Watch All the 2024 CMA Awards Performances
Wednesday night’s (Nov. 20) 58th annual Country Music Association Awards showcased the best and brightest that country has to offer, from its rising stars to a moving tribute to the man they call the King of Country, George Strait.
It also featured multiple appearances from fresh-to-the-genre rapper-turned-crooner Post Malone, as well as a couple spotlight moments for Jelly Roll, who cemented his status as one of the brightest, most inspiring singers in Nashville when he held his own with Brooks & Dunn during a performance of their inspiring gospel-tinged track “Believe.”
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Malone and Chris Stapleton kicked things off with their duet “California Sober,” followed by new artist of the year winner Megan Moroney’s glitzy “Am I Okay?” and Shaboozey’s ramble through his ballad “Highway,” which gave way to his 18-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Other notable duets came from Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan on “Cowboys Cry Too,” Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims mashing up “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman” and “Lose Control,” and Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood’s “I’m Gonna Love You.”
Though he went into the night with seven nominations, entertainer of the year winner Morgan Wallen was a no-show, while Stapleton had a great night, winning three of the top five prizes, including single of the year and song of the year for “White Horse.”
If you missed some, or all, of the action, check out all of the 2024 CMA Awards performances below.
Post Malone and Chris Stapleton
The dynamic duo opened the show in style with a run through their weed-is-acceptable anthem from Posty’s hit debut country album, F-1 Trillion.
Megan Moroney
The new artist of the year honoree brought the glam with a bedazzled performance of the title track from her latest album, Am I Okay?
Shaboozey
For a minute there it seemed like this year’s breakthrough country superstar might eschew his ubiquitous hit in favor of the more contemplative new single, “Highway.” No worries, though, he also came through with a high-spirited take on “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” that had the all-star crowd at Bridgestone Arena dancing and singing along.
Ella Langley and Riley Green
After winning musical event of the year before the broadcast, the duo performed their honored old-school duet, “You Look Like You Love Me,” with Langley moseying to the stage after starting out on the arena floor as she sang-talked her way to the barroom set on the main stage. Green followed suit, making the same slow walk with his trusty acoustic slung across his chest.
Thomas Rhett and Teddy Swims
Dressed in their finest black leathers, Rhett and Swims started in the venue’s backstage area and slow walked into the spotlight for a rumble through the former’s soulful “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Woman” from Rhett’s seventh studio album, About a Woman. Keeping the love vibes going, they pivoted to Swims’ equally impassioned Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Lose Control.”
Luke Combs
Combs lit up the stage with his Twisters soundtrack hit “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” barreling through the rock-tinged track on a set featuring giant rusty oil derricks, towering pyro effects and digital lightning flashing behind him.
Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan
Ballerini and Kahan performed their duet “Cowboys Cry Too” — the lead single from Ballerini’s recently released fifth album, Patterns — live for the first time together on TV.
Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood
With images of snow-capped mountains behind them, Johnson and Underwood gave us all the feels with their moving duet from the deluxe edition of his 2023 Leather album.
Chris Stapleton
The night’s big winner proved why he’s a humble Nashville favorite son with an unadorned, mesmerizing performance of his Higher ballad “What Am I Gonna Do,” accompanied by his “secret weapon,” wife singer/songwriter Morgane Stapleton.
Kacey Musgraves
Musgraves didn’t need anything besides her trusty acoustic and her bell-clear voice to strum her way through the wonder-of-the-universe single “The Architect” from this year’s Deeper Well album.
Brooks & Dunn and Jelly Roll
The triple-threat trio brought the CMAs to church with their emotional, soaring performance of the beloved duo’s gospel-tinged “Believe,” backed by a full orchestra and swaying choir.
Lainey Wilson
The evening’s co-host took the crowd to a nighttime tailgate party with her impassioned run through her latest single, “4x4xU,” surrounded by roaring campfires and glittering stars.
Bailey Zimmerman
Injecting some rock energy into the proceedings, Zimmerman cut loose with his twangy “New to Country” on a set accented by a four-wheeler, his initials in towering red letters and a bunch of Solo cup-swigging bros playing beer pong with a wrestler.
George Strait tribute featuring Lainey Wilson, Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum and Chris Stapleton
The beloved King of Country got his proper respect during a nine-minute, all-star tribute that kicked off with Wilson performing “Amarillo By Morning,” followed by Johnson’s take on “Give It Away,” Lambert and McCollum joining in on “Troubadour” and the Country Music Hall of Famer himself popping out with Stapleton for their collab, “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame.”
Ashley McBryde
McBryde’s reverential tribute to late country outlaw Kris Kristofferson via his classic “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” brought a hush over the arena as her crystalline voice was accompanied by a series of pictures of the beloved singer who died at 88 in September.
Luke Bryan
The American Idol judge and night’s co-host kept it simple with a bare bones, earnest run through his top 5 Country Airplay hit, “Love You, Miss You, Mean It.”
Eric Church
In his ongoing quest to keep a light on those Americans in his home state of North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene, Church played “Darkest Hour,” a song he released last month to help with recovery efforts. The impassioned Van Morrison-like ballad, which found Church backed by a horn and string section and choir, featured projected images from the aftermath of the devastating storm.
Editor’s note: At press time Post Malone’s solo performance of his ballad “Yours,” Jelly Roll and Keith Urban’s team-up on “Liar” and the “American Girl” finale with Dierks Bentley, Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes were not available on the CMAs YouTube feed.
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