The 2019 CMT Music Awards, held on June 5, 2019, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, stands as a definitive moment in modern country music history. Hosted by Little Big Town, the ceremony celebrated the year's top music videos and live performances, anchored by a series of high-energy stage sets that defined the industry landscape of the era.
Overview of the 2019 CMT Music Awards
The CMT Music Awards holds a unique position in the music industry because it is a fan-voted event, prioritizing the connection between artists and their audience rather than industry panel critiques. The 2019 iteration was marked by a blend of established superstars and rising talent, reflecting the evolving sound of country music as it integrated pop, rock, and soul influences.
The ceremony is best remembered for the sheer volume of live collaborative performances. In 2019, producers prioritized cross-genre pairings and ambitious stage designs that utilized the full capacity of the Bridgestone Arena. For fans and historians, the list of winners and performers from this specific year serves as a time capsule of the genre’s mainstream peak during the late 2010s.
The Complete List of 2019 CMT Awards Winners
The voting process for the 2019 awards allowed fans to vote across multiple social media platforms, leading to a highly engaged turnout. The winners’ circle reflected both chart success and viral digital popularity.
| Category | Winner | Song/Video |
|---|---|---|
| Video of the Year | Carrie Underwood | "Cry Pretty" |
| Female Video of the Year | Carrie Underwood | "Love Wins" |
| Male Video of the Year | Blake Shelton | "Coming Home" (feat. Pistol Annies) |
| Duo Video of the Year | Dan + Shay | "Speechless" |
| Group Video of the Year | Zac Brown Band | "Someone I Only Knew" |
| Breakthrough Video of the Year | Ashley McBryde | "Girl Goin' Nowhere" |
| Collaborative Video of the Year | Keith Urban feat. Julia Michaels | "Coming Home" |
| CMT Performance of the Year | Leon Bridges & Luke Combs | "Beautiful Crazy" |
Carrie Underwood made history at the 2019 ceremony by extending her record for the most CMT Music Award wins ever, solidifying her status as a titan of the genre. Her dual wins in the top categories highlighted the strength of her "Cry Pretty" era, which resonated deeply with the core country audience.
Iconic Performances of the 2019 Ceremony
Beyond the trophies, the 2019 event was defined by its musical programming. The performances were curated to create "moments"—the kind of spectacles that would be shared on social media long after the telecast ended.
The Opener and High-Energy Sets
Little Big Town opened the show with a polished, high-energy performance that set the tone for the evening. Their role as hosts allowed them to integrate comedy segments with musical transitions, keeping the pacing tight.
Collaborative Crossovers
One of the defining aspects of the 2019 show was the intentional pairing of artists from different backgrounds. The collaboration between Keith Urban and pop star Julia Michaels demonstrated the ongoing trend of country music’s expansion into broader radio formats. Similarly, the performance by Leon Bridges and Luke Combs bridged the gap between soul/R&B and traditional country, which was a highlight for critics and viewers alike.
The Significance of Live Staging
The 2019 CMT Awards utilized advanced lighting rigs and multi-stage configurations. Artists like Thomas Rhett and Zac Brown Band utilized the stage layout to move closer to the audience, creating a more intimate experience despite the massive size of the arena. These performances were not merely recitations of songs but highly produced visual experiences designed for the camera.
Understanding the Significance of Fan-Voted Accolades
Unlike the CMA Awards or the ACM Awards, which rely on industry professionals and members of the respective associations to vote, the CMT Music Awards are entirely decided by public voting. This creates a distinct difference in the type of artists who dominate the list.
- Digital Engagement: Artists who maintain a high level of interaction on social media often see a significant advantage. The 2019 awards saw heavy social media campaigning, which is a prerequisite for success in these specific categories.
- Video Narrative: Because the awards specifically recognize music videos, the visual storytelling aspect of the song is just as important as the melody or lyrics. Carrie Underwood’s success in 2019 is a testament to her team's ability to craft narratives that appeal to the visual medium.
- Genre Fluidity: The 2019 awards were a clear indicator that the genre was moving away from the "Bro-Country" era and toward a more diverse soundscape. The presence of artists like Ashley McBryde, who won for Breakthrough Video, signaled that the CMT audience was open to grittier, more authentic storytelling.
