CMA Awards predictions: Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs will win big

The 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards are tonight, November 8. Prizes will be handed out live on ABC at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, during a ceremony hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning. But who will win the top prizes? Gold Derby users have been placing their bets here in our predictions center ever since nominations were announced in September. Scroll down for our official racetrack odds with our projected winners highlighted in gold.

SEE2023 CMA performers list: 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards performances

If our odds are correct, expect a big night for Morgan Wallen. The singer hasn’t won at the CMAs since his New Artist of the Year victory in 2020. He made himself an industry pariah in 2021 after he was caught using a racial slur. His music continued to top the charts, but he was banned from awards shows … for a little while at least. The CMAs nominated him later that very year for Album of the Year for “Dangerous.” Not long after that, though, the industry as a whole normalized relations with the controversial singer again. And this year Gold Derby users expect him to take home Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year from the association. He might also win Male Vocalist of the Year in what looks like a tight race against Luke Combs.

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But Combs has the potential to steal Wallen’s thunder. He’s the two-time defending champion for Entertainer of the Year and an eight-time CMA winner overall, so we know voters aren’t the slightest bit ambivalent about him. This year he’s expected to win Single of the Year for his crossover hit cover of Tracy Chapman‘s “Fast Car,” he’s neck-and-neck with Wallen for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, and he could upset Wallen for Album of the Year, an award Combs has claimed twice before.

Elsewhere, we’re anticipating CMA victories for Lainey Wilson (Female Vocalist of the Year), Brothers Osborne (Vocal Duo of the Year) and Old Dominion (Vocal Group of the Year). Do you agree with our forecasts? Who are you betting on tonight?

SEEIs Lainey Wilson a lock to win Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA Awards?

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Morgan Wallen — 6/1
Luke Combs — 6/1
Chris Stapleton — 13/2
Carrie Underwood — 7/1
Lainey Wilson — 7/1

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Morgan Wallen, “One Thing at a Time” — 6/1
Luke Combs, “Gettin’ Old” — 13/2
Lainey Wilson, “Bell Bottom Country” — 13/2
Kelsea Ballerini, “Rolling Up the Welcome Mat” — 7/1
Ashley McBryde, “Lindeville” — 7/1

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs, “Fast Car” — 11/2
Lainey Wilson, “Heart Like a Truck” — 13/2
Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson, “Wait in the Truck” — 7/1
Jordan Davis, “Next Thing You Know” — 7/1
Jelly Roll, “Need a Favor” — 7/1

SONG OF THE YEAR
Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson, “Heart Like a Truck” — 6/1
Luke Combs, “Fast Car” — 6/1
Lainey Wilson, “Heart Like a Truck” — 13/2
Jordan Davis, “Next Thing You Know” — 7/1
Megan Moroney, “Tennessee Orange” — 7/1

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Lainey Wilson — 5/1
Ashley McBryde — 13/2
Kelsea Ballerini — 7/1
Carly Pearce — 7/1
Miranda Lambert — 7/1

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs — 6/1
Morgan Wallen — 6/1
Chris Stapleton — 13/2
Jelly Roll — 7/1
Cody Johnson — 7/1

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne — 11/2
The War and Treaty — 13/2
Dan and Shay — 13/2
Maddie and Tae — 7/1
Brooks and Dunn — 15/2

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Old Dominion — 11/2
Zac Brown Band — 13/2
Little Big Town — 7/1
Midland — 7/1
Lady A — 7/1

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson, “Wait in the Truck” — 11/2
Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton, “We Don’t Fight Anymore” — 13/2
Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown, “Thank God” — 7/1
Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson, “Save Me” — 7/1
Cole Swindell and Jo Dee Messina, “She Had Me at Heads Carolina” — 7/1

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Hardy feat. Lainey Wilson, “Wait in the Truck” — 11/2
Ashley McBryde, “Light on in the Kitchen” — 13/2
Jelly Roll, “Need a Favor” — 7/1
Jordan Davis, “Next Thing You Know” — 7/1
Old Dominion, “Memory Lane” — 7/1

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