2016 CMA Awards Winners
The 2016 CMA Awards were certainly full of surprises when it came to the winners in the major categories.
Some of the awards weren't too hard to predict, like Thomas Rhett taking home his first-ever CMA for Single of the Year for "Die a Happy Man," or Maren Morris winning New Artist of the Year. It wasn't exactly stunning when Tim McGraw's "Humble and Kind" won Song of the Year, either, for songwriter Lori McKenna -- you could have predicted it the first time you heard the track
But there were some major moments of genuine surprise, including Dierks Bentley and Elle King winning Musical Event of the Year, Carrie Underwood returning as Female Vocalist of the Year for the first time since 2008 and especially Garth Brooks taking home the night's biggest award, Entertainer of the Year.
Chris Stapleton proved he's no flash in the pan, too, following up his career-changing CMAs night in 2015 by adding two more wins for Male Vocalist and Music Video of the Year in 2016, while Keith Urban walked away empty-handed despite a number of well-deserved nominations.
Take a look at all of the winners in the 50th annual CMA Awards below.
2016 CMA Awards Winners:
Entertainer of the Year
Garth Brooks — WINNER!
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood — WINNER!
Male Vocalist of the Year
Eric Church
Tim McGraw
Chris Stapleton — WINNER!
Dierks Bentley
Keith Urban
Album of the Year
Hero, Maren Morris
Mr. Misunderstood, Eric Church — WINNER!
Storyteller, Carrie Underwood
Black, Dierks Bentley
Ripcord, Keith Urban
New Artist of the Year
Kelsea Balerini
Brothers Osborne
Maren Morris — WINNER!
Old Dominion
Cole Swindell
Song of the Year (Awarded to Songwriters)
"Die a Happy Man," Thomas Rhett
"Humble and Kind," Lori McKenna for Tim McGraw — WINNER!
"My Church," Maren Morris
"Record Year," Eric Church
"Burning House," Cam
Single of the Year
"Die a Happy Man," Thomas Rhett — WINNER!
"Humble and Kind," Tim McGraw
"My Church," Maren Morris
"Record Year," Eric Church
"Nobody to Blame," Chris Stapleton
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town — WINNER!
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brothers Osborne — WINNER!
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Joey + Rory
Maddie & Tae
Musical Event of the Year
Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King, "Different for Girls" — WINNER!
Luke Bryan feat. Karen Fairchild, "Home Alone Tonight"
Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood, "The Fighter"
Chris Young with Cassadee Pope, "Think Of You"
Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton, "You Are My Sunshine"
Music Video of the Year
"Fire Away," Chris Stapleton — WINNER!
"Humble and Kind," Tim McGraw
"Record Year," Eric Church
"Somewhere on a Beach," Dierks Bentley
"Burning House," Cam
Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas
Paul Franklin
Dann Huff — WINNER!
Brent Mason
Derek Wells
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