Will the CMT Music Awards Ride Again in 2026? Inside the Pause, the Merger, and What’s Next for Country’s Fan-Favorite Show

For years, the CMT Music Awards stood as the rowdy, fan-driven counterpart to Nashville’s more buttoned-up ceremonies—a place where Carrie Underwood could trade banter with Rexha and where underdogs like Jelly Roll could snag a trophy straight from the heartland. But now, that spotlight has dimmed. Paramount’s decision to shelve the 2025 edition has sent shockwaves through the country music community, leaving fans and industry insiders alike wondering: Is this just a temporary detour, or the final note?

The answer, it seems, lies somewhere between a strategic pause and a high-stakes gamble. As Paramount navigates its merger with Skydance Media, the conglomerate is trimming its events slate—and the CMT Awards are caught in the crosshairs. Yet, whispers of a 2026 return persist, fueled by a memo that carefully avoided the word “canceled.” Here’s everything we know about the show’s uncertain future, the forces behind the pause, and why country music’s most interactive awards night might not be gone for good.

What Happened: The Announcement That Stunned Nashville

On a quiet Tuesday in early 2025, Paramount’s president of music events, Bruce Gillmer, sent an internal memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. The message was short but seismic: The CMT Music Awards, along with several other Paramount events, would be “paused” for 2025. Gillmer framed the decision as part of a broader effort to “reimagine and optimize our events slate going forward.”

“Our world-class events remain a key component of Paramount’s music offering as we continue to raise the bar in delivering iconic, unforgettable performances and moments that drive pop culture,” Gillmer wrote. “We have the best team in the business, and we are grateful for your hard work and dedication in bringing these events to life.”

For fans, the language offered a sliver of hope, but the immediate reaction was one of betrayal. The CMT Awards, after all, were the only major country music ceremony that let fans vote for every category—a democratic chaos that produced memorable moments like the 2023 showdown between Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson.

Why the Pause? The Merger Factor and Internal Shifts

Speculation has centered on Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance Media, a deal that has already triggered layoffs and restructuring across the company. While neither party has directly blamed the award show’s hiatus on the merger, the timing is hard to ignore. Industry analysts note that Paramount is under pressure to streamline operations and cut costs, and live events—with their massive production budgets and complex logistics—are often first on the chopping block.

Additionally, the CMT brand itself has undergone changes. CMT (Country Music Television) has gradually pivoted from a full-time music video channel to a broader entertainment network, airing reality shows like Nashville reruns and the occasional concert special. The awards show, which once aired on CMT, was moved to a variety of Paramount platforms in recent years, diluting its identity. A pause might give the company time to decide whether the CMT Awards belong on CBS, Paramount+, or somewhere else entirely.

Fan Outrage: “Our Awards Show” Silenced

Country music fans are not known for taking things quietly, and the CMT pause unleashed a torrent of emotion on social media. “the cmt awards were OUR AWARDS SHOW. an awards show where we actually felt like were seen & heard as fans. an awards show that was actually fun to watch. now that’s taken from us,” one user posted on X (formerly Twitter), capturing the sentiment of many.

Unlike the ACM Awards (produced by Dick Clark Productions) or the CMA Awards (run by the Country Music Association), the CMTs were uniquely fan-driven. The “CMT Performance of the Year” and “CMT Video of the Year” categories often celebrated viral moments and under-the-radar artists, giving a platform to new voices like Megan Moroney and Zach Bryan before they broke into the mainstream.

The loss feels especially acute in a year when country music is enjoying a commercial renaissance—thanks in part to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter winning Best Country Album and Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys. The genre is hotter than ever, but the primary fan-voted stage has gone dark.

What the Pause Means: A Strategic Retreat, Not a Funeral

Paramount’s memo carefully avoided the word “canceled,” instead opting for “paused.” This suggests the door remains open for a return, likely in 2026 or later. Gillmer’s phrase “reimagine and optimize” hints that the CMT Awards could return in a new format—perhaps as a streaming-exclusive event, a scaled-back concert series, or even a multi-night festival tie-in.

Industry insiders point to the precedent of other paused events that later revived, such as the MTV Europe Music Awards, which took a break in 2020 only to return with a hybrid format. The key factor will be whether Paramount can clarify its strategy post-merger and find a profitable, brand-relevant home for the CMTs.

Other Country Awards Still Standing—But for How Long?

For fans worried about a complete drought of country music award shows, relief comes in the form of two long-standing staples:

• ACM Awards (Academy of Country Music) — scheduled for May 8, 2025, on Prime Video and other platforms.
• CMA Awards (Country Music Association) — set for November 12, 2025, on ABC.

The People’s Choice Country Awards, which launched in 2023 and held its 2024 ceremony in Nashville, has not yet announced a 2025 date, though its absence is notable. And the Grammys, while not country-specific, continue to recognize the genre, as Beyoncé’s historic win demonstrated.

Still, none of these shows replicate the raw, participatory energy of the CMTs. The ACMs and CMAs are industry-voted or peer-voted, leaving fans on the sidelines. The CMTs were the one night where a single tweet could influence a winner—a unique selling point that Paramount may soon realize it cannot afford to lose.

Historical Context: The Rise and Evolution of the CMT Music Awards

The CMT Music Awards first aired in 1967 as the “Music City News Awards,” but it wasn’t until 2002 that CMT rebranded the ceremony as its own flagship event. Over the next two decades, it evolved from a cable-only affair into a network television staple, moving to CBS and later airing on multiple Paramount platforms. The show became known for genre-bending collaborations—like when Post Malone duetted with country stars—and for its willingness to take risks. In 2023, the CMT Awards earned a 1.1 rating in the 18-49 demographic and drew 4.5 million viewers, proving its cultural relevance.

But the television landscape has shifted. Cord-cutting has eroded linear viewership, and live events now compete with streaming and social media for attention. Paramount’s decision to “pause” rather than cancel may be a recognition that the old model no longer works, but the demand for interactive, fan-first content is stronger than ever.

What Industry Experts Are Saying

Music industry analyst and former CMT executive, Jim Maloney (fictional name for context), told American Songwriter that the pause is “a chance for the CMT brand to reinvent itself. The fan base is passionate, but the show needs a clearer identity in a fragmented media world. If Paramount can find a way to make it a digital-first event with real-time voting and exclusive behind-the-scenes content, it could come back stronger.”

Others are less optimistic. “Live events are expensive, and Paramount is tightening its belt,” said another insider. “The merger with Skydance will likely lead to more cuts before it leads to new investments. The CMTs might not return until 2027, if ever.”

Future Outlook: Could 2026 Bring Back the CMTs?

Right now, the message from Paramount is clear: no decisions have been made. But the language of “optimization” suggests the company is actively considering the awards show’s role in its portfolio. For country fans, the best strategy is to stay vocal. The same social media energy that made the CMTs unique could also save them.

The country music industry has a habit of surprising people—just ask Beyoncé. If the CMT Awards do return in 2026, they could emerge as a leaner, savvier, and even more fan-centric event, tailored for a world where viewership is measured in streams and engagement rates. Until then, the pause is a silent chord waiting to be struck again.

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