Ashley McBryde and Cody Johnson are set to co-host CMA Fest Presented by SoFi TV special, which will be filmed through the duration of The 52nd Annual CMA Fest in Nashville.
On Tuesday, June 3, the Country Music Association revealed the exciting news that McBryde and Johnson will host the highly-anticipated prime time concert special on Thursday, June 26 at 8/7c on ABC, and stream on Hulu the following day.
Ashley McBryde returns for the second straight year to host the televised special, while Cody Johnson makes his hosting debut.
CMA Fest, dubbed “The Music Event of Summer,” will be filmed during Music City’s four-day music festival, which takes place Thursday, June 5, through Sunday, June 8. The televised broadcast of the popular event will feature performances and one-of-a-kind collaborations that take place at Nissan Stadium during CMA Fest. 2025 marks the 19th consecutive year CMA has produced a summer concert TV special.
The full lineup will be revealed in the coming weeks. And while the official lineup has yet to be unveiled for the televised segment, this year’s CMA Fest lineup is stacked with star-studded performances, including Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Rascal Flatts, Red Clay Strays, Darius Rucker, Shaboozey, Blake Shelton, Zach Top, Keith Urban, Bailey Zimmerman and more.
CMA Fest presented by SoFi is a production of the Country Music Association, executive produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Alan Carter. The 2025 airing marks the 22nd consecutive year CMA has produced a summer concert TV special.
For over 50 years, CMA Fest has brought the Country Music community together—uniting fans, artists, and industry professionals for four unforgettable days in the heart of Nashville. What started in 1972 as Fan Fair with just 5,000 attendees has grown into the longest-running Country Music festival in the world, now drawing nearly 90,000 attendees each day.
More than just a festival, CMA Fest is a celebration of the powerful bond between artists and fans. With hundreds of performances, unique collaborations, once-in-a-lifetime moments, and the electric energy of Music City, the event represents something far greater than the music alone.
Each year, participating artists generously donate their time, turning every performance into a meaningful contribution. Proceeds from CMA Fest benefit music education nationwide through the CMA Foundation.
This year also marks the 22nd consecutive year that CMA will bring the magic of the festival to TV screens across the country with a network special airing on ABC.
