UPDATE (April 7): And then there were three: CMT has revealed the top three finalists for their top award, video of the year. Fan voting is now open on the CMT Music Awards Facebook using specific hashtags and Instagram commenting with artist name and #cmtawards. The nominees are Cody Johnson’s “The Painter” (#VoteCodyCMT), Jelly Roll’s “Need a Favor” (#VoteJellyCMT), and Kelsea Ballerini’s “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” (#VoteKelseaCMT).
These three finalists, culled from a list of six semifinalists (and before that, a list of 16 initial candidates) are all each vying for their first video of the year win.
Ballerini is set to host the 2024 CMT Music Awards, which airs live tonight on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT from Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
PREVIOUSLY (April 1): CMT has revealed the top six finalists for video of the year at the 2024 CMT Music Awards – Ashley McBryde’s “Light on in the Kitchen,” Cody Johnson’s “The Painter,” HARDY’s “Truck Bed,” Jelly Roll’s “Need a Favor,” Kelsea Ballerini’s “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” and Lainey Wilson’s “Watermelon Moonshine.” All six artists are vying for their first award in this marquee category.
Sixteen candidates for the award were announced on March 13. Fan voting at vote.cmt.com winnowed it down to these six and will shrink the field even further: The top three choices will be announced the morning of Sunday, April 7, with voting continuing through the live show that night.
Ballerini is set to host the show, which will air on April 7 from 8:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, and be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.* CMT will air an encore showing on Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT.
PREVIOUSLY (March 13): Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Kelsea Ballerini and Megan Moroney lead the nominations for the 2024 CMT Music Awards, with three nods each. Last year, Jelly Roll was the evening’s most-awarded artist with three wins, while in 2022, Johnson earned that distinction with two wins.
Ballerini returns as a solo host this year, to lead the awards show, which will air live from Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, April 7, on CBS. The show will also be available to stream live and on-demand via Paramount+.
Beginning Wednesday, fans can vote for their favorites across nine categories by visiting vote.cmt.com through April 1; voting for video of the year will remain active into the live show.
This year, CMT recognizes 14 first-time nominees — Amber Riley, Ashley Cooke, Bret Michaels, Chayce Beckham, Hozier, Koe Wetzel, Stephen Wilson Jr., Tyler Childers, Warren Zeiders, Zach Bryan and four women artists who were honored as part of this year’s CMT Next Women of Country class: Anne Wilson, Ella Langley, The Castellows and sister duo Tigirlily Gold.
The biggest category, video of the year, features 16 nominees to compete in the first-round voting, including first-time video of the year nominees Jelly Roll, Jordan Davis and Parmalee. Kane Brown, who won video of the year last year for “Thank God,” his collaboration with wife Katelyn Brown, is vying for back-to-back titles, this year for his video for “Nothing Compares to You” with Mickey Guyton.
Performers, presenters and additional details about the show will be announced soon.
See the complete list of 2024 CMT Music Awards nominees below:
Video of the year
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Top 6 nominees from the first round of voting, will be announced on April 1. The final 3 nominees, from the second round of voting, will be announced on show day, April 7. Final voting will be determined via social media and announced as the final category during the live show.
Ashley McBryde – “Light On In The Kitchen”
Brandy Clark feat. Brandi Carlile – “Dear Insecurity”
Brothers Osborne – “Nobody’s Nobody”
Cody Johnson – “The Painter”
Darius Rucker – “Fires Don’t Start Themselves”
HARDY – “Truck Bed”
Jason Aldean – “Let Your Boys Be Country”
Jelly Roll – “Need A Favor”
Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”
Kacey Musgraves – “Deeper Well”
Kelsea Ballerini – “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)”
Lainey Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”
Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Compares To You”
Parmalee – “Gonna Love You”
Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
Zach Bryan – “Nine Ball”
Female video of the year
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist.
Ashley McBryde – “Light On In The Kitchen”
Gabby Barrett – “Glory Days”
Kacey Musgraves – “Deeper Well”
Kelsea Ballerini – “Penthouse”
Lainey Wilson – “Watermelon Moonshine”
Megan Moroney – “I’m Not Pretty”
Reba McEntire – “Seven Minutes In Heaven”
Male video of the year
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist.
Bailey Zimmerman – “Religiously”
Cody Johnson – “The Painter”
HARDY – “Truck Bed”
Jelly Roll – “Need A Favor”
Jordan Davis – “Next Thing You Know”
Luke Combs – “Fast Car (Official Live Video)”
Morgan Wallen – “Last Night (One Record At A Time Sessions)”
Duo/group video of the year
Best video by a duo or group; awarded to the artists.
Brothers Osborne – “Nobody’s Nobody”
Dan + Shay – “Save Me The Trouble”
Old Dominion – “Memory Lane”
Parmalee – “Girl In Mine”
The War And Treaty – “Have You A Heart”
Tigirlily Gold – “Shoot Tequila”
Collaborative video of the year
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists.
Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton – “We Don’t Fight Anymore”
Ella Langley feat. Koe Wetzel – “That’s Why We Fight”
Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan – “Cowboys And Plowboys”
Justin Moore & Priscilla Block – “You, Me And Whiskey”
Lukas Nelson + Promise of The Real feat. Lainey Wilson – “More Than Friends”
Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown – “Nothing Compares To You”
Old Dominion & Megan Moroney – “Can’t Break Up Now”
Breakthrough female video of the year, presented by Walt Disney World
Best video from a female artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Anne Wilson – “Rain In The Rearview”
Ashley Cooke – “your place”
Brittney Spencer – “Bigger Than The Song”
Tigirlily Gold – “Shoot Tequila”
Breakthrough male video of the year, presented by Walt Disney World
Best video from a male artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist.
Chayce Beckham – “23”
Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
Warren Zeiders – “Pretty Little Poison”
Zach Bryan – “Oklahoma Smokeshow”
CMT performance of the year
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Amber Riley – “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.” (from CMT Smashing Glass)
Bret Michaels & Chris Janson – “Nothing But a Good Time” (from CMT Crossroads)
Carrie Underwood – “Hate My Heart” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
Cody Johnson – “Human” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
Dierks Bentley – “Drunk On A Plane” (from CMT Storytellers)
Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter – “Thinking ‘Bout You” (from CMT Campfire Sessions)
Hozier & Maren Morris – “Take Me To Church” (from CMT Crossroads)
Jelly Roll – “Need a Favor” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
Kelsea Ballerini – “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)
The War And Treaty – “On My Own” (from CMT Smashing Glass)
CMT digital-first performance of the year
Musical performance from a production, series or livestream created for CMT digital / social channels; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo).
Chase Rice – “Goodnight Nancy” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
Dylan Scott – “Don’t Close Your Eyes (Keith Whitley Cover)” (from CMT Digital Campfire Sessions)
Megan Moroney – “I’m Not Pretty” (from CMT Digital Campfire Sessions)
Nate Smith – “Whiskey On You” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
Stephen Wilson Jr. – “Year to Be Young 1994” (from CMT Studio Sessions)
Scotty McCreery – “It Matters To Her” (from CMT Stages)
The Castellows – “I Know It Will Never End” (from CMT Studio Sessions)