Prerequisites for Success at the CMT Awards
For an artist to be considered for a nomination and subsequent win, there are several foundational requirements. These are standard across most major music awards but are specific in their application to the CMT process.
- Video Eligibility: The song must have had a music video released within the eligibility period. Without a high-quality video, artists are essentially disqualified from every category, as the awards are explicitly tied to the visual asset.
- Rotation Requirements: CMT (Country Music Television) typically requires that the video be in active rotation on their network. This creates a symbiotic relationship between the network and the artists; the network provides the platform, and the artists provide the content that drives the channel's ratings.
- Public Campaigning: Since the final winners are chosen by the public, artists must actively encourage their fan base to participate. In 2019, this involved utilizing Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook call-to-actions, which proved essential for the narrow margins seen in categories like "Breakthrough Video."
Common Misconceptions About the Awards
There is often confusion regarding how the CMT Music Awards differ from other country music institutions. A common mistake is assuming that "Video of the Year" is equivalent to "Song of the Year" at other ceremonies. While they overlap, the CMT award focuses specifically on the creative direction, editing, and performance capture of the video.
Another misconception involves the perception that these awards are purely regional. While the event takes place in Nashville, the voting base for the CMT Awards is national and, in many cases, international. The digital nature of the voting process allows fans from outside the traditional country music strongholds of the Southern United States to exert significant influence over the final outcome.
Analysis of the 2019 Industry Landscape
The 2019 ceremony served as a snapshot of a transitional period. Looking back from 2026, it is clear that 2019 was the year where the "crossover" sound became the standard. The success of Keith Urban’s collaboration with Julia Michaels was not an outlier but a trend-setter for the next half-decade of country production.
The production value of the 2019 ceremony also set a benchmark for future live events. The use of augmented reality and projection mapping during some of the performances was cutting-edge for the time, raising the expectation for what a television music awards show should look like.
Comparative Look: 2019 vs. Current Standards
When comparing the 2019 awards to contemporary ceremonies, several shifts become apparent. In 2026, we see a much higher emphasis on short-form vertical video (e.g., TikTok/Reels) in the nomination criteria. In 2019, the focus was still largely on the traditional "music video" format—the 3-to-4-minute cinematic piece designed for television and YouTube.
Furthermore, the 2019 awards relied heavily on the "crossover" model to drive ratings. Today, the industry has shifted back toward a more distinct "Country" identity, with artists finding massive success without the need for pop-collaboration to validate their presence on mainstream airwaves.
Next Steps for Fans and Researchers
If you are currently researching the history of country music or looking for specific information regarding the 2019 winners for archival purposes, it is recommended to utilize the official CMT archive or reputable trade publications like Billboard or Variety, which provided real-time coverage during the 2019 broadcast.
For those interested in the evolution of these awards, the most productive next action is to revisit the music videos themselves. By watching the winning videos from 2019—such as Carrie Underwood’s "Cry Pretty" and Ashley McBryde’s "Girl Goin' Nowhere"—you gain a better understanding of the aesthetic and thematic trends that won over the public during that specific year. These videos are widely available on official artist YouTube channels and remain the best primary sources for assessing the winning criteria of that era.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Who hosted the 2019 CMT Music Awards? The show was hosted by the country music group Little Big Town. The quartet, consisting of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet, managed the transition between awards and performances throughout the night.
2. How are the winners of the CMT Music Awards determined? Winners are chosen entirely through fan voting. Unlike other awards that use an academy of industry professionals, the CMT Music Awards provides a platform for the audience to cast votes online, which usually accounts for the final outcome in each category.
3. What was the most significant win of the night in 2019? Carrie Underwood winning "Video of the Year" for "Cry Pretty" was widely considered the most significant moment. It solidified her standing as a CMT favorite and added to her record-breaking total of career wins, cementing her legacy in the history of the awards.
4. Can I still watch the performances from the 2019 ceremony? While the original live broadcast is not typically available in full due to licensing and distribution rights, many of the individual performances were uploaded to the official CMT YouTube channel and the artists' own pages shortly after the event aired in 2019.
5. Are the 2019 awards representative of the entire country music genre? The awards represent the specific slice of the industry that aligns with the CMT network’s programming and the preferences of their demographic. While it is a major event, it focuses on the "Video" aspect of the industry, meaning it is not a comprehensive reflection of the genre's entirety, but rather a snapshot of the most popular and video-centric tracks of that year.
