The CMA Award, or Country Music Association award, is presented to artists in the country music industry to acknowledge their achievements. It is an award that many country music artists aspire to get their hands on.
RELATED: Here Are All the Winners of the CMA Awards 2022
So, have you ever wondered which artist won the most award? Well, we made a list of 20 artists who have won the most CMA awards.
20. Hank Williams Jr. – 7 CMA Awards
Hank Williams Jr. won a total of seven CMA awards, and his first one was in 1985. It was in the Music Video of the year category for his iconic video, “All My Rowdy Friends Are Comin’ Over Tonight.”
19. Little Big Town – 7 CMA Awards
Little Big Town, a powerhouse group in country music, collected seven awards. Six of these are from the Vocal Group of the Year category, which they dominated for four years from 2012 to 2016.
18. George Jones – 7 CMA Awards
George Jones won his first CMA Award in 1980. He won Single of the Year and Male Vocalist of the year because of his iconic song, “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” He later won five more awards, bringing his total to seven awards.
17. Chris Stapleton – 7 CMA Awards
Chris Stapelton came in guns blazing in the 2015 CMA awards. His “Traveller” solo debut album racked up several wins, which included Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, and New Artist of the Year. He later won four more, putting his total at seven CMA awards.
16. Alison Krauss – 8 CMA Awards
After getting her first Female Vocalist of the Year in 1995, Alison Krauss quickly became one of the most awarded artists in the country music industry. On top of her eight CMA awards, Krauss also has a record-breaking 27 Grammy Awards.
15. Johnny Cash – 9 CMA Awards
Johnny Cash has nine CMA Awards, six of which he won during the late 1960s. The last three he won four decades later. The first was Album of the Year 2003 for his “American IV: The Man Comes Around” album. The following two are Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year from his cover of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails.
14. Dolly Patron – 9 CMA Awards
As one of country music’s most successful solo artists, it’s not surprising to see Dolly Patron on this list. She won Vocal Duo of the Year twice with Porter Wagoner in 1970 and 1971. She then won seven awards in the years after, including her 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.
13. The Judds – 9 CMA Awards
Wynonna and Naomi Judd entered the scene in 1984 and quickly became country music’s most iconic duo. The mother-daughter pair grabbed the New Artist of the Year award that year, one of their nine awards. After that, they won Vocal Group or Vocal Duo of the Year seven times. Six of which are impressive consecutive victories.
12. Taylor Swift – 9 CMA Awards
Taylor Swift won an impressive nine CMA awards before she permanently switched to pop music. Entertainer of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Female Artist of the Year are a few of the awards she has under her belt.
11. Kenny Chesney – 9 CMA Awards
Kenny Chesney won a total of nine CMA awards. He does, however, share some special milestones with Garth Brooks. Like Brooks, Chesney also won Entertainer of the Year four times. In 2016, Chesney won the Pinnacle Award. He is only the third artist to do that, the first of which is Brooks.
10. Mac McAnally – 9 CMA Awards
Mac McAnally is a prolific musician and Nashville icon with nine CMA awards. He won Musician of the Year nine times, and eight of those were consecutive victories.
9. Dixie Chicks – 10 CMA Awards
Before the Dixie Chicks dropped out of country music in 2002, they were the biggest group in the genre. They won ten CMA awards from 1998 to 2000. They won their final award, which was Vocal Group of the Year, in 2002.
8. Kieth Urban – 12 CMA Awards
After bursting into the scene in 2001, Keith Urban has won a total of twelve CMA awards. That includes the prestigious Entertainer of the Year award that cemented his status as one of country music’s biggest acts.
7. Miranda Lambert – 13 CMA Awards
Throughout her storied career, Miranda Lambert won countless awards, including her thirteen CMA Awards. She won seven times as Female Artist of the Year and, in 2014, took home Album of the Year for her “Platinum” album.
6. Garth Brooks- 14 CMA Awards
Considered one of the most successful artists country music has to offer, Garth Brook has fourteen CMA Awards under his impressive career. Six of those awards are from the esteemed Entertainer of the Year category. He is also the first artist to win the Pinnacle Award.
5. Brad Paisley – 14 CMA Awards
Brad Paisley is another regular winner in the CMA Awards. He’s also one of the event’s most popular hosts. Paisley has won a total of fourteen trophies ever since his first one in 2002 for Best New Artist.
4. Alan Jackson – 16 CMA Awards
Alan Jackson has shown he’s one of the most dominant award winners in the CMA for more than two decades. The man has collected a total of sixteen CMA awards ever since his first one in 1992. He is also one of the only two country music artists to win five CMA Awards in a single night.
3. Brooks & Dunn – 18 CMA Awards
Brooks & Dunn have dominated the CMA’s Vocal Duo of the Year category that many started jokingly calling award, the “Brooks & Dunn Award.” They’ve won in that category fourteen times, along with four other awards, including the 1996 Entertainer of the Year. In total, the duo has eighteen awards under their belt.
2. Vince Gill – 18 CMA Awards
Vince Gill is one of country music’s most enduring personalities. That is evident with his eighteen CMA Awards. His historic climb in the CMA Awards started after he won the Single of the Year award in 1990 with his song “When I Call Your Name.”
1. George Strait – 22 CMA Awards
Of course, it isn’t surprising to see the reigning king of country music, George Strait, taking the top spot for the most CMA Awards. He’s won a total of twenty-two awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Single of the Year. His reign started with an Album of the Year win in 1985 for his fourth studio album, “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind.”
Ultimately, while these awards are a great way to acknowledge the achievement of these artists, it’s important to note that they don’t define the success of their careers. That said, did your favorite artist make it on our list?
