All The Must-See Highlights From the 2022 CMT Music Awards

By Kelly Fisher

April 12, 2022

Photo: Getty Images

The 2022 CMT Music Awards was packed with a star-studded lineup of performers and presenters (rocking jaw-dropping looks on the carpet and onstage). So, naturally, we rounded up all the biggest highlights of the evening.

Faith Hill returned to the CMT Awards to present the Video of the Year award alongside 1883 costar Isabel May, marking the country artist’s first time back in 12 years. The 2022 awards show was also a comeback for Kenny Chesney, who returned for his first time in seven years to close the show with his hit song “Beer In Mexico.” The Judds — iconic mother-daughter duo Naomi and Wynonna Judd — also took the stage to perform together for the first time in about two decades. One artist who did not get to take the stage is Kelsea Ballerini, one of the evening’s co-hosts (along with Captain America star Anthony Mackie and leading nominee Kane Brown), who tested positive for COVID-19 and took on hosting duties from home. Tons of other celebs outside of the country music industry — including Gayle King, Taylor Lautner, and Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France and Antoni Porowski, to name a a few — also joined in as presenters.

Of course, there were plenty other highlights in between. Check out the best moments of the 2022 CMT Music Awards here:

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Keith Urban performed "Wild Hearts."

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Keith Urban

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Cole Swindell and Lainey Wilson performed "Never Say Never."

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Anthony Mackie and his "new" co-host Kane Brown.

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Little Big Town debuted their song "Hell Yeah."

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Parker McCollum performed "To Be Loved By You" just a couple of weeks after getting married!

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Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood accepted the Collaborative Video award onstage for "If I Didn't Love You."

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Carly Pearce performed her break-up anthem, "Diamondback."

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Old Dominion performed "No Hard Feelings."

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Riley Greene and Thomas Rhett performed "Half Of Me."

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Carrie Underwood performed "Ghost Story."

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Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and co-host Kane Brown spoke about CMT Crossroads before introducing Jason Aldean and Bryan Adams' duet.

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Jason Aldean and Bryan Adams performed "Heaven."

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Jason Aldean

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LeAnn Rimes introduced Mickey Guyton and Black Pumas.

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Mickey Guyton and Black Pumas performed "Colors."

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Mickey Guyton and Black Pumas

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Parker McCollum accepted the award for Breakthrough Video of the Year from Dylan Scott.

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Gabby Barrett performed "Pick Me Up."

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Walker Hayes performed "AA."

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Breland performed "Praise The Lord."

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Nelly and co-host Anthony Mackie joked around in the crowd.

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Lily Aldridge presented Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd's performance.

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Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd performed "I Can't Love You Any More."

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Cody Johnson performed "Til You Can't" before accepting the award for Male Video of the Year.

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Martina McBride presented the award for Female Video of the Year.

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Miranda Lambert accepted the Female Video of the Year award for "If I Was a Cowboy."

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Kacey Musgraves presented Wynonna and Naomi Judd, who were performing together at an award show for the first time in over 20 years.

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Cody Johnson Til You Can't

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Gabby Barrett and Dustin Lynch presented the award for Group/Duo Video of the Year.

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Maddie Font of Maddie & Tae accepted the Duo/Group Video of the Year award for "Woman You Got" from Gabby Barrett and Dustin Lynch. She was crying as she accepted the award without Tae, saying "I miss you so much I can't do this without you. I've been drinking because I'm so nervous."

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Gayle King presented Jimmie Allen, Monica, and Little Big Town's performance.

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Little Big Town, Jimmie Allen, and Monica performed "Pray" live for the first time.

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Joel McHale presented Cody Johnson with the award for Male Video of the Year.

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Cody Johnson accepted the Male Video of the Year award for "Til You Can't."

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Taylor Lautner presented his good pal Kane Brown's performance.

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Kane Brown performed "One Mississippi."

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Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, and Antoni Porowski presented Miranda Lambert's performance.

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Miranda Lambert performed "If I Was A Cowboy."

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'1883' castmates Isabel May and Faith Hill presented the award for Video of the Year.

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Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood accepted the Video of the Year award for "If I Didn't Love You" from Faith Hill and Isabel May. This was the first time in Aldean's seventeen-year career that he won this award.

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Kenny Chesney closed out the night with a performance of "Beer in Mexico." It was his first time performing at the CMT Awards in seven years!

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