CMT Music Awards

The CMT Music Awards is country music's only entirely fan-voted awards ceremony, recognizing music videos and television performances rather than individual songs, artists, or albums. Originally launched in 1967 as the Music City News Awards, the ceremony moved to CBS in 2022 and was held at Moody Center in Austin, Texas in 2023 and 2024. The awards have been on an indefinite pause since February 2025, when Paramount Global announced a one-year hiatus amid its merger with Skydance Media. No return date has been confirmed as of mid-2026.

Submission and Eligibility Details

The CMT Music Awards do not use a formal artist submission process. Nominees are determined by CMT based on video airplay, online streaming views, and fan engagement metrics.

Key eligibility and voting details:

• Nominees are selected by CMT based on music video and television performance airplay during the eligibility period
• All categories are entirely fan-voted, making this the only country music awards where fans directly determine every winner
• Fans vote through CMT's official website and using artist hashtags on CMT's social media platforms
• The voting window typically opens in mid-March and closes in early April (for the 2024 ceremony)
• There is no submission fee for artists, as CMT curates the nominee slate internally
• Categories specifically recognize music videos and live performances, not albums or individual songs

Key Benefits for Artists

• Direct fan engagement: Because every category is fan-voted, the CMT Music Awards generate high levels of fan interaction and social media activity. Artists can directly mobilize their fanbase to vote, creating organic promotional cycles.
• Video-specific recognition: The awards are the only major country music ceremony that exclusively recognizes music videos and television performances. This gives visual creators, directors, and cinematographers a dedicated platform for recognition.
• Broadcast reach: When active, the ceremony broadcasts on CBS and streams on Paramount+. The 2023 ceremony reached 6.18 million viewers, up 5% from 2022.
• Carrie Underwood dominance: Carrie Underwood holds the record for most CMT wins with 25 trophies, including ten Video of the Year wins. Her sustained success demonstrates how CMT recognition can anchor a long-term career.
• Breakthrough categories: The Breakthrough Male and Breakthrough Female Video categories specifically highlight emerging artists. Ashley Cooke (2024) and Warren Zeiders (2024) used their wins to secure major label support and radio traction.
• Cross-genre collaborations: The Collaborative Video category has recognized cross-genre pairings like Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton (2024 winners), exposing artists to each other's fanbases.

Potential Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Indefinite pause: Paramount Global announced a one-year pause in February 2025, attributed to the company's merger with Skydance Media. The pause has extended into 2026 with no confirmed return date. The Hollywood Reporter noted that "it wasn't immediately clear when a decision about the future of the events affected by the move would be made."
• Corporate uncertainty: Paramount's official language used "pause" rather than "cancellation," but the company has undergone significant layoffs (approximately 2,000 jobs) and financial restructuring. The CMT Music Awards' future depends on corporate decisions unrelated to the awards' viewership or popularity.
• Fan voting limitations: Fan-voted awards can favor artists with the most dedicated and organized fanbases rather than those with the strongest artistic output. This can lead to repeat winners and reduced diversity in nominations.
• Video-only scope: Artists who focus on live performance, songwriting, or album-length work rather than music videos receive no recognition. The ceremony's format excludes a significant portion of country music artistry.
• Austin relocation: The 2023 and 2024 ceremonies were held in Austin, Texas rather than Nashville. While this brought the show to a new market, it distanced the ceremony from Nashville's industry infrastructure, reducing in-person attendance from country music executives and professionals.
• Reduced commercial impact: Compared to the CMA Awards (7,000-plus industry voters) or ACM Awards, a CMT win typically generates a smaller streaming and sales boost because the fan-voted format is perceived as less of an industry endorsement.

Related Resources

• Complete Guide to Making Money as a Musician in 2026 - Learn how award recognition fits into revenue strategies
• How to Release Music Independently - Build a release strategy that includes music video production
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Estimate streaming revenue from fan engagement
• Music Industry Glossary - Understand industry terms related to awards and fan engagement
• Official website: cmt.com/event/cmt-music-awards