CMT Music Awards co-host Kane Brown won the biggest award of the evening, Video of the Year, along with his wife Katelyn Brown for their duet “.” The award was voted on by fans leading up to the day of the awards show.

Released in September 2022, “Thank God” is featured on Brown’s latest album, . The song was written by Josh Hoge, Jaxson Free, Kyle Fishman, Christian Davis, and Jared Mullins.

Katelyn expressed her surprise and gratitude in her acceptance speech. “Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I am, first off I’m so nervous. This is all so new to me and when we recorded this song a year ago, I never in my life would ever think that this was ever gonna happen. But I just wanna say thank you so much to my amazing husband, I love you. This is so special that we get to share this together every night. I love you so much.”

Kane reciprocated his wife’s feelings, telling her he loved her before thanking his fans and his team. “I just wanna say thank you to the fans that voted. I wanna say thank you to Sony, my awesome manager, Martha. This is Alex beside me, he moved here from Barcelona. He wanted to be a video director, he’s done like all my music videos. He is making the American Dream come true. I love you, Ali. Thank you, CMT.”

Previous winners of the Video of the Year award since its debut in 2002 include Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and Kenny Chesney.

Co-hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the 2023 CMT Music Awards featured performances from Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, and Tyler Hubbard. 

Additionally, the show included one-of-a-kind collaborations, including a 10th anniversary of CMT Next Women of Country celebration featuring Alanis Morissette with Lainey Wilson, Ingrid Andress, Madeline Edwards, and Morgan Wade. Gwen Stefani and Carly Pearce joined forces for a special collaboration, while Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown teamed up for the television premiere of their chart-topping duet, “Thank God.” 

The Black Crowes and Darius Rucker delivered a first-time collaboration of “She Talks To Angels,” and Wynonna Judd and Ashley McBryde will also take the stage together. 

The show also included a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan from Gary Clark, Jr. and a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute from Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers, Slash & Warren Haynes and LeAnn Rimes & Wynonna Judd as honorary “Honkettes.”

Rising stars Avery Anna, Chapel Hart, Jackson Dean, Lily Rose, Nate Smith, and Megan Moroney made their CMT Music Awards performance debut on the Ram Trucks Side Stage.  

Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Charles Esten, Dixie D’Amelio, Dustin Lynch, HARDY, Ian Bohen + Jen Landon (Yellowstone), Jon Pardi, LeAnn Rimes, Madison Bailey (Outer Banks), Max Thieriot (Fire Country), Megan Thee Stallion, Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things), Parker McCollum, Peter Frampton, Shania Twain, Steve Howey (True Lies) and Travis Kelce appeared as presenters. 

The coveted awards aired live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 2 at 8/7c on CBS. It was also available to stream live and on-demand via Paramount+.