CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winners and Nominees
See every CMA Male Vocalist of the Year winner through the years, from the award’s first recipient to today’s biggest country stars.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Published: September 5, 2026
The CMA Male Vocalist of the Year award recognizes an individual artist based on their musical performance on a solo country single or album release, along with their overall contribution to country music. The award has been presented annually since the first CMA Awards in 1967.
Below is the complete list of CMA Male Vocalist of the Year winners, along with information about the current award, past recipients, and notable records in the category.
CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Quick Facts
Award first presented: 1967
First winner: Jack Greene
Presented by: Country Music Association
Judging criteria: Individual musical performance on a solo country single or album release and overall contribution to country music
2026 eligibility period: July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026
2026 CMA Awards: November 18, 2026
2026 CMA Male Vocalist of the Year
The 2026 CMA Male Vocalist of the Year nominees will be announced on September 10, 2026. The winner will be revealed during the 60th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
View the complete 2026 CMA Awards nominees and visit our 2026 CMA Awards guide for more information about this year’s awards.
Who Has Most CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Wins?
Chris Stapleton has the most wins in the Male Vocalist category with a total of eight.
Chris Stapleton - 8 Wins
Vince Gill, Blake Shelton, and George Strait - 5 Wins
Ronnie Milsap, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban - 3 Wins
Luke Combs, Lee Greenwood, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Tim McGraw, Charley Pride, and Randy Travis - 2 Wins
Clint Black, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Jack Greene, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Cody Johnson, Toby Keith, Charlie Rich, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Van Shelton, Ricky Skaggs, and Don Williams - 1 Win
Who Has the Most CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Nominations?
George Strait is the most-nominated act for Male Vocalist with a total of 25.
George Strait - 25 Nominations
Alan Jackson and Keith Urban - 16 Nominations
Merle Haggard, Brad Paisley, and Chris Stapleton - 11 Nominations
Vince Gill - 10 Nominations
Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Luke Combs, and Kenny Chesney - 9 Nominations
Ronnie Milsap and Willie Nelson - 7 Nominations
Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, and Don Williams - 6 Nominations
Garth Brooks, George Jones, Charley Pride, Thomas Rhett, Kenny Rogers, Ricky Skaggs, and Conway Twitty - 5 Nominations
Luke Bryan, Waylon Jennings, Cody Johnson, Toby Keith, Randy Travis, Morgan Wallen, and Hank Williams Jr. - 4 Nominations
Jason Aldean, John Anderson, Johnny Cash, Larry Gatlin, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, Collin Raye, and Ricky Van Shelton - 3 Nominations
Eddy Arnold, Clint Black, Glen Campbell, Jelly Roll, John Conlee, Rodney Crowell, Sonny James, Charlie Rich, and Bryan White - 2 Nominations
John Berry, John Denver, Joe Diffie, Freddy Fender, Jack Greene, Vern Gosdin, Tom T. Hall, Freddie Hart, John Michael Montgomery, Buck Owens, Johnny Paycheck, Ray Price, Jerry Reed, Marty Robbins, Johnny Rodriguez, Darius Rucker, Cal Smith, Zach Top, Travis Tritt, Josh Turner, Jerry Wallace, Steve Wariner, Keith Whitley, and Dwight Yoakam - 1 Nomination
Every CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Winner
1967 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Jack Greene
Nominees:
Eddy Arnold
Merle Haggard
Sonny James
Buck Owens
1968 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Glen Campbell
Nominees:
Eddy Arnold
Johnny Cash
Merle Haggard
Charley Pride
1969 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Johnny Cash
Nominees:
Glen Campbell
Merle Haggard
Sonny James
Charley Pride
1970 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Merle Haggard
Nominees:
Johnny Cash
Charley Pride
Marty Robbins
Conway Twitty
1971 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Charley Pride
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
Ray Price
Jerry Reed
Conway Twitty
1972 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Charley Pride
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
Freddie Hart
Johnny Paycheck
Jerry Wallace
1973 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Charlie Rich
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
Tom T. Hall
Johnny Rodriguez
Conway Twitty
1974 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Ronnie Milsap
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
Waylon Jennings
Charlie Rich
Cal Smith
1975 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Waylon Jennings
Nominees:
John Denver
Freddy Fender
Ronnie Milsap
Conway Twitty
1976 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Ronnie Milsap
Nominees:
Waylon Jennings
Willie Nelson
Conway Twitty
Don Williams
1977 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Ronnie Milsap
Nominees:
Larry Gatlin
Waylon Jennings
Kenny Rogers
Don Williams
1978 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Don Williams
Nominees:
Larry Gatlin
Ronnie Milsap
Willie Nelson
Kenny Rogers
1979 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Kenny Rogers
Nominees:
John Conlee
Larry Gatlin
Willie Nelson
Don Williams
1980 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: George Jones
Nominees:
John Conlee
Willie Nelson
Kenny Rogers
Don Williams
1981 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: George Jones
Nominees:
Ronnie Milsap
Willie Nelson
Kenny Rogers
Don Williams
1982 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Ricky Skaggs
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
George Jones
Ronnie Milsap
Willie Nelson
1983 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Lee Greenwood
Nominees:
John Anderson
Merle Haggard
Willie Nelson
Ricky Skaggs
1984 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Lee Greenwood
Nominees:
Merle Haggard
Gary Morris
Ricky Skaggs
George Strait
1985 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: George Strait
Nominees:
Lee Greenwood
Gary Morris
Ricky Skaggs
Hank Williams Jr.
