About
Each year, the CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by more than 6,000+ industry professional members of the Country Music Association, which when established in 1958, became the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music. The first CMA Awards Banquet and Show was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast on television for the first time – making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television.
The CMA Awards celebrate excellence in Country Music across 12 categories, honoring artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, mix engineers, and music video directors who made a significant impact on the genre during the eligibility period.
How to Nominate / Voting Process
All CMA Professional voting members can vote in three rounds. As of today, 6,468 Professional members are eligible to vote. Voting is conducted with three ballots:
- Nomination Ballot: Voters write in any artist or project they think deserves a nomination. If it fits the criteria for that category, it counts.
- Second Ballot: The top 20 vote-getters from the first round move forward (only the top 15 for Entertainer of the Year). Members can vote for up to five candidates in each category.
- Final Ballot: The top 5 from the second round become the official nominees—and CMA members vote one last time to choose the winners. Members can vote for one nominee in each category.
Musician of the Year: Voting in all rounds remains limited to eligible voters in the following membership categories: Musician, Artist, Composer, and Producer/Engineer/Studio.
Song of the Year: New this year, only eligible voters in the following membership categories can vote in the Nomination and Second Ballots: Composer, Artist, Musician, Producer/Engineer/Studio, and Publisher/PRO. All eligible voters can vote in the Final Ballot.
All three rounds of voting will be conducted online by Election Services Corp. (ESC). To ensure ballot delivery, members are encouraged to add [email protected] to their safe senders.
All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization, Deloitte.
Awards Criteria
CMA Awards category criteria is determined and approved by the CMA Board of Directors. For 2025, the eligibility period is July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. The eligibility period should be considered for all CMA Awards categories, but it specifically limits those eligible in Category No. 2 (Single of the Year), Category No. 3 (Album of the Year), Category No. 4 (Song of the Year), Category No. 9 (Musical Event of the Year), Category No. 10 (Musician of the Year), and Category No. 11 (Music Video of the Year) as indicated in the CMA Awards definitions appearing on the Nomination Ballot and on the Nominees Listings accompanying the Second and Final Ballots.
Timeline
The 2025 CMA Awards Balloting Voting Schedule will be as follows:
- Nomination Ballot: July 7 - July 16 (6:00 PM/CT)
- Emailed to eligible CMA Members
- Second Ballot: August 5 – August 18 (6:00 PM/CT)
- Emailed to eligible CMA Members
- Final nominees in each of the 12 categories will be announced later this summer.
- Final Ballot: October 1 – October 29 (6:00 PM/CT)
- Emailed to eligible CMA Members
Membership Deadline & Information:
- To vote in all three rounds, prospective CMA members must apply for membership by Sunday, June 1 HERE.
- Only CMA Professional voting members receive voting privileges. The Professional voting tier is offered to industry professionals who primarily work within Country Music.
Vote Solicitation Policy
CMA explicitly prohibits any and all physical mailings and emails that directly or indirectly promote the solicitation of votes for the CMA Awards. Industry trade ads, digital/physical banners, billboards and social media posts are allowed, however, trade ads that are emails that solely indirectly or directly promote the solicitation of votes for the CMA Awards are not permitted. Any infringements on this policy will be reviewed by the CMA Vote Review Panel to determine potential actions for the violations. Further clarification of approved means of communication or to confidentially report an infraction of the rules, please contact Brenden Oliver.
ELIGIBILITY PERIOD
July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025
Awards
Entertainer of the Year
This Award goes to the artist. The Award is for the act displaying the greatest…
Female Vocalist of the Year
The Award is based on individual musical performance on a solo Country single or album…
Male Vocalist of the Year
This Award is based on individual musical performance on a solo Country single or album…
New Artist of the Year
This Award goes the artist, whether individual or a group, who is known primarily as…
Single of the Year
This Award recognizes the single recording with the greatest commercial and cultural impact. The Award,…
Song of the Year
This Award, unlike Single of the Year, goes to the songwriter(s) and recognizes artistic achievement…
Musical Event of the Year
This Award goes to each artist and producer. An event is defined as a collaboration…
Music Video of the Year
This Award goes to the artist and director. The Award is for an original Country…
Musician of the Year
This Award goes to the musician. The Award is for a musician known primarily as…
