2022 CMT Music Awards
The 2022 CMT Music Awards, the 56th edition of the awards ceremony, were held in Nashville, Tennessee on April 11, 2022, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium and locations in and around Nashville, Tennessee. The ceremony was hosted by Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, and Anthony Mackie. The ceremony marked the final appearance and public performance of the country music duo, The Judds, as Naomi Judd died on April 30.
Background
The CMT Music Awards is country music's only entirely fan-voted awards show. Following the departure of the Academy of Country Music Awards from the network after 23 years, Paramount Global announced that the live televised ceremony would move from CMT to CBS. While CBS carried the award show live, CMT aired week-long special programming and events capped by an exclusive "director's cut" airing of the ceremony on the cable network.Judds Reunion
On April 1, CMT announced that Wynonna and Naomi Judd would reunite for a performance on the 2022 CMT Music Awards. The reunion comes ahead of the duo's Country Music Hall of Fame induction in May and Final Tour in the Fall. They performed their hit song, "Love Can Build a Bridge," from the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. The performance marked The Judds' only nationally televised award show performance in more than twenty years. The reunion performance was met with positive reception. People magazine called the performance "stunning", and Billboard called the reunion a "glorious return and a welcome comeback". This would be the final live performance for Naomi Judd and for The Judds as a duo; Naomi died on April 30, 2022, just nineteen days after their performance.Ballerini tests positive for COVID-19
On the day of the live telecast, Ballerini announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19. She was asymptomatic, and said she would be able to co-host and perform from her home, with help from CMT and CBS. Kane Brown, who hosted the previous year's ceremony with Ballerini, stepped in and shared the main stage with Mackie as a co-host.Winners and nominees
Nominees were announced on March 16, 2022. Winners are in bold.Performers
Performances include both the live performances shown on CBS and extended cut performances shown exclusively on CMT.| Performer | Song |
| Keith Urban | "Wild Hearts" |
| Lainey Wilson & Cole Swindell | "Never Say Never" |
| Little Big Town | "Hell Yeah" |
| Carly Pearce | "Diamondback" |
| Old Dominion | "Time, Tequila and Therapy" |
| Thomas Rhett & Riley Green | "Half of Me" |
| Carrie Underwood | "Ghost Story" |
| Jason Aldean & Bryan Adams | "Heaven" |
| Mickey Guyton & Black Pumas | "Colors" |
| Gabby Barrett | "Pick Me Up" |
| Cole Swindell | "Stereotype" |
| Lainey Wilson | "WWDD" |
| Walker Hayes | "AA" |
| Kelsea Ballerini | "Heartfirst" |
| Maren Morris & Ryan Hurd | "I Can't Love You Any More" |
| Cody Johnson | "'Til You Can't" "Human" |
| The Judds | "Love Can Build a Bridge" |
| Jimmie Allen, Monica & Little Big Town | "Pray" |
| Jason Aldean | "Trouble With A Hearbreak" |
| Kane Brown | "One Mississippi" |
| Miranda Lambert | "If I Was a Cowboy" |
| Kenny Chesney | "Beer in Mexico" |
Ram Trucks Side Stage performances
Presenters
The list of presenters were announced on April 7, 2022.- Rob Corddry, presented Collaborative Video of the Year
- Jimmie Allen, introduced Old Dominion
- Jordan Davis, introduced Thomas Rhett and Riley Green
- Billy Gibbons, honored the 20th anniversary of CMT Crossroads
- LeAnn Rimes, introduced Mickey Guyton and Black Pumas
- Dylan Scott, presented Breakthrough Video of the Year
- Craig Morgan and Mike Singletary, introduced Walker Hayes
- Lily Aldridge, introduced Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd
- Dennis Quaid, introduced Cody Johnson
- Martina McBride, presented Female Video of the Year
- Kacey Musgraves, introduced The Judds
- Gabby Barrett and Dustin Lynch, presented Group/Duo Video of the Year
- Gayle King, introduced Jimmie Allen, Monica and Little Big Town and Honored CMT Equal Play
- Joel McHale, presented Male Video of the Year
- Taylor Lautner, introduced Kane Brown
- Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France and Antoni Porowski, introduced Miranda Lambert
- Faith Hill and Isabel May, presented Video of the Year
Milestones
- Carrie Underwood, often referred to as the "Queen of the CMT Music Awards", won her 24th and 25th CMT Music Award, extending her record as the most decorated artist in CMT Music Awards history.
- Kane Brown and Anthony Mackie marked the first black co-hosts of the CMT Music Awards.