The CCMA Awards (Canadian Country Music Association Awards) is Canada's biggest annual country music awards ceremony, organized by the Canadian Country Music Association to recognize achievement in Canadian country music across performance, songwriting, and production. The 2026 ceremony takes place September 19 at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, closing out Country Music Week (September 16 to 19). The show broadcasts on CTV and streams on Crave. The CCMA celebrates its 50th year in 2026.
Past Winners by Category
The CCMA Awards have run annually since 1976. Below are winners across the main artist categories from 2021 through 2025. Data is sourced from official CCMA press releases and winner pages.
2025 CCMA Awards (Kelowna, BC, September 13)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Entertainer of the Year | Josh Ross |
| Album of the Year | Owen Riegling, Bruce County (From The Beginning) |
| Fans' Choice | Cameron Whitcomb |
| Female Artist of the Year | MacKenzie Porter |
| Male Artist of the Year | Jade Eagleson |
| Group or Duo of the Year | James Barker Band |
| Single of the Year | Josh Ross, "Single Again" |
| Breakthrough Artist or Group | Cameron Whitcomb |
| Francophone Artist of the Year | Salebarbes (new category) |
| Musical Collaboration of the Year | Madeline Merlo feat. Dustin Lynch, "Broken Heart Thing" |
2024 CCMA Awards (Edmonton, AB, September 14)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Entertainer of the Year | Josh Ross |
| Album of the Year | Jade Eagleson, Do It Anyway |
| Fans' Choice | James Barker Band |
| Female Artist of the Year | MacKenzie Porter |
| Male Artist of the Year | Josh Ross |
| Group or Duo of the Year | James Barker Band |
| Single of the Year | Josh Ross, "Trouble" |
| Breakthrough Artist or Group | Owen Riegling |
| Video of the Year | MacKenzie Porter, "Chasing Tornadoes" |
| Songwriter of the Year | Owen Riegling, "Old Dirt Roads" |
2023 CCMA Awards (Hamilton, ON, September 16)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Entertainer of the Year | Jade Eagleson |
| Album of the Year | Tim and The Glory Boys, Tim and The Glory Boys |
| Fans' Choice | James Barker Band |
| Female Artist of the Year | Tenille Townes (5th consecutive) |
| Male Artist of the Year | Jade Eagleson |
| Group or Duo of the Year | James Barker Band |
| Single of the Year | Lindsay Ell, "Right On Time" |
| Breakthrough Artist or Group | Josh Ross |
| Video of the Year | Tim and The Glory Boys, "Float" |
| Songwriter of the Year | Bryan Adams, Daniel Tashian, Tenille Townes, Kate York, "The Thing That Wrecks You" |
2022 CCMA Awards (Calgary, AB)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Entertainer of the Year | Tenille Townes |
| Album of the Year | Tenille Townes, Masquerades |
| Fans' Choice | Dallas Smith |
| Female Artist of the Year | Tenille Townes |
| Male Artist of the Year | Dallas Smith |
| Group or Duo of the Year | The Reklaws |
| Single of the Year | Tenille Townes, "Girl Who Didn't Care" |
| Rising Star | Andrew Hyatt |
| Video of the Year | Nice Horse, "High School" |
| Songwriter of the Year | Steph Jones, David Pramik, Tenille Townes, "Girl Who Didn't Care" |
2021 CCMA Awards (London, ON)
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Entertainer of the Year | Dallas Smith (3rd consecutive) |
| Album of the Year | Tenille Townes, The Lemonade Stand |
| Fans' Choice | Brett Kissel (3rd consecutive) |
| Female Artist of the Year | Tenille Townes (3rd consecutive) |
| Male Artist of the Year | Dallas Smith |
| Group or Duo of the Year | The Reklaws |
| Single of the Year | Dallas Smith |
| Rising Star | Robyn Ottolini |
Several patterns stand out in this data. Tenille Townes held the Female Artist title for five straight years (2019 through 2023) before MacKenzie Porter broke the streak in 2024. Josh Ross won Entertainer of the Year in both 2024 and 2025. James Barker Band has won Group or Duo of the Year three consecutive times (2023, 2024, 2025). Jade Eagleson won Entertainer and Male Artist in 2023, then Male Artist again in 2024 and 2025.
