Tucker Wetmore Scores First CMA Nomination For New Artist Of The Year
Country’s hottest rising star Tucker Wetmore has been nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 2025 CMA Awards, marking his first-ever CMA nomination. The milestone arrives just a year and a half into Wetmore’s career, underscoring the speed and scale of his meteoric rise. The 2025 CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on ABC, Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. CT, and stream the following day on Hulu.
Wetmore’s record-breaking debut album, What Not To (Back Blocks Music/MCA/Mercury Records), released in April, made history as the biggest country album debut from a new artist in 2025. The project entered the Billboard 200 Albums chart at No. 15 and helped push Wetmore to more than 1.2 billion global streams in just over a year. His first No. 1 at Country radio, “Wind Up Missin’ You,” is already certified RIAA 2x Platinum, while breakout hit “Wine Into Whiskey” has reached RIAA Platinum. His current single, “3,2,1,” is continuing that momentum, climbing inside the Top 20.
Adding to his CMA nod, 2025 has been a landmark year of firsts for Wetmore. In July, the ACM New Male Artist of the Year nominee became the first celebrity face of Wrangler’s All-Terrain Gear collection, starring in the brand’s Unplugged campaign. He also teamed up with BigXthaPlug on the rapper’s album I Hope You’re Happy with the track “About You” and took the stage as both performer and presenter at the 2025 ACM Honors.
On the road, Wetmore has already played to hundreds of thousands of fans across the U.S., U.K. and Europe, selling out his first headlining shows and joining superstar Thomas Rhett on the Better In Boots Tour. He will return this fall with another round of headline dates.
Critics have underscored Wetmore’s breakout impact: Billboard praised him as “one of country music’s brightest new stars” and said his debut album was “poised to be a star-maker.” People noted he’s “showing no signs of slowing down,” while NYLON hailed him as “country music’s most promising newcomer.” American Songwriter affirmed the debut as “a statement articulating who he is as an artist and person… that he is here to stay.”
Already dubbed “One to Watch” by Billboard, MusicRow, VEVO, Spotify, and the Grand Ole Opry, Wetmore has emerged as “one of the buzziest new-school acts in country” (HITS).
For updates, tour dates, and announcements, follow Tucker Wetmore on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and at tuckerwetmore.com.
