Highlights from the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

The 2023 CMT Music Awards featured an odd mix of era-specific performances, rising new talent, and social activism. The presence of 1990s heavyweights acknowledged the huge influence of the 1990s pop environment on today’s country music. The show also highlighted rising stars in country music and paid tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Kelsea Ballerini brought Drag Race alumni on stage for her performance, and Shania Twain received the CMT Equal Play Award and championed equal pay for all artists. The show closed with a medley of "Simple Man" and "Sweet Home Alabama."