- The 2020 CMT Awards kicked off with a full-band performance by Luke Combs performing a future smash hit called “One Too Many” with special guests Brooks & Dunn, who came out mid-song! Kix handed Luke a beer that he quickly shotgunned. Solid start.
- Kane Brown, one of the co-hosts of the show, welcomed the audience to the program. He then introduced co-host Sarah Hyland of Modern Family fame. She then kicked it over to the other co-host, Ashley McBryde. They then took turns laying out some of the who and what will be happening tonight.
- Sam Hunt performed next, playing his 7th career #1 hit, “Hard to Forget” – he sure wasn’t convincing with his “guitar playing”
Dan + Shay
Duo Video of the Year
• Brothers Osborne – “All Night (Studio Performance)”
• Dan + Shay – “I Should Probably Go To Bed” – WINNER
• Florida Georgia Line – “Blessings”
• LOCASH – “One Big Country Song”
• Maddie & Tae – “Die From A Broken Heart”
- Mickey Guyton was introduced to, introduce the next performance, which was a snippet of Ingrid Andress performing her great new single “Lady Like”
- Ashley McBryde announced the 3 finalists for Video of the Year, which you can still vote on now.
- Brandi Carlile, wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt, introduced Maren Morris who performed “To Hell and Back”
Carrie Underwood
Female Video of the Year
• Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
• Carrie Underwood – “Drinking Alone” – WINNER
• Gabby Barrett – “I Hope”
• Kelsea Ballerini – “homecoming queen?”
• Maren Morris – “The Bones”
• Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”
- Sarah Hyland introduced Cody Alan and Katie Cook who reminded fans to vote for tonight’s Video of the Year.
- Sarah Hyland talked about the lack of airplay for women, then presented the inaugural CMT Equal Play Award, which goes to an artist that brings attention to the problem
Jennifer Nettles
Equal Play Award
• Jennifer Nettles
- Sarah Hyland introduced Tanya Tucker to introduce Ashley McBryde’s performance of her new single “Martha Divine”
- Hardy introduced Travis Denning who played a snippet of his hit song “After a Few”
- Kane Brown introduced Thomas Wesley (aka Diplo) who introduced Morgan Wallen who performed “Chasin’ You”
Chris Young
CMT Performance of the Year
• From CMT Artists of the Year: Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
• From CMT Crossroads: Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs – “Brand New Man”
• From CMT Artists of the Year: Chris Young – “Drowning” – WINNER
• From CMT Crossroads: Halsey and Kelsea Ballerini – “Graveyard”
• From CMT Artists of the Year: Sam Hunt – “Fancy”
• From CMT Crossroads: Sheryl Crow and Chris Stapleton – “Tell Me When It’s Over”
Luke Bryan
Male Video of the Year
• Jason Aldean – “Got What I Got”
• Luke Bryan – “One Margarita” – WINNER
• Luke Combs – “Even Though I’m Leaving”
• Morgan Wallen – “Chasin’ You (Dream Video)”
• Sam Hunt – “Hard To Forget”
• Thomas Rhett – “Remember You Young”
- Idina Menzel introduced Gabby Barrett who performed her smash hit “I Hope”
- Demi Lovato introduced Dan + Shay who performed “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
- Riley Green introduced Caylee Hammack who performed a snippet of her song “Just Friends”
- Sarah Hyland introduced Kane Brown who performed “Worship You”
- Taylor Swift announced the winner of the next award:
Breakthrough Video of the Year
• Blanco Brown – “The Git Up”
• Caylee Hammack – “Family Tree”
• Gabby Barrett – “I Hope” – WINNER
• Ingrid Andress – “More Hearts Than Mine”
• Riley Green – “I Wish Grandpas Never Died”
• Travis Denning – “After a Few”
Old Dominion
Group Video of the Year
• Lady A – “Champagne Night”
• Little Big Town – “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
• Midland – “Cheatin’ Songs (Live From the Palomino)”
• Old Dominion – “One Man Band” – WINNER
• The Chicks – “Gaslighter”
• The Highwomen – “Crowded Table”
- Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20) introduced Jimmie Allen and Noah Cyrus who performed their duet “This Is Us”
- Ingrid Andress introduced Mickey Guyton who performed a snippet of her song “Heaven Down Here”
- Jessica Chastain introduced Shania Twain who performed “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” from a wax museum in Switzerland.
- Katy Perry introduced Luke Bryan who performed “What She Wants Tonight”
- Caylee Hammack introduced Riley Green who performed a snippet of his song “If It Wasn’t For Trucks”
- Kane Brown introduced Kelly Clarkson who introduced Kelsea Ballerini and Halsey to perform “The Other Girl”
Blake Shelton
Collaborative Video of the Year
• Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani – “Nobody But You” – WINNER
• Carly Pearce and Lee Brice – “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
• Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber – “10,000 Hours”
• Kane Brown feat. Nelly – “Cool Again”
• Marshmello & Kane Brown – “One Thing Right”
• Thomas Rhett featuring Jon Pardi – “Beer Can’t Fix”
- Travis Denning introduced Hardy who performed a snippet of his song “One Beer”
Music Video of the Year
• Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
• Blanco Brown – “The Git Up”
• Carrie Underwood – “Drinking Alone” (FINALIST)
• Dan + Shay – “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
• Keith Urban – “Polaroid” (FINALIST)
• Kelsea Ballerini – “homecoming queen?”
• Little Big Town – “Sugar Coat”
• Luke Combs – “Beer Never Broke My Heart”
• Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”
• Old Dominion – “Some People Do”
• Sam Hunt – “Hard To Forget”
• Tanya Tucker – “Bring My Flowers Now” (FINALIST)
• The Chicks -“Gaslighter”
• Thomas Rhett – “Remember You Young”
- Luke Bryan introduced the final performance of the night as Litlte Big Town performed “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” in Ruskin Cave in Dickson, TN
