Music

It may have been the Country Music Association Awards, but big-name pop stars were all over the stage at the annual ceremony, which aired live from Nashville on ABC Nov. 20.

Post Malone, who switched to country music this year, had multiple nominations going into the show, but he didn’t win. However, he did have the honor of opening the show by singing his song “California Sober” with country superstar Chris Stapleton. Later, he sang his touching song “Yours,” inspired by his young daughter.

Shaboozey, who had multiple nominations, also went home empty-handed, but he did perform his 18-week #1 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” as well as a bit of his song “Highway.”

Teddy Swims, decked out in a cowboy hat, fringed jacket and huge belt buckle, joined his old friend, country superstar Thomas Rhett, for a duet of Thomas’ song “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman.” The two then sang Teddy’s hit “Lose Control” together.

Earlier this year, Noah Kahan sang with Kelsea Ballerini during the Academy of Country Music Awards. On Wednesday the two teamed up again to sing their duet “Cowboys Cry Too,” which was nominated for Musical Event of the Year. It was Noah’s latest live collaboration in a year that saw him singing onstage with everyone from James Bay, Hozier and Reneé Rapp to Olivia Rodrigo, The Lumineers, Gracie Abrams and his whole family.

Jelly Roll performed twice, singing his song “Liar” and joining legendary country duo Brooks & Dunn for their song “Believe.”

Also on the CMAs, Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help” duet partner Morgan Wallen was named Entertainer of the Year, the biggest award of the night, but he wasn’t there to accept it.

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The 58th CMA Awards, airing live from Nashville Wednesday on ABC, were nothing if not unpredictable.

As expected, co-host Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton took home Female and Male Vocalist of the Year, respectively, but the other categories brought some surprises. Morgan Wallen, who was the leading nominee going into the ceremony, won Entertainer of the Year for the first time, but he wasn’t there to accept the night’s biggest honor. It was his first CMA win since 2019.

Then Vocal Duo of the Year went to Brooks & Dunn, marking their 15th win in that category and their first since 2006. It also brought their total CMA wins to 19, tying them with Chris Stapleton for the most wins ever.

“What a weird business, huh?” Ronnie Dunn remarked from the stage. “I love it!”

Kix Brooks and Ronnie also delivered a touching moment, singing their hit “Believe” with help from Jelly Roll in a performance that brought some in the audience to tears. Jelly also teamed with Keith Urban for a fiery performance of “Liar.”

Another surprising win: Cody Johnson taking home Album of the Year for Leather. At the podium, he said, “I never thought there would be a moment to do a Ric Flair, but now is the time,” then did the wrestler’s famous “Wooo!” Cody was also joined by surprise performer Carrie Underwood for their duet “I’m Gonna Love You.”

Megan Moroney won New Artist of the Year after being nominated for the second straight year. She triumphed over chart-toppers like Nate Smith, Bailey Zimmerman and Shaboozey.

Stapleton won both Single and Song of the Year for “White Horse” over such chart-topping hits as “I Had Some Help” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Even he seemed surprised at his wins; humble as ever, he thanked his wife, Morgane, who sang with him during his performance of “What Am I Gonna Do.”

Stapleton also joined Post Malone for “California Sober” and took part in the George Strait tribute that preceded King George’s acceptance of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. He joined Strait to sing “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame,” which he co-wrote, and also handed George the trophy. Parker McCollum, Lainey and Miranda Lambert also sang Strait songs during the segment.

Old Dominion won Vocal Group of the Year for the seventh time, overtaking Little Big Town, who’d won it six times. Onstage, singer Matthew Ramsey said, “If you’re an artist, creator or musicians, this when the world needs you the most: when it’s weird, like it is right now.”

And off camera, Ella Langley and Riley Green won their first-ever CMA Award for their viral, relatively new single “you look like you love me.”

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Backstage at the 2024 CMA Awards, the veterans rubbed elbows with the newcomers.

Alabama natives Ella Langley and Riley Green — who actually picked up their Musical Event of the Year trophy for “you look like you love me” on the red carpet prior to the show — marveled at winning on their very first nomination. Ella confessed the hardest part of performing on the show, which started with them sitting in the audience, was focusing on not falling while walking to the stage.

Old Dominion‘s Matthew Ramsey reveled at the band’s seventh win for Vocal Group, confessing that little has changed through the years, save for the fact that his beard used to be black and now it’s gray. 

Brooks & Dunn were particularly stunned as they picked up their first Vocal Duo of the Year trophy since 2006. While Ronnie Dunn attributed their win to the staying power of their songs, Kix Brooks couldn’t help but remember the “stupid stuff” they did in the ’90s, like shooting themselves out of cannons in concert and wearing shirts that were “uglier” than the ones Garth Brooks was sporting.

