Morgan Wallen Wins Zero CMA Honors Despite Dominating Year

Despite a chart-topping year and his presence in several key categories, Morgan Wallen receives zero CMA Awards at this year’s event.

Morgan Wallen was among the top contenders in several key categories at the 2023 CMA Awards on Wednesday, November 8, and he even performed twice that night — but the chart-topping country star still walked away empty-handed. Wallen was up for categories including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year, all of which he lost to Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton.

Still, the 30-year-old Wallen has had a winning year, with his album One Thing at a Time dominating the Billboard 200 all-genre chart for 16 weeks. His track “Last Night” spent the same amount of time atop the Billboard Hot 100, and his One Night at a Time Tour had plenty of sold-out shows across North America and Australia.

“Walked in tonight a winner, didn’t leave no different,” said Wallen on his Instagram Stories late Wednesday night. He performed twice during the show, including a tribute to the late Joe Diffie alongside HARDY and Post Malone.

Chris Stapleton took home the prize for Male Vocalist of the Year, while Lainey Wilson won Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year for Bell Bottom Country.

Meanwhile, outraged Morgan Wallen fans have taken to social media to share their anger over the so-called snub.

“I’m convinced Morgan Wallen will never win a major award ‘cause it would be (too) ‘controversial’ and these organizations refuse to put themselves in that situation,” shared one fan, referencing the video of Wallen that surfaced in 2021 in which he drunkenly uses a racial slur, leading to Big Loud Records suspending his recording contract.

Morgan Wallen was a CMA Award winner in 2020 for New Artist of the Year — his only CMA win. But his luck may change in the awards department, as he’s up for 17 awards at the 2023 BIllboard Music Awards, tied with SZA and trailing behind only Taylor Swift, with 20 entries.