Ceremony Highlights
The 2024 ceremony featured a historic moment. k.d. lang reunited with her original band The Reclines for the first time in 35 years, performing "Big Boned Gal" during her induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. The performance was the most-covered moment of the broadcast.
Josh Ross won Single of the Year at the 2025 ceremony for "Single Again." The track hit number 1 on Canadian Country Radio and earned RIAA Gold certification in the United States. Ross also took Entertainer of the Year in 2025, repeating his 2024 win.
Chris Stapleton performed "You Should Probably Leave" at the 2021 CCMA Awards in London, Ontario. The performance has over 9 million views on YouTube.
Submission and Eligibility Details
The CCMA Awards use a member-based submission system. Artists, labels, and industry professionals who are CCMA members can submit entries during the annual submission window.
Key eligibility requirements:
- Artists must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents
- Released material must meet Canadian content criteria (MAPL system: Music, Artist, Production, Lyrics)
- Submissions require specific release date windows within the eligibility period
- Each category has distinct requirements (for example, Album of the Year requires a full-length album, Single of the Year requires a commercially released single)
- A screening committee reviews all submissions before they advance to member voting
- CCMA membership is required to submit and vote. Membership fees apply (approximately $75 to $150 CAD per year depending on membership tier)
Key Benefits for Artists
- National broadcast exposure: The ceremony airs on CTV, Canada's most-watched network, with next-day streaming on Crave. The 2026 show features performances from Dean Brody (19x CCMA winner), The Reklaws (10x CCMA winners), James Barker Band, Tenille Arts, and Owen Riegling.
- Saskatchewan spotlight: The 2026 ceremony highlights Saskatchewan-born artists, including Hunter Brothers (Shaunavon), Kalsey Kulyk (Hudson Bay), and Jess Moskaluke (Rocanville). Artists with prairie roots get direct exposure to a national audience.
- Industry networking: Country Music Week (September 16 to 19) includes industry conferences, fan events, and showcase opportunities alongside the awards. This is where Canadian country artists connect with labels, booking agents, and radio programmers.
- Career validation: CCMA wins have directly preceded major label signings and radio chart success. Dean Brody's 19 CCMA wins correlate with his triple-platinum certification and consistent Canadian country radio presence.
- 50th anniversary visibility: The 2026 ceremony marks the CCMA's 50th year, which means increased media coverage and historical retrospectives that amplify winner visibility.
Potential Drawbacks and Things to Consider
- Membership required: Artists must pay annual CCMA membership fees to submit entries and vote. This creates a barrier for independent artists operating on tight budgets.
- Canadian content restrictions: The MAPL system requires Canadian content in submitted material. International collaborations or productions with non-Canadian producers may not qualify in certain categories.
- Limited genre scope: The CCMA Awards exclusively recognize country music. Artists working in country-adjacent genres (Americana, folk, bluegrass) may find category fit limited, though the Roots Album category provides some coverage.
- Regional concentration: While the 2026 ceremony is in Saskatoon, the CCMA's industry network is concentrated in Toronto and Nashville. Western Canadian artists may need to travel extensively for networking and showcase opportunities during Country Music Week.
- Smaller market impact: Compared to the CMA Awards or ACM Awards in the US, a CCMA win has a smaller commercial impact in terms of streaming boosts and ticket sales, particularly outside Canada.
Related Resources
- Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026 - Understand how award recognition translates to revenue
- How to Release Music Independently - Build the release strategy that gets you on award radars
- Music Industry Glossary - Learn industry terms relevant to Canadian music markets
- Official website: ccma.org
