CMT Awards 2022 WINNERS: Carrie Underwood earns her 24th and 25th win

Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood walk away with the first award of the night  – and her record-breaking 24th of all time – for Collaborative Video of the Year as the 2022 CMT Music Awards kicks off in Nashville.

They also closed out the night with the last award – Video of the Year, her 10th time winning the honor and 25th CMT Award in total, and Aldean’s first in a 17-year career.

Miranda Lambert also took home a top prize, winning Female Video of the Year for her hit song If I Was a Cowboy.

Aldean and Underwood took to the stage, with Aldean stating, ‘Hey. Thank you. Thank you, thank you guys so much. This song is just kind of been so unbelievable this year. Like how you guys, the fans responded to it, how everybody has. First of all thank you to Carrie for agreeing to do this song.’

He added, ‘But this is about the video. And to me the video is Sean Silva, everybody attack el box for shooting an amazing video. Michael Knox for producing this song for us and just kind of making this more than I ever thought it would be or could be,’ while thanking Michael Knox for producing.

Underwood stepped to the mic while clutching her record 24th CMT Award, adding, ‘Thank you fans so much. For all the support you have given to this song and this video. Everybody, he just thanked, thank you, thank you Jason. Thank you C.M.T.! Whooo!’

Aldean and Underwood also won the last – and biggest – award of the night, Music Video of the Year for If I Didn’t Love You.

They beat out Brandi Carlile (Right On Time), Cody Johnson (‘Til You Can’t), Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson (Never Say Never), Kacey Musgraves (justified), Kane Brown (One Mississippi), Kelsea Ballerini feat. Kenny Chesney (half of my hometown), Luke Combs (Forever After All), Maren Morris (Circles Around This Town), Mickey Guyton (Remember Her Name), Miranda Lambert (If I Was A Cowboy) and Taylor Swift feat. Chris Stapleton (I Bet You Think About Me) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)

Underwood began, ‘Thank you so much. Thank you fans. I mean this longs to belongs to you. We already thanked everybody that works on the video and thanked each other, this one Saul about the fans, so thank you fans, thank you CMT’s.’

A heartfelt Aldean added, ‘I just have to say 17 years in the game, this is the first time I have ever won video of the year so this is pretty amazing to me!’

‘And this the fact that I think Carrie and I hit the scene about the same time and the fact that you still care enough about us, this many years in our career, to vote for us, and care enough about what we are doing to still love the music and listen to it, a vote for us means the world to me,’ he added.

‘And so thank you so much, Carrie as well. And thank you so much for loving the song like you have. Country radio for playing the song, the fans. Thank you guys for voting. It’s been a great night. Great song and I’m pretty sure I picked the perfect partner for this song. So thank you so much. This is great,’ he concluded.

The second award went to Parker McCollum for Breakthrough Video of the Year for his song To Be Loved By You, presented by last year’s winner, Dylan Scott.

Scott took a page from the Masters playbook, starting a new tradition by presenting a green beer coozie to this year’s winner McCollum, like how the previous year’s winner at the Masters presents the new winner with the iconic green jacket.

He beat out BRELAND (Cross Country), Caitlyn Smith feat. Old Dominion (I Can’t), Elvie Shane (My Boy), Priscilla Block (Just About Over You) and Tenille Arts (Back Then, Right Now).

The 29-year-old Texas native started his speech by stating he knew his family was watching at home, adding, ‘We’ve been watching these award shows my whole life and I’m on it right now. And they’re at home watching. 

‘My mom is here tonight, my mother and father in law are here tonight so super cool. Man, I don’t know,’ he said, seemingly at a loss for words.

‘I never won nothing and had to say anything so I sure think a lot of the songs I write, try to write real country songs from the heart that mean something and appreciate it being recognized. Appreciate y’all,’ he concluded.

Country music legend George Strait made history with his very first CMT Award, winning CMT Performance of the Year.

He beat out Brothers Osborne – Muskrat Greene/Dead Man’s Curve Medley (from CMT Campfire Sessions), H.E.R. feat. Chris Stapleton – Hold On (from 2021 CMT Music Awards), Kane Brown – Three Wooden Crosses (from 2021 CMT Artists of the Year), Kelsea Ballerini feat. Paul Klein of LANY – I Quit Drinking (from 2021 CMT Music Awards), Mickey Guyton feat. Gladys Knight & BRELAND – Friendship Train (from 2021 CMT Music Awards) and Nelly feat. Kane Brown, Blanco Brown & BRELAND – Ride Wit Me (from CMT Crossroads: Nelly & Friends).

While Strait couldn’t accept the award in person, he sent a video message that was shown to everyone in attendance.

‘Wow, I can’t believe I won. I’m sorry I’m not there tonight but I want to say thank you to all the fans who voted for me. I really appreciate that,’ he began.

‘And thank you to C.M.T. This was really special for me because it was a tribute song to the late Charley Pride, my friend. And I want to say hi to Charley’s family out there. Thank you very much,’ Strait concluded.

Martina McBride presented the Female Video of the Year Award to Miranda Lambert, who won for If I Was a Cowboy.

She beat out Brandi Carlile (Right On Time), Gabby Barrett (Footprints On The Moon), Kacey Musgraves – justified, Maren Morris (Circles Around This Town), Mickey Guyton – Remember Her Name and Tenille Arts (Back Then, Right Now).

Lambert thanked McBride for handing her a buckle, adding, ‘I’m so happy to be just a part of the women in country music today. We’re really starting to kick some ass and I’m so excited about it.’

