This was not on our 2025 bingo card…

We don’t like being the bearer of bad news, but we think this is worth an explanation.

In a major turn of events, the 2025 CMT Awards have officially been cancelled—a blow to country music artists and us, their fans! Last year’s award show was hosted by none other than Kelsea Ballerini and we saw some of our favorite artists take home some of the night’s most coveted awards.

We’re talking Jelly Roll taking home the award for video of the year, Lainey Wilson winning female video of the year, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the talent honored at the long-running award show.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the reason why this year’s CMT Awards show was put on pause is due to Paramount Global’s upcoming merge with David Ellison’s Skydance Media. As the parent company to other major televised events, unfortunately, the CMT Awards isn’t the only one being affected.

The MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs), Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Mexico, and MTV MIAWs— an event that honors Latin American music—were also put on pause due to this upcoming merger.

The news of the award show cancellations were obtained by The Hollywood Reporter through a memo sent to staff from Paramount Global executive Bruce Gillmer. In it he states that the company is looking to “reimagine and optimize [their] 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. We have the best team in the business, and we are grateful for your hard work and dedication in bringing these events to life,” he concluded.

While this isn’t the news country music fans want, there are still several other award shows to look forward to this year like the ACM Awards (Thursday, May 8) and the yet-to-be scheduled CMA Awards.