The 2025 CMA Awards celebrated the record country music fans haven't stopped listening to since its release. Lainey Wilson took home her first CMA Award of the evening during the Wednesday, November 19, ceremony at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, earning Album of the Year for her 2024 LP, Whirlwind. "Mom and Daddy, look, check it out!" Wilson began. "I was absolutely not expecting this." She went on to give a shout-out to her fans before thanking her label, band and country radio. "I have the best fans in the world," she told the crowd.