Introduction:
CMA Awards 2025: Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson Dominate With Six Nods Each
The ballots are in, and the women are leading the charge. For years, country fans have called on the CMA Awards to give female artists their due. In 2025, the message has finally landed. Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson each walked away with six nominations — the kind of domination that reshapes a ballot and signals a generational tide shift.
Ella Langley’s Breakthrough
Just a few years ago, Ella Langley was an outsider grinding for recognition on TikTok. Now, she’s in the hunt for New Artist, Female Vocalist, Single, Song, and Music Video of the Year. Her duet with Riley Green, “you look like you love me”, earned multiple nods, cementing her as one of the genre’s fastest-rising stars. Sharing a nomination slate alongside Green and Wilson proves just how quickly she has leveled up from viral clips to CMA mainstage validation.
Megan Moroney’s Moment
Megan Moroney’s Am I Okay? was the little record that could — and now it’s everywhere on the ballot. She’s up for Album of the Year, Song, Single, Female Vocalist, Music Video, and Musical Event with Kenny Chesney. Moroney built this moment the hard way: through sharp songwriting and radio-ready storytelling that turned heartbreak into hits. The recognition goes beyond Nashville, too. Just yesterday, she made history at the MTV VMAs by winning the first-ever Best Country award, proving country’s sound isn’t only thriving at home but also crashing through pop culture’s biggest doors.
Lainey Wilson: Reigning and Relentless
Then there’s Lainey Wilson, the reigning queen of country music, who shows no sign of slowing down. Her Whirlwind album and “4x4xU” single landed major nominations, and she’s once again in the running for Entertainer of the Year. A win would extend one of the strongest CMA streaks in recent memory. Wilson’s blend of honky-tonk swagger and emotional ballads has made the Bridgestone Arena feel like her own back porch — and fans and peers alike can’t get enough.
Other Surprises on the Ballot
The rest of the field delivered some unexpected storylines. Zach Top muscled into Male Vocalist with a neo-traditional sound that proved fiddle-and-steel country still belongs under arena lights. Post Malone raised eyebrows with nominations for Album of the Year (F-1 Trillion) and Musical Event with Blake Shelton, showing he’s more than a tourist in Nashville. Cody Johnson and Riley Green, both with four nods, further cemented their places as fan favorites who have won over the industry, too.
A Tide Shift in Country Music
Still, make no mistake: 2025 belongs to Langley, Moroney, and Wilson. Rarely have three women dominated the CMA slate like this, and their presence feels less like token acknowledgment and more like the heartbeat of the ballot. Fans may still debate whether Luke Combs or Morgan Wallen deserves Entertainer of the Year, but country’s future is spelled out in three names that cannot be ignored.
On November 19, when the lights rise at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville will celebrate its stars. But the story of the night has already been written: Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson didn’t just make the list — they owned it.