losses this year: Grand Ole Opry queen Jeannie Seely<\/a>, songwriter Brett James<\/a>, and, most recently, the alt-country troubadour Todd Snider<\/a>. Yet the CMAs didn\u2019t pay any sort of official tribute. It\u2019s high time the show devotes a segment each year to those we\u2019ve lost. In the case of Seely and Snider, it\u2019d have been a way to illustrate the opposite ends of country\u2019s wide spectrum. And for James, who wrote massive radio hits like \u201cJesus, Take the Wheel,\u201d it\u2019d help recognize the humans behind the song. Mad respect to Kenny Chesney, who took matters into his own hands and flashed a photo of James onscreen during his performance of \u201cWhen the Sun Goes Down,\u201d a James solo write.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tDespite sold-out shows and critical praise for his album Son of Dad<\/em>, Stephen Wilson Jr. has been regarded as a cult country act. That all changed last night, when the singer, songwriter, and onetime microbiologist was placed in front of a mass audience and met the moment. Wilson hypnotized the audience in the arena and those watching at home with a haunting performance of Ben E. King\u2019s \u201cStand by Me,\u201d earning a standing ovation in the process. He returned later to back up Shaboozey on their collab \u201cTook a Walk.\u201d\u00a0Seeing the wildly eclectic artists together onstage underscored country music\u2019s wide umbrella, and left us feeling that the future of the genre is in great hands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n \t<\/p>\n \n\tZach Top is committed to his Coors. After being named New Artist of the Year, the singer-songwriter who turned heads with a debut album titled Cold Beer & Country Music<\/em> took the stage with a frosty one in hand. He claimed he forgot to leave it at his seat, but then dramatically took a swig at the mic. Banquet Beer product placement? Maybe. But it was a fun moment that helped give the CMAs some levity and looseness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\nBest: Lainey Wilson\u2019s Medley Magic<\/h2>\n
WTF: \u2018Rolling Stone\u2019 Is Country\u2019s Favorite Shoutout (After Jesus)<\/h2>\n
Worst: The CMAs Really Need an In Memoriam Segment<\/h2>\n
Best: Stephen Wilson Jr. Meets His Moment<\/h2>\n
WTF: Zach Top\u2019s Beer:30 Acceptance Speech<\/h2>\n