Variety’s Chris Willman Honored With Country Music Association Media Achievement Award

At a pre-CMA Awards event in Nashville, Variety's chief music critic Chris Willman received a major surprise. During Variety’s CMA Awards Interview Lounge—an event backed by Duke Cannon and Anzie Blue—artists Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr. announced that Willman has been chosen as a 2025 CMA Media Achievement Award honoree.

The Country Music Association’s Media Achievement Award is given to journalists, authors, and media professionals who have significantly influenced the country music field. Publicist members of the CMA selected Willman as the first of two 2025 recipients, with the second to be named soon. This award highlights the essential function media professionals serve in chronicling and influencing the genre’s evolution. As one CMA board member noted, "In an era of fast-changing media, thoughtful critics like Chris help preserve the story of country music for future generations."

Chris Willman, a senior music writer at Variety, has built a career covering the industry for more than forty years. His writing has appeared in top-tier outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, and the Los Angeles