Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani will not be attending the 2025 Country Music Association Awards tonight, even though Shelton is not only nominated but has already been announced as a winner. Their absence comes as a surprise to fans who expected to see the couple on one of country music’s biggest nights.
A source told E! Online, “Blake and Gwen will be watching the CMA on their TV this year.” No further explanation was offered, though both stars have been busy with recent projects and promotional commitments.
The 59th annual CMA Awards will take place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville and will be broadcast live on ABC, with next-day streaming available on Hulu. Lainey Wilson, a previous winner and six-time nominee, will host the evening’s ceremony, which is set to feature performances from some of the genre’s top names.
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Shelton was nominated in the Musical Event of the Year category for his feature on Post Malone’s hit track “Pour Me a Drink.” On Wednesday morning, the CMA announced two early winners, including Musical Event of the Year.
Shelton and Malone took the trophy, beating out collaborations by Riley Green and Ella Langley, Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood, and Megan Moroney and Kenny Chesney. While Shelton and Stefani will not be there to celebrate, the show will include live performances from Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, and Luke Combs.
The couple has not publicly explained why they are skipping the ceremony, but their schedules have been stacked in recent months. Stefani recently released her new holiday songs “Hot Cocoa” and “Shake the Snow Globe.” Shelton, meanwhile, released his 13th studio album earlier this year and continues to divide his time between music and expanding his Ole Red restaurant chain.
Another possible factor is the backlash that emerged after their last awards show appearance. In May, Shelton and Stefani were announced as performers at the 2025 American Music Awards. However, both of their performances were pre-recorded and shown on the big screen at the BleauLive Theater in Las Vegas, leaving attendees confused and frustrated.
“We’ve been lied to…. LIKE WHATTT,” one TikTok user wrote after realizing neither artist was actually present. Another posted, “When Blake Shelton is ‘performing’ at the [American Music Awards] but there’s no Blake Shelton in sight,” along with a video of the pre-recorded screen footage.
Despite the controversy, Shelton’s CMA win marks another milestone in his long-running career. Even from home, fans can expect the couple to celebrate his latest achievement while the award show carries on without their red-carpet appearance.
