Nashville prepares to remodel its downtown hall into nation music’s greatest celebration because the 52nd CMA Fest introduced its star-studded lineup that includes the style’s greatest names and rising abilities. The four-day competition, scheduled for June 5-8 within the metropolis’s Decrease Broadway district, will showcase artists representing over 200 primary nation radio singles from the previous quarter century.
The competition’s nightly stadium concert events, among the many most anticipated occasions in nation music, will characteristic headliners together with Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Brooks & Dunn, Blake Shelton, Keith City, Kelsea Ballerini, and Darius Rucker. These performances at Nissan Stadium anchor a broader competition expertise that spans a number of venues all through downtown Nashville, from riverfront phases to Broadway honky-tonks.
Stadium showstoppers and principal stage sights
The nightly performances at Nissan Stadium symbolize the premium competition expertise, with lineups that includes established superstars alongside the style’s fastest-rising expertise. Along with veteran headliners, the stadium exhibits will showcase newer chart-toppers together with Jordan Davis, Cody Johnson, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, and viral sensation Shaboozey.
These stadium performances create defining moments for artists at varied profession phases. For established acts like Brooks & Dunn and Blake Shelton, the competition supplies a possibility to have fun a long time of hits with tens of hundreds of followers. For newer artists like Bailey Zimmerman and Ella Langley, a stadium slot represents a major profession milestone and publicity to the style’s most devoted viewers.
Competition organizers have introduced that further performers will be part of the already spectacular lineup within the coming weeks, suggesting much more star energy for the occasion that has turn out to be nation music’s annual centerpiece.
Riverfront units highlight rising expertise
The Chevy Riverfront Stage, located on the banks of the Cumberland River, has developed a fame for showcasing artists at pivotal moments of their careers. The free-to-attend venue continuously hosts performers who will later seem on the principle stadium stage in subsequent years, making it a vacation spot for followers looking for tomorrow’s headliners.
The 2025 riverside lineup maintains this custom with a mixture of established and rising artists. Award winners and chart-toppers scheduled to carry out embrace Gabby Barrett, Ashley Cooke, Dasha, Jackson Dean, Marcus King, Brandon Lake, Chris Lane, Maddie & Tae, and Megan Moroney. The eclectic roster additionally options country-adjacent acts like The Warfare And Treaty, showcasing the style’s increasing boundaries.
Further performers at this free venue embrace Tanner Adell, Cooper Alan, Tyler Braden, Randall King, Kameron Marlowe, Ian Munsick, RaeLynn, Conner Smith, Alana Springsteen, and Tigirlily Gold.
The stage has turn out to be recognized for creating breakout competition moments, with performers typically drawing huge crowds that spill past the designated viewing areas. MŌRIAH will carry out the nationwide anthem on Thursday morning to kick off actions at this fashionable venue.
A number of phases create competition ambiance
Past the principle venues, CMA Fest makes use of a number of phases all through downtown Nashville to create an immersive musical expertise. The Dr. Pepper Amp Stage at Ascend Park will characteristic performances from artists spanning a number of eras of nation music, together with Rodney Atkins, Blanco Brown, T Graham Brown, Billy Dean, Tyler Farr, Ty Herndon, Edwin McCain, Jerrod Niemann, Jamie O’Neal, Sister Hazel, and Darryl Worley.
The Chevy Vibes Stage at Stroll of Fame Park provides one other dimension with performances from Craig Campbell, Mackenzie Carpenter, Dailey & Vincent, Mickey Guyton, Tiera Kennedy, Lorrie Morgan, David Nail, Shenandoah, Pam Tillis, and Mark Wills.
Smaller phases all through the downtown space, together with the Good Molecules Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Plaza and the Laborious Rock Stage in entrance of Broadway’s Laborious Rock Cafe, present platforms for growing artists and different nation sounds. These venues characteristic each daytime and nighttime performances which can be free and open to the general public, increasing the competition’s accessibility.
The Laborious Rock Stage specifically gives an eclectic mixture of rising expertise, with performances scheduled from Giovannie and The Employed Weapons, Trey Lewis, O.N.E The Duo, Sophia Scott, Colin Stough, and Sam Williams amongst dozens of others.
Ticketing choices and accessibility
The competition gives varied ticketing choices designed to accommodate completely different budgets and pursuits. 4-night stadium passes, that are already on sale, present entry to all headlining concert events at Nissan Stadium. For these unable to decide to the total weekend, single-night stadium tickets will turn out to be out there on March 28, beginning at $79.80 per evening.
Further paid experiences embrace performances at Ascend Amphitheater, which gives three nights of concert events towards Nashville’s riverfront skyline, and the Riverside Retreat VIP entry bundle. The latter supplies unique facilities together with shaded areas, cell charging stations, air-conditioned restrooms, early entry to the Chevy Riverfront Stage, and discounted drinks.
Indoor actions focus on Fan Honest X on the Music Metropolis Heart, the place attendees can take part in artist meet-and-greets, buy competition merchandise, and revel in varied actions in an air-conditioned atmosphere. Tickets for this expertise are presently out there.
For budget-conscious followers, the competition maintains its dedication to accessibility by quite a few free out of doors phases all through downtown Nashville. These performances, which showcase each rising expertise and established stars, require no tickets and are open to all.
With building ongoing on the new Nissan Stadium, parking choices can be restricted for the 2025 competition. Commonplace and ADA parking choices are presently out there by Ticketmaster, although competition organizers encourage attendees to contemplate different transportation strategies.
Charitable mission and music training focus
Past leisure, CMA Fest maintains its founding dedication to charitable giving. All artists carry out with out compensation, with a portion of ticket proceeds benefiting the CMA Basis, which helps music teaching programs throughout the USA.
This philanthropic focus has been a cornerstone of the competition since its inception, with hundreds of thousands of {dollars} directed towards music training initiatives over the a long time. The inspiration’s work helps guarantee entry to music training for college students nationwide, creating alternatives for the subsequent era of musicians and music business professionals.
A world nation music gathering
What started in 1972 as Fan Honest has developed into nation music’s world gathering, attracting attendees from all fifty states and practically fifty international locations. The 2024 competition welcomed over 90,000 guests to Nashville, a determine anticipated to be matched or exceeded in 2025.
The competition will as soon as once more be filmed for a nationwide tv particular to air on ABC and stream on Hulu later in the summertime. This broadcast, government produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Alan Carter, extends the occasion’s attain past these bodily current in Nashville.
As CMA Chief Government Officer Sarah Trahern famous after final yr’s occasion, the competition represents a celebration of group and collaboration that brings collectively followers and business professionals in a significant method that showcases the style’s previous, current, and future.