Country fans just watched a real “remember this night” moment in Nashville.
At the 2025 CMA Awards on November 19, the spotlight was on Lainey Wilson as host, headliner, and big winner. Yet the loudest cheer of the night came when a neo-traditional country singer from small honky-tonks heard his name called for the first time.
Zach Top took home his first CMA for New Artist of the Year.
In a year packed with viral hits and huge names, this was not an easy category. Zach stood shoulder to shoulder with Shaboozey, Tucker Wetmore, and more. When his name was announced, it felt like the whole room said the same thing at once: “He earned it.”
This win is a proof that real country picking, sharp writing, and hard touring still break through in 2025. It tells every fan who has been spinning his songs, sharing links, and dragging friends to shows that their support matters.
Lainey Wilson walked away with Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year. Cody Johnson claimed Male Vocalist. The Red Clay Strays shocked the room as Vocal Group of the Year.
Yet for Zach Top fans, New Artist of the Year is the headline.
2025 CMA Awards: Every Major Winner and Iconic Stage Moment |⭐ OSSA
His live performance of “I Never Lie” at the Ryman Auditorium shows the same mix of heart, skill, and old-school country grit that carried him to New Artist of the Year. No tracks, no tricks, just a heartbreak song sung the way Keith Whitley or George Strait might have tackled it.
Zach Top – I Never Lie (Live At The Ryman)
“You Look Like You Love Me” by Ella Langley and Riley Green is the track that walked away with Single, Song, Musical Event, and Music Video of the Year. It is the clearest sign of where country is heading in 2025: bold voices, strong stories, and real charm. If Zach Top is the new face of neo-traditional, this duet is his perfect match.