After winning Album of the Year for Leather, Cody Johnson paid tribute to his wife, Brandi, going so far as to say he’d probably be “dead or in jail” had it not been for her, before asking the room to give her a round of applause.

For New Artist of the Year Megan Moroney, grasping the iconic trophy was confirmation she’s on the right track and that all her hard work is starting to pay off. 

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The biggest names in country music were honored at the 58th annual Country Music Association Awards Wednesday, Nov. 20, hosted once again by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, joined this year by Lainey Wilson.

Here is the complete list of winners:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Morgan Wallen

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“White Horse,” Chris Stapleton

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Leather, Cody Johnson

SONG OF THE YEAR
“White Horse,” Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Lainey Wilson

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Chris Stapleton

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Old Dominion

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“you look like you love me,” Ella Langley feat. Riley Green

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Charlie Worsham, Guitar

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Wildflowers and Wild Horses,” Lainey Wilson

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Megan Moroney

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The Go-Go’s are headed to Coachella next year.

The annual festival in Indio, California, is taking place over two weekends, April 11-13 and April 18-20, with The Go-Go’s on the bill for opening night of each weekend, which will be headlined by Lady Gaga. Green Day and Post Malone are the other two headliners.

This is the second festival The Go-Go’s are booked for in 2025. They’ll also be playing the 2025 Cruel World Festival, taking place May 17 in Pasadena, California.

Presale tickets for Coachella go on sale Friday at 11 a.m. PT. More info and a complete lineup can be found at coachella.com.

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The world definitely has seen the signature song by Goo Goo Dolls — and listened to it, too.

“Iris,” the Goo Goo Dolls hit that never mentions the title in the lyrics, has been RIAA-certified Diamond for sales of more than 10 million units. The song has also racked up more than 2 billion streams on Spotify alone; it hit the 1 billion mark in 2022.

“Iris” was first released in 1998 on the soundtrack of the film City of Angels and appeared on what became the band’s bestselling album, Dizzy Up the Girl, released later that year.

You’ll likely hear “Iris” if you go see Goo Goo Dolls on their just-announced 2025 Summer Anthem tour with Dashboard Confessional, which starts July 13 in Phoenix, Arizona, and is set to wrap up Sept. 12 in Missouri.

Tickets go on sale Nov. 22 at the band’s website. A presale starts Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. local time.

Prior to the summer tour starting, Goo Goo Dolls will be touring Australia in February and March, and then perform at the Stagecoach festival in Indio, California, on April 27.

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Travis Scott‘s time to be the “Highest in the Room” — or rather the highest in the desert — has finally come. The lineup for Coachella was released Wednesday, and he was named one of the headliners of the two-weekend-long festival. He’s expected to design the desert, bringing his immersive and experiential world to fans on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of both weekends.

Other stars on the lineup include Missy Elliott, Mustard, GloRilla, Tyla, Three 6 Mafia, 4batz, Tink and Saint JHN, performing on the first night; day two includes T-Pain; and Megan Thee Stallion, Rema, Ty Dolla $ign, Muni Long and Amaarae are taking the stage on the final night.

Coachella will take place on the weekends of April 11 and April 18 at its home of Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. 

It will mark Scott’s return to the festival following his second-liner slot in 2017. He was slated to headline the 2020 and 2022 shows, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the Astroworld tragedy, respectively, got in the way.

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Lady Gaga and Post Malone have been confirmed to headline Coachella 2025.

The festival takes place April 11-13 and April 18-20 in Indio, California. Rock band Green Day and rapper Travis Scott will headline, as well.

Also on the lineup are Charli XCX, Tyla, Benson Boone, LISA, Zedd, Shaboozey and Jessie Murph. 

Registration for access to a presale beginning Friday at 11 a.m. PT is open now. Those who attended the 2023 and 2024 festivals will have access to an earlier sale beginning Thursday at 11 a.m. PT.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit Coachella.com.

If you can’t make it in person, both Coachella weekends will stream live on YouTube.

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Green Day has been confirmed to headline Coachella 2025.

The festival takes place April 11-13 and April 18-20 in Indio, California. Lady Gaga, Post Malone and Travis Scott will headline, as well.

Also on the lineup are Misfits, Clairo, The Marías, Sam Fender, Jimmy Eat World, beabadoobee, Djo, Portishead‘s Beth Gibbons, Kraftwerk, The Beaches and The Go-Go’s.

Registration for access to a presale beginning Friday at 11 a.m. PT is open now. Those who attended the 2023 and 2024 festivals will have access to an earlier sale beginning Thursday at 11 a.m. PT.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit Coachella.com.

If you can’t make it in person, both Coachella weekends will stream live on YouTube.

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