The 57th annual Country Music Association Awards will once again take over Nashville.
Airing live on ABC this Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET from the Bridgestone Arena, country music’s biggest night will be hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning and will feature performances by best artist nominees Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson, to name a few.
Related: Lainey Wilson Leads 2023 CMA Awards with 9 Nominations
Those without cable can watch the CMA Awards live online through any TV streaming service that carries ABC, including DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and Sling. Viewers with cable who want to stream the show from their computer or mobile device can log into abc.com with their TV provider credentials. The CMA Awards will also be available to watch on demand on Thursday on Hulu.
Below, keep reading for more on how to stream the CMA Awards online with and without cable (including for free), plus the lineup of performers and nominees.
2023 CMA Awards: Arrivals and Show Date, Time
The 2023 CMA Awards will air live on ABC on Wednesday starting at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET; it will also be broadcast in MT, Alaska and Hawaii at 7 p.m. local time and at 8 p.m. local time PT. Cable subscribers can simply tune into their local ABC channel on TV, or sign into abc.com with their TV provider credentials.
If you want to watch the CMA Awards without cable, live TV streaming services including DirecTV Stream, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and Sling all allow cord-cutters to stream ABC online. Keep reading to learn more about each option, including which streamers offer five- or seven-day trials for those who want to stream the CMA Awards for free.
best streaming service overall
DirecTV Stream
Packages from $64.99 per month
New subscribers can watch the 2023 CMA Awards on ABC for free with a seven-day trial to DirecTV Stream‘s Entertainment package ($64.99 monthly, guaranteed for the first two years), which offers online TV, on-demand content and more than 75 other channels, including CNN, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, AMC and others. Other plans offer over 105-150 channels, with prices ranging from $83.99 to $154.99 per month.
For a limited time, new subscribers can also earn up to a $400 Visa gift card; learn more here.
Best Value
Fubo
Packages from $74.99 per month
Watch ABC and more than 170 other news, entertainment and sports channels with a subscription to Fubo, which starts at $74.99 per month. You can record over 1,000 hours of TV shows, movies, games and more (including Monday, Thursday and Sunday night football) and watch later on your smartphone, tablet or TV.
Other plans include the Elite package (254 channels for $84.99 monthly) and the Ultimate tier that comes with 298 channels, NFL RedZone, Showtime and 4K quality for $100 monthly. The online TV streaming service offers a five-day trial for new subscribers, so you can technically watch the 2023 CMA Awards online for free during that period.
best live tv streaming bundle
Hulu + Live TV
Packages from $76.99
A Hulu + Live TV subscription comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+ and includes NBC and 75 other major cable news, entertainment and sports channels for $76.99-$89.99 per month (packages available with or without ads). You’ll also get access to live streaming and events on ESPN+, like UFC Fight Night, PGA golf, soccer and baseball.
Hulu + Live TV does not currently offer a free trial.
Most affordable streaming service
Sling
Packages on sale from $22.50 per month
Sling‘s Blue plan ($45 per month) and combined Orange & Blue package ($60 monthly) let you watch ABC and more than 40 other local broadcast channels, and you can record up to 50 hours of content and stream on up to three devices. Sling offers DVR so you can record shows to watch offline later.
Sling is currently offering a deal that gets new subscribers half off their first month, bringing the price down to $22.50-$30 for the Blue or Orange & Blue plans. Note that you’ll need to connect an HD antenna and an AirTV device if you want to watch local channels on your Sling service; get more details here.
2023 CMA Awards: Performance Schedule, Presenters
Hosted by Luke Bryan and NFL star Peyton Manning, the 2023 CMA Awards will feature an opening performance by new artist of the year nominee Jelly Roll of his hit, “Need a Favor” and a Jimmy Buffett tribute show with Kenney Chesney, Mac McAnally, Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band.
Post Malone will join Hardy and Morgan Wallen for a country classics medley, and other collaborations of CMA Awards nomineeds will include Jelly Roll and K. Michelle (who will sing “Love Can Build a Bridge” together), Megan Moroney and Old Dominion for “Can’t Break Up Now,” Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton for “We Don’t Fight Anymore,” Tanya Tucker with Little Big Town for “Delta Dawn” and more. The lineup will also feature solo performances by nominees Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, The War and Treaty and Lainey Wilson.
Among the presenters are Paula Abdul, Nate Bargatze, Bill Anderson, Cynthia Erivo, the trio Lady A, Darius Rucker, Golden Bachelor star Gerry Turner, Keith Urban and others.
2023 CMA Awards: Full List of Nominees
Lainey Wilson was the most-nominated country star for a second consecutive year with nine MCA nods, followed by Jelly Roll (five nominations) and 2022 Entertainer of the Year winner Luke Combs (four recognitions).
Below, see the complete list of 2023 CMA Awards nominees.
Entertainer of the year
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Single of the year
Award goes to artist(s), producer(s) and mix engineer
“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; mix engineer: Chip Matthews
“Heart Like A Truck” – Lainey Wilson; producer: Jay Joyce; mix engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll; producer: Austin Nivarel; mix engineer: Jeff Braun
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; producer: Paul DiGiovanni; mix engineer: Jim Cooley
“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells; mix engineer: Joey Moi
Album of the year
Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde; producers: John Osborne, John Peets; mix engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne
Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson; producer: Jay Joyce; mix engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs; producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; mix engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews
One Thing At A Time – Morgan Wallen; producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery; mix engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland
Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini; producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; mix engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym
Song of the year
Award goes to Songwriter(s)
“Fast Car” – Songwriter: Tracy Chapman
“Heart Like A Truck” – Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson
“Next Thing You Know” – Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne
“Tennessee Orange” – Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams
“wait in the truck” – Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt
Female vocalist of the year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Carly Pearce
Lainey Wilson
Male vocalist of the year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Vocal group of the year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
Vocal duo of the year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
Musical event of the year
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
“Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson); producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; producer: Zach Crowell
“Thank God” – Kane Brown (with Katelyn Brown); producer: Dann Huff
“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells
“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce (featuring Chris Stapleton); producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce
Musician of the year
Jenee Fleenor
Paul Franklin
Rob McNelley
Derek Wells
Charlie Worsham
Music video of the year
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
“Light On In The Kitchen” – Ashley McBryde; director: Reid Long
“Memory Lane” – Old Dominion; directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher
“Need A Favor” – Jelly Roll; director: Patrick Tohill
“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; director: Running Bear
“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); director: Justin Clough
New artist of the year
Zach Bryan
Jelly Roll
Parker McCollum
Megan Moroney
Hailey Whitters