CMA Fest 2025 ABC Special: Cody Johnson & Ashley McBryde Lead an Unforgettable Night of Country Glory
Every summer, the heart of country music beats loudest in Nashville, and the CMA Fest 2025 ABC Special delivered this Nashville music festival 2025 right to your living room as a must-see country music TV special. Hosted by Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde, the three-hour broadcast showcased unforgettable CMA Fest performances, and viewers can watch CMA Fest on Hulu the next day. This cinematic recap on Explore Wonders proves CMA Fest is more than a concert—it’s a cultural cornerstone.
This year’s TV broadcast was a masterclass in country showmanship, blending nostalgia, storytelling, and emotional crescendos into a festival experience that felt deeply intimate even on screen. From Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins shaking the stage to newcomers like Ella Langley and Zach Top making their national TV debuts, the CMA Fest 2025 ABC special wasn’t just a recap — it was a revival.
🎬 How to Watch the CMA Fest 2025 Special
- Aired: June 26 at 7 p.m. CT on ABC
- Streaming: Available now on Hulu
For fans who couldn’t make it to Nashville’s Nissan Stadium, this special brought the festival’s heart-pounding energy directly to their living rooms. And for those who were there? It’s the perfect replay of unforgettable memories.
🎤 The Hosts: Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde Set the Tone
The 2025 special was guided by two of country’s most authentic voices — Cody Johnson and Ashley McBryde. Their chemistry on screen was magnetic. They weren’t just reading teleprompters; they were connecting — with each other, with the artists, and most importantly, with us.
Johnson opened the show with “The Fall,” a soul-deep song that set an emotional tone. McBryde’s “Rattlesnake Preacher” was equally arresting, a fire-and-brimstone sermon delivered with guitar grit and gospel growl. As co-hosts, they balanced each other beautifully: Johnson brought cowboy grit, McBryde added rebel shine.
These weren’t just performers. They were fans, too — and that made all the difference.
🌟 The Performances: Iconic, Unexpected, and History-Making
Let’s break down the standout performances from the night — the ones that made viewers laugh, cry, sing, and dance in their living rooms.
🧨 Blake Shelton & Trace Adkins – “Hillbilly Bone”
One of the most buzzed-about reunions of the night, Shelton and Adkins brought stadium energy to screens nationwide with their duet “Hillbilly Bone.” It was rowdy, ridiculous, and perfectly fun — just what country fans needed to kick things into high gear.
Shelton followed up solo with “Stay Country or Die Tryin’,” a hard-edged reminder that even amid genre shifts, country’s core hasn’t gone anywhere.
👑 Jason Aldean & Travis Tritt – “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive”
When Aldean and Tritt hit the stage together, it was like watching two generations of southern rock royalty pass the torch. The anthem, already a crowd favorite, became a multi-generational singalong. The nostalgia was real — but so was the fire in their voices.
💔 Kelsea Ballerini – “Baggage”
Kelsea’s performance was stripped down, vulnerable, and devastatingly honest. Standing under soft white lights, she offered a masterclass in emotional storytelling. “Baggage” isn’t just a song — it’s therapy, wrapped in melody.
💡 Dierks Bentley & Zach Top – “Free and Easy” / “Mountain Music” Medley
This was a genius pairing. Zach Top, the fast-rising neo-traditionalist, held his own beside Bentley on a medley that celebrated the genre’s deep roots. It felt like a passing of the torch — and fans online were quick to call it one of the night’s most memorable moments.
🔥 Megan Moroney – “Am I Okay?”
Moroney’s smoky vocals and heart-tugging lyrics cut straight through the noise. Her delivery of “Am I Okay?” was so emotionally raw, it sparked a flood of social media reactions — with fans praising her as the new voice of heartbreak country.
🎉 Brooks & Dunn & Lainey Wilson – “Play Something Country”
What happens when legends collide with today’s hottest female star? Fireworks. Lainey Wilson added fresh flair to a classic Brooks & Dunn anthem. It was fun, fierce, and proof that Lainey is the genre’s future — without question.
🙌 Jelly Roll – A Festival Hero
Jelly Roll was everywhere — and for good reason. Between his emotional duet “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Brandon Lake, his anthem “Amen” with Shaboozey, and his surprise collaborations, Jelly Roll showed why he’s become the most relatable voice in country music.
His vulnerability, especially while tearing up during “Amen,” wasn’t staged — it was soul-deep. And it made one thing clear: this isn’t just Jelly Roll’s breakout year. It’s his reign.
💎 Hidden Gems: The Rising Stars Who Stole the Spotlight
🎙️ Ella Langley – “weren’t for the wind”
Langley stunned with a hauntingly cinematic performance, framed by wind machines and dusky lighting. Hers is a voice country will be hearing for years to come — one that marries grit with grace.
🔥 Zach Top – “I Never Lie”
Top channeled vintage Alan Jackson vibes but with modern charm. His voice? Pure 90s country gold. His swagger? Effortless. This wasn’t just a performance — it was a statement.
🛑 Moments Worth Rewinding
- Carly Pearce & Rascal Flatts performing “My Wish” – a teary-eyed tribute to every fan who grew up with the song.
- Keith Urban’s “Straight Line” — fast-paced, full-tilt Urban energy with stadium-level guitar fireworks.
- Ashley McBryde’s solo performance — a fierce sermon of southern soul and lyrical thunder.
🧠 Review: Why This Year’s CMA Fest Special Hit Different
This year’s TV special felt smarter, braver, and more intimate. It gave space to legacy acts without overshadowing the new voices. It let country evolve without apology. And it spotlighted diversity — in sound, in story, and in stage presence.
From gospel collaborations to Latin country fusions (Cody Johnson & Carín León), the CMA Fest 2025 broadcast didn’t play it safe. It played it real. And that’s why it worked.
🔮 Looking Ahead: CMA Fest 2026 Is Already on the Radar
CMA Fest 2026 will return to Nashville from June 4–7, and after this year’s televised success, demand is already high. Stadium passes went live June 26 and are moving fast on Ticketmaster.
Expect the unexpected next year — because if 2025 taught us anything, it’s that country music is always ready to surprise us.
💬 Final Takeaway
Whether you streamed it on Hulu or caught it live on ABC, the CMA Fest 2025 special was more than a highlight reel. It was an emotional ride through what makes country music timeless. Heartache, hope, humor, harmony — it was all there, woven through stories told by legends and newcomers alike.
The 2025 broadcast wasn’t just a showcase of talent. It was a celebration of community — fans, artists, families, and dreamers — bound together by a genre that never goes out of style.
If this is the future of country music on television, consider us all in.