Lainey Wilson Leads CMT Awards With Four Nominations

 

Lainey Wilson

Lainey Wilson leads the field with four nominations, including the highly coveted "Video of the Year," "Female Video of the Year," "Collaborative Video of the Year" and "CMT Performance of the Year" for Apr. 2's fan-voted CMT Music Awards, broadcast live from Austin, Texas' Moody Center. 

The Tennessean reports the event, hosted by 2023 nominees Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, is on CBS and available to stream live and on-demand April 2 on Paramount+ from 8:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Artists with three nominations this year include Cody Johnson, first-time nominee Jelly Roll and co-host Brown.

Notably, the first round of nominations for the "Video of the Year" award includes 17 acts, including another nod for Carrie Underwood, who reigns as the most-awarded artist in CMT history with a total of 25 wins. She is also slated to perform.

Other nominees include Ashley McBryde with Caylee Hammack, Brandy Clark and Pillbox Patti, Blake Shelton, Cody Johnson, Elle King and Dierks Bentley, Gabby Barrett, HARDY and Wilson, Jimmie Allen, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Walker Hayes, plus co-hosts Ballerini and Brown with wife Katelyn.

2023 also sees CMT recognizing 21 first-time nominees: Avery Anna, Bailey Zimmerman, Charley Crockett, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll, Katelyn Brown, Kylie Morgan, Lukas Nelson, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade, Nate Smith, Pillbox Patti, The War And Treaty, Tiera Kennedy and Wynonna Judd.

Judd has two nominations, including one with her late mother, Naomi Judd, for their final performance at the 2022 CMT Music Awards. Non-country-specific talent receiving first-time nominations include Black Pumas, Emmy Russell and Jake Scott.

Moreover, 2023 finds CMT expanding its inaugural expansion of the "Breakthrough Video of the Year" category into Male and Female categories, recognizing the genre's increase in "breakout" talent. "Breakthrough Female" nominees include Avery Anna, Kylie Morgan, MacKenzie Porter, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wade and Tiera Kennedy; Bailey Zimmerman, Corey Kent, Drake Milligan, Jackson Dean, Jelly Roll and Nate Smith will compete in "Breakthrough Male."