1986 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: George Strait
Nominees:
George Jones
Gary Morris
Randy Travis
Hank Williams Jr.
1987 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Randy Travis
Nominees:
George Jones
Ricky Skaggs
George Strait
Hank Williams Jr.
1988 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Randy Travis
Nominees:
Vern Gosdin
George Strait
Ricky Van Shelton
Hank Williams Jr.
1989 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Ricky Van Shelton
Nominees:
Rodney Crowell
George Strait
Randy Travis
Keith Whitley
1990 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Clint Black
Nominees:
Garth Brooks
Rodney Crowell
George Strait
Ricky Van Shelton
1991 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Vince Gill
Nominees:
Clint Black
Garth Brooks
Alan Jackson
George Strait
1992 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Vince Gill
Nominees:
Garth Brooks
Joe Diffie
Alan Jackson
Travis Tritt
1993 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Vince Gill
Nominees:
John Anderson
Garth Brooks
Alan Jackson
George Strait
1994 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Vince Gill
Nominees:
John Anderson
Alan Jackson
George Strait
Dwight Yoakam
1995 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Vince Gill
Nominees:
John Berry
Alan Jackson
John Michael Montgomery
George Strait
1996 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: George Strait
Nominees:
Vince Gill
Alan Jackson
Collin Raye
Bryan White
1997 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: George Strait
Nominees:
Vince Gill
Alan Jackson
Collin Raye
Bryan White
1998 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: George Strait
Nominees:
Garth Brooks
Vince Gill
Tim McGraw
Collin Raye
1999 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Tim McGraw
Nominees:
Vince Gill
Alan Jackson
George Strait
Steve Wariner
2000 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Tim McGraw
Nominees:
Vince Gill
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
2001 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Toby Keith
Nominees:
Alan Jackson
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
George Strait
2002 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Alan Jackson
Nominees:
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Brad Paisley
George Strait
2003 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Alan Jackson
Nominees:
Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Brad Paisley
George Strait
2004 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Keith Urban
Nominees:
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
George Strait
2005 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Keith Urban
Nominees:
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
2006 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Keith Urban
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
2007 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Brad Paisley
Nominees:
Kenny Chesney
George Strait
Josh Turner
Keith Urban
2008 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Brad Paisley
Nominees:
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
George Strait
Keith Urban
2009 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Brad Paisley
Nominees:
Kenny Chesney
Darius Rucker
George Strait
Keith Urban
2010 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Blake Shelton
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban
2011 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Blake Shelton
Nominees:
Jason Aldean
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Keith Urban
2012 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Blake Shelton
Nominees:
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Keith Urban
2013 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Blake Shelton
Nominees:
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Keith Urban
2014 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Blake Shelton
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Keith Urban
2015 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
2016 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Tim McGraw
Keith Urban
2017 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Thomas Rhett
Keith Urban
2018 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Keith Urban
2019 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Luke Combs
Nominees:
Dierks Bentley
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
2020 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Luke Combs
Nominees:
Eric Church
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
2021 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Dierks Bentley
2022 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Cody Johnson
2023 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Cody Johnson
2024 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Chris Stapleton
Nominees:
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Cody Johnson
2025 CMA Awards Male Vocalist of the Year
Winner: Cody Johnson
Nominees:
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
Morgan Wallen
The CMA Male Vocalist of the Year category has recognized generations of country artists since 1967. This list will continue to be updated with each year’s nominees and winner. For more on the CMA Awards, including dates, performers, voting information, and complete category coverage, visit our CMA Awards guide.
Sources: CMA Awards official winners and nominees database.