The 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards took place on November 20th in Nashville. If you've made it through another boring show, you've probably noticed these eye-opening moments.
Morgan Wallen's complete absence from the show was one of the weirdest moments, but Jeff Bridges made things even worse by missaying Wallen's name. The star was asked to win the night's most coveted award, Entertainer of the Year, but did not attend the show. Kimberly Schlapman seriously could have grabbed another dress off the hanger, and Chris Stapleton definitely forgot to thank his wife before awkwardly declaring his failure.
Oh, and he didn't just say Morgan's name wrong 🤦🏼♀️
— Alexandra Kay (@_alexandrakay) November 21, 2024
Let's start with Warren's absence. Jeff Bridges realized that he was not in the building, and no one could explain why the famous singer was absent from the ceremony. Wallen finished his One Night at a Time tour in October and presumably had time in his schedule, but he was not involved in any activities. Wallen was the most nominated artist at the show, winning Entertainer of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year and Musical Event of the Year. was nominated for. There are some clues that he will be asked to grace the stage with his acceptance speech.
Bridges made a huge mistake by yelling, “Morgan's not here, dude!” And I mispronounced Warren's last name horribly.
He then attempted to accept the award on his behalf, but the actual award was not on stage, making for an awkward moment to deal with.
A newcomer to the country music world, @PostMalone There is a limit to how slow it becomes. #CMA Award stage! 👏 🎶 pic.twitter.com/LFCm4oSqwv
— Nashville, Tennessee (@visitmusiccity) November 21, 2024
Post Malone did appear, and while his first performance was great, his second one raised some eyebrows. The rapper has been warmly received in the country music scene, opening the show by rocking “California Sober” with Chris Stapleton. He returned to perform “Yours,” but it was a weak song choice considering the other choices. His tone and pitch were off, and his playing lacked energy and conviction.
Bailey Zimmerman's spectacle in “New to Country” took a bad performance to another level. He confused the fans by doing too many unrelated things, such as being lowered onto the stage from the ceiling, stopping in the middle of a song to play beer pong, and cheering on pro wrestling. He was covered in confetti – too much confetti, and we would like to forget this weird circus performance that ever happened.
Oops! @ChrisStapleton 2024 I forgot to thank my first wife Morganne #CMAA Award Victory – but he made up for it #CMAAwards2024 https://t.co/oFT3bMne7G
— Paul Bacon (@PaulBacon30) November 21, 2024
Chris Stapleton may be in the doghouse today, completely forgetting to thank his wife while accepting his first award of the night, Single of the Year for “White Horse.'' We didn't forget that his wife Morgan Stapleton was the producer of this hit song, and he certainly was. This mistake would have gone much smoother if he hadn't announced it when he returned to the stage for his second win. “I owe my wife an apology,” Stapleton said in his acceptance speech for Song of the Year.
“That last award was hers too,” he continued. He then went on an over-explanatory note, saying, “It all happened so suddenly,'' and “I owe her so much, so I appreciate her support.''
NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 20: EDITORIAL USE ONLY Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman attends the 58th Annual CMA Awards held at Music City Center on November 20, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. Attended. (Photo by Jason Davis/WireImage) Getty Images
Some of the night's missteps were non-verbal, including confusion about what to wear that night. Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman wore a dress with over-the-top monochrome and a giant bow, but the whole outfit stood out for all the wrong reasons. She looked like a high school girl trying to fit in at a party and was painful to watch.
NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 20: For Editorial Use Only Megan Moloney attends the 2024 CMA Awards held at Music City Center on November 20, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage) Getty Images
Megan Moloney's blue mermaid dress also exuded an air of desperation and looked like a young person's clothing choice. The skin-tight dress looked impossible to walk or sit in, and the hemline was too full and seemed too intentional.
NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 20: For editorial use only Keith Urban attends the 2024 CMA Awards at Music City Center on November 20, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage) Getty Images
Rounding out the bizarre outfit was Keith Urban, who seemed to forget he was attending an awards show. We love Urban, but this was a look we expected to see through the lenses of paparazzi on the street, and this wasn't a red carpet outfit at all. Big boots and a casual outdoor jacket gave the impression that he had stopped by on his way home from a show. (Related: Post Malone appears to reveal information about Coachella 2025)
It will eventually end and the next awards ceremony can be postponed until the next one is held.
