2025 CMA Awards Entertainer of the Year Nominee Luke Combs Shares His Picks for Who Should Win

Luke Combs may be up for Entertainer of the Year at the 2025 CMA Awards, but that isn’t stopping him from sharing his picks for who he thinks should take home the win.

The country star, 35, told Taste of Country Nights who he’s rooting for among the nominees, which include himself, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen and Chris Stapleton.

“I mean, I think Lainey’s chances are high. But CoJo would be kinda sick, too, you know what I mean?” Combs said. “He’s great. I love him, too.”

Combs has previously won the title twice, and has had an eventful 2025 that could help him make a case for a third win.

He released his EP The Prequel in October, and said in a statement at the time that he’s hard at work on a new album set for release in early 2026. That album’s first single, “Back in the Saddle,” came out in July and became a country No. 1 hit.

Wilson, meanwhile, has spent much of this past year on her Whirlwind World Tour in support of her 2024 album of the same name, which got a deluxe version in August. The singer, 33, is also serving as the host of the 2025 CMAs. She’s been nominated for Entertainer of the Year three times and has won once.

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Johnson, 38, has also had a solid year, as he was on his Leather Deluxe Tour from January through August. He released a cover of the song “Travelin’ Soldier” earlier this month, and is set to headline Stagecoach next year. This is his first-ever Entertainer of the Year nomination.

Wallen, 32, is the reigning champion, as he took home the win last year. He had a successful 2025, as his album I’m the Problem, which he released in May, topped the Billboard 200 for 12 non-consecutive weeks.

He also had a pair of No. 1hits with “Just in Case” and “What I Want,” and toured stadiums to support his album from June through September.

Stapleton, 47, is the most-nominated of the bunch; he’s been up for the win nine times, but has never won. He spent most of the year on his All-American Road Show Tour.

The 59th Annual CMA Awards broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on ABC. The show streams the following day on Hulu.