She also thanked music video director Trey Fanjoy, a female director who she said, ‘directed pretty much every music video of my career for the last 20 years so Trey, I love you, this one is for you. We are cowboys and we’re going to continue to be.’

Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Font delivered the most emotional speech of the night when she won Group/Duo Video of the Year, beating out Brothers Osborne (I’m Not For Everyone), Dan + Shay (Steal My Love), Old Dominion (I Was On a Boat That Day), Parmalee (Take My Name) and Zac Brown Band (Same Boat).

An emotional Maddie took to the stage and began with, ‘Damn, let me tell y’all something about the devil. He tried to get you when you doing right. But god loves you. God loves you! Okay. Okay, let’s go, baby. Okay.’

Her collaborator Tae Kerr was seen on a video screen with her baby, as Maddie spoke to her, stating, ‘Oh, I missed you. I missed you so much. That’s my girl. And I’ve been drinking, I’m so nervous.’

She thanked her creative team and her husband, who is her ‘muse,’ adding, ‘I miss you so bad.’

‘I want to thank our fans. But most importantly the resilience that god has built in us and other team, the clarity he has given us, the strength he gives us, the vision god gives us and the peace he brings. This is much bigger than a music video award,’ she said.

She concluded, ‘Thank you Jesus and– I’m so grateful. Thank you, thank you so, so much.’

The Male Video of the Year when to Cody Johnson’s Till You Can’t, which beat out Eric Church (Heart On Fire), Kane Brown (One Mississippi), Luke Bryan (Waves), Luke Combs (Forever After All), Thomas Rhett (Country Again) and Walker Hayes (Fancy Like).

A surprised Johnson took to the stage and began, ‘Well, how about that,’ before thanking music video director Dustin Haney and songwriters Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis.

‘Dustin made an awesome video, Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis wrote a great song. I’m very proud to be the person that got to get the song,’ he said, before asking the crow, ‘You guys still believe in country music?’

‘I’m very proud to be able to stand up here with this award. This is the second CMT award we got tonight and the best part of it is that it is fan voted. So thanks to every single person that got out there and voted. Long live country music. Are you with me?

Johnson also won the CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year (handed out before the ceremony), for his performance of Dear Rodeo from CMT Campfire Sessions.

He beat out Brittney Spencer’s Sober & Skinny (from CMT Campfire Sessions), Carly Pearce’s Dear Miss Loretta (from CMT :60 Songs), Jon Pardi’s On The Other Hand / Forever and Ever, Amen (in honor of 2021 CMT Artist of a Lifetime Randy Travis), Josh Turner LIVE (from CMT KickBack) and Lainey Wilson’s Things A Man Oughta Know (from the CMT Studio).

Co-hosts Mackie and Brown revealed that the 12 nominees for Video Of the Year had been narrowed down to three – Cody Johnson (‘Til You Can’t), Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood (If I Didn’t Love You) and Brown’s One Mississippi.

Fans can still vote for the winner throughout the night using hashtags #VoteCodyCMT, #VoteJasonCarrieCMT and #VoteKaneCMT.

Brown leads the way with four nominations this year, vying for the top prize – Video of the Year – along with Male Video of the Year, and two separate nominations for CMT Performance of the Year.

Brown’s One Mississippi will go up against Brandi Carlile (Right On Time), Cody Johnson (‘Til You Can’t), Cole Swindell & Lainey Wilson (Never Say Never), Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood (If I Didn’t Love You), Kacey Musgraves (justified), Kelsea Ballerini feat. Kenny Chesney (half of my hometown), Luke Combs (Forever After All), Maren Morris (Circles Around This Town), Mickey Guyton (Remember Her Name), Miranda Lambert (If I Was A Cowboy) and Taylor Swift feat. Chris Stapleton – I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) for Video of the Year.

His One Mississippi will vie for Male Video of the Year against Cody Johnson (‘Til You Can’t), Eric Church (Heart On Fire), Luke Bryan (Waves), Luke Combs (Forever After All), Thomas Rhett (Country Again) and Walker Hayes (Fancy Like).

He is a dual nominee in CMT Performance Of the Year with Three Wooden Crosses (from 2021 CMT Artists of the Year) and Nelly feat. Kane Brown, Blanco Brown & BRELAND – Ride Wit Me (from CMT Crossroads: Nelly & Friends).

He will go up against Brothers Osborne – Muskrat Greene/Dead Man’s Curve Medley (from CMT Campfire Sessions), George Strait – Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone (from CMT GIANTS: Charley Pride), H.E.R. feat. Chris Stapleton – Hold On (from 2021 CMT Music Awards), Kelsea Ballerini feat. Paul Klein of LANY – I Quit Drinking (from 2021 CMT Music Awards) and Mickey Guyton feat. Gladys Knight & BRELAND – Friendship Train (from 2021 CMT Music Awards).

The biggest all-time winner in CMT Music Awards history – Carrie Underwood (23 wins) could take home two more awards tonight.

She’s up for Video of the Year for her and Jason Aldean’s If I Didn’t Love You, along with Collaborative Video of the Year as well.

Country music’s only fan-voted awards show is making its debut in network primetime this year, airing on CBS live from Nashville.

The show will also be available to stream live and on demand on the Paramount Plus streaming service.

Fans who want even more can tune into the CMT Awards Extended Cut, featuring 30 minutes of performances and bonus footage, airing Friday, April 15 on CMT.