One of the things that makes the CMT Music Awards stand out among awards shows is that it’s fan-voted. After the nominees list comes out, the contenders in each category are whittled down to one final winner by the people that know best: Their listeners.
But that doesn’t mean that the show is immune to a blunder now and again. Just like any other awards show, the CMT Music Awards have had their fair share of missteps over the years. Sometimes, that means a deserving up-and-comer gets passed over in favor of another breakthrough act — but in hindsight, the losing song becomes an even bigger smash hit. Other times, it’s about a tough call between multiple superstar nominees, and there’s no real right answer about who the best one is. And in other cases, a bigger hit wins the day, even though the trophy should truly have gone to the song with the most innovative engaging music video — it is the CMT Music Awards, after all!
In the gallery below, Taste of Country counts down our picks for the 10 most glaring errors in CMT Music Awards history. You’ll find all of the above scenarios and more on this list, but the No. 1 pick for the time the awards show got it wrong isn’t about a time an artist was nominated and lost — it’s actually about an artist who got his very first trophy years after he should have been picking up wins at this awards show.
10 Times The CMT Music Awards Got it Wrong
No awards show gets it right 100 percent of the time, and the CMT Music Awards is no different. Here’s Taste of Country’s list of the top 10 times that this fan-voted awards show got it wrong.
No. 10: 2013: Eric Church’s “Springsteen” Loses Video of the Year
Carrie Underwood is the most-awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history, and for good reason. But when her “Blown Away” won the top prize at the 2013 CMT Music Awards, fans were definitely overlooking an even stronger contender: Eric Church’s now-classic “Springsteen,” a slice of all-American nostalgia whose music video was filmed in Murfreesboro, Tenn. While Underwood showed off some strong acting chops in the video for her award-winning, souped-up murder ballad, we think the hometown feel and heart of Church’s video made “Springsteen” the clear choice for this award.
Terry Wyatt, Getty Images
No. 9: 2014: Zac Brown Band’s “Sweet Annie” Loses Group Video of the Year
For whatever reason, Zac Brown Band have sometimes been a little bit underappreciated at awards shows, so it’s nice to see that “Sweet Annie” got some love on the nominees list at the 2014 CMT Music Awards. We’re thinking it was the strongest contender in the category, though it had some tough competition, especially from the video that ultimately won the trophy: “Done” by the Band Perry.
No. 8: 2016: Maren Morris’ “My Church” Loses Female Video of the Year
In 2016, this award was Maren Morris’ to win: Her debut single, “My Church,” was a Top 5 hit on the country charts, and catapulted her from Nashville songwriter to bonafide hit-maker status. It even won Morris a CMA Award and a Grammy Award — but the song stopped just short of a CMT Music Awards trophy, with the Female Video of the Year award ultimately going to Carrie Underwood.
No. 7: 2019: Thomas Rhett Loses Male Video of the Year
Kane Brown has seen a whole lot of well-deserved success at the CMT Music Awards — He’s even co-hosting the ceremony with Kelsea Ballerini for the third consecutive year in 2023 — but in our humble opinion, there’s one CMT trophy that really should’ve gone to someone else. That was the 2019 Male Video of the Year award, which Brown won for “Lose It,” but his fellow nominee made an even stronger case with his catchy and autobiographical song, “Life Changes.” Rhett’s “Life Changes” music video is extra special because his young daughters make cameos in the clip.
No. 6: 2008: Tim McGraw + Faith Hill Lose to LeAnn Rimes + Bon Jovi
LeAnn Rimes brought sizzling cross-genre energy to the 2008 CMT Music Awards with her Collaborative Video of the Year-winning “Till We Ain’t Strangers Anymore,” a duet with rocker Bon Jovi. But even the winning song didn’t stand the test of time quite as well as Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s “I Need You,” another nominee in the category. This tender ballad has a music video that has since become a classic, featuring the now-iconic image of the husband-and-wife duo sitting face to face as they sing, surrounded by glowing candles.
Larry Busacca, Getty Images
No. 5: 2015: Maddie & Tae’s “Girl in a Country Song” Loses Duo Video of the Year
No shade to Florida Georgia Line — who won Duo Video of the Year for their song, “Dirt,” at the 2015 CMT Music Awards — but the clear choice in this category was Maddie & Tae’s “Girl in a Country Song,” a song and video combo that was just as hilarious as it was refreshing. A much-needed antidote to the tropes of bro country, “Girl in a Country Song” actually pokes fun at FGL lines, along with lyrics by many of the other biggest country acts of the day. The music video deserved a win here — and frankly, its cowboy actors who donned cut-off jeans and crop tops in the name of gender equality deserve a win in a category all their own.
No. 4: 2021: Lainey Wilson Loses Breakthrough Video of the Year
Well, hindsight’s 20/20. Lainey Wilson’s “Things a Man Oughta Know” was a massive breakthrough hit for the now-star in 2022, and it was the first in what’s now becoming a string of No. 1 radio hits. But back in 2021, the song lost its bid for Breakthrough Video of the Year at the 2021 CMT Music Awards, in a category where Dylan Scott’s “Nobody” was ultimately declared the victor. Wilson’s definitely getting the CMT love she deserves these days, though: She’s going into this year’s awards show with more nominations than any other artist.
No. 3: 2008: Luke Bryan Loses Breakthrough Video of the Year
It’s hard to imagine now, but back in 2008, country superstar Luke Bryan was just getting his start — and he earned a nomination in the CMT Breakthrough Video of the Year category for his debut single, “All My Friends Say.” That trophy ultimately went to Kellie Pickler’s hit song, “I Wonder,” but “All My Friends Say” has definitely evolved into a classic over the years.
No. 2: 2011: Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” Loses Video of the Year
Taylor Swift is a fan-favorite at the CMT Music Awards, and in 2011, she brought home the awards show’s biggest honor for her song, “Mine.” But in retrospect, it seems like that award should have gone to Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me,” a tearjerker and career song that can still quiet a rowdy arena every time Lambert sings it. The song might not have taken home this particular award, but it still got lots of love at other shows: It won Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 2011 Grammys.
No. 1: George Strait Wins His First CMT Music Award in 2022
How is it possible that the King of Country had never won a CMT Music Award until 2022?! George Strait has won plenty of awards over the course of his career, and he’s been nominated for even more than that — including in some categories at the CMT Music Awards. But Strait never won a trophy until last year, when he won in the Performance of the Year category for his Charley Pride tribute, “Is Anybody Going to San Antone.” Strait’s 2022 win was well-deserved, but he should have won many more CMT Music Awards before this one.
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