Turn up the volume and get ready for country music’s biggest night of the year. Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning, and Lainey Wilson are set to host the 58th Annual CMA Awards this Wednesday (Nov. 20) at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. 

In honor of the star-studded affair, we have put together our predictions on who we think will win and who we think deserves to win. Keep scrolling to check out our extensive list and let us know your Fan Of View below, or send us a DM on social media at @fandomdaily_. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Country Music Association (@cma)

Entertainer Of The Year: Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson

Fan Prediction: The Entertainer Of The Year is the most coveted honor in country music’s biggest night and is defined as an artist who “displays the greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field.” We think Jelly Roll will take home the win. 

Potential Snub: Morgan Wallen routinely smashes records in country music, but lamentably doesn’t represent what CMA stands for, according to the public. His record, One Thing At A Time, topped the Billboard 200 chart for 19-consecutive weeks breaking the record for a No. 1 country album. He’s amassed over 36.4 million monthly Spotify listeners, his song “Last Night” is the longest-running No. 1 song in Hot 100 history, while “Lies Lies Lies” has earned him his 15th number one single this week. 

Single Of The Year: Shaboozey (“A Bar Song (Tipsy)”), Cody Johnson (Dirt Cheap), Post Malone feat: Morgan Wallen (“I Had Some Help”), Lainey Wilson (“Watermelon Moonshine”), Chris Stapleton (“White Horse”)

Fan Prediction: Post Malone and Morgan Wallen “I Had Some Help.” The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six weeks and was the second single ever to debut with 167 first-week country radio ads. Post Malone’s announcement into country music amassed such excitement that it’s hard to see any other winner. 

Potential Snub: Because of the records “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has broken, seeing this one lose would be a real loss. 

Song of the Year: Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose (“Burn It Down”), Josh Phillips (“Dirt Cheap”), Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters (“I Had Some Help”), Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins (“The Painter”), Chris Stapleton and Dan Wilson (“White Horse”)

Fan Prediction: This award is for the songwriters. Chris Stapleton often wins this award, but the songwriters behind Parker’s “Burn It Down” - Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey - are legendary. 

Potential Snub: Both “Dirt Cheap” and “The Painter.” Both of Cody’s songs are immensely emotional, and “Dirt Cheap” is a one-writer song written by Josh Phillips which is rare these days. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Country Music Association (@cma)

Album Of The Year: Kacey Musgraves (Deeper Well), Luke Combs (Fathers & Sons), Chris Stapleton (Higher), Cody Johnson (Leather) and Jelly Roll (Whitsitt Chapel)

Fan Prediction: Chris Stapleton always has this award in the bag. He’s only lost this award once, but it’s interesting to see that he and Musgraves are up against each other again this year. Both differ immensely from one another, but Higher is critically the more commercially popular one of the two. 

Potential Snub: I can’t even begin to dive into all of the exceptional album releases this year. 2024 was full of so many incredible bodies of work. Just to name a few, Zach Top’s Cold Beer & Country Music, Ernest’s Nashville, Tennessee, Riley Green’s Way Out Here, Kameron Marlowe’s Keepin’ The Lights On, Carly Pearce’s hummingbird, Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, Lainey’s Whirlwind, Ella Langley’s hungover, The list is never-ending. In terms of current nominees, Deeper Well has shown a different side of Musgraves’s artistry that is praiseworthy, while Jelly Roll has seemed to introduce a whole new wave of demographics to the genre. We’re still obsessed over his CMT Award performances. 

Female Vocalist Of The Year: Kelsea Ballerini, Ashley McBryde, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson

Fan Prediction: Lainey Wilson will undeniably take this win home as she’s one of the hottest women in country music. She is everywhere. She has seven number one singles under her belt, 

Potential Snub: Megan Moroney unveiled her sophomore record this year, Am I Okay? debuting in Top 10 on the Billboard 200. She’s garnered a loyal following with her introspective and relatable lyricism pertaining to dating as a 27-year-old girl. She was rather unheard of in 2022 until “Tennessee Orange” hit the market, and now it’s frankly odd that she’s pulling double time as a Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year, given her recent status. 

Kelsea Ballerini has also had a standout year with her recent studio release PATTERNS, and she just headlined Madison Square Garden. She’s embarking on a 36-date Kelsea Ballerini Live on Tour run in January 2025 and is projected to have an even bigger year. With her recent transition into pop music, will this be one of her last years up for a CMA?

Male Vocalist Of The Year: Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen

Fan Prediction: Chris Stapleton. To be nominated in the same category as Chris Stapleton is truly an honor. 

Potential Snub: For me, it feels like a crime to say that anybody else other than Chris should win this award, but there are other very talented vocalists in the game. Cody Johnson has powerful pipes and is up for a few different awards - Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Album of the Year, Entertainer of the Year - two of those awards he has TWO songs nominated. 

Morgan Wallen is also deserving of this accolocade, but it’s hard seeing him actually win anything due to the potential backlash of such. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Country Music Association (@cma)

New Artist Of The Year: Megan Moroney, Shaboozy, Nate Smith, Mitchell Tenpenny, Zach Top, Bailey Zimmerman 

Fan Prediction: Megan Moroney. She’s currently on the top of her game. Every time I open TikTok I see one of her songs used as audio in somebody’s video. She wrapped up her opening slot on Kenny Chesney’s stadium tour, and her sophomore record Am I Okay? debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. She’s also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year which makes it a little odd that she’s up for New Artist of the Year. 

Potential Snub: Honestly, anybody who doesn’t win this award is considered a snub. All of these artists deserve to win in their own respective way. Shaboozey’s statistics speak for themself. He’s a current six-time Grammy nominee and “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is still making history as the longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1 track. He’s also made history as the first artist to have a No. 1 song on the Country Airplay, Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay, and Rhythmic Airplay. 

Vocal Group of the Year: Lady A, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, Zac Brown Band

Fan Prediction: Historically, this category tends to repeat itself. Old Dominion are sure to take home this award for the seventh year in a row. 

Potential Snub: Old Dominion’s labelmate The Red Clay Strays are one of the hottest new names in country music. They omit a traditional country landscape and recently headlined a few dates at the Ryman Auditorium. They may not be a household name, yet, but their sound will stand the test of time. 

Vocal Duo of the Year: Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Maddie & Tae, The War And Treaty

Fan Prediction: Just like Vocal Group of the Year, Brothers Osborne has won this award six of the last eight years and are still pumping hits. 

Potential Snub: The War and Treaty are exceptional talents, but haven’t had the right song yet bringing them commercial success. The two can sing like no other and often bring you to tears with their tributes and we hope to see them become more of a household name in the coming years. 

Musical Event of the Year: Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan (“Cowboys Cry Too”), Post Malone feat: Morgan Wallen (“I Had Some Help”), Zach Bryan feat: Kacey Musgraves (“I Remember Everything”), Morgan Wallen feat: Eric Church (“Man Made A Bar”), Ella Langley feat: Riley Green (“you look like you love me”)

Fan Prediction: “I Had Some Help.” As previously mentioned, the collaboration between Post Malone and Morgan Wallen drew such a buzz that it’s believable that anything those two released would’ve become a massive hit. Both personalities blend together harmoniously and it’s great to see differing genres come together for a fun project.

Potential Snub: Riley Green and Ella Langley “you look like you love me” was another stellar collaboration and took over social media by storm. The song is fun and lighthearted and is what the world needs right now. 

Photo Credit: @laineywilson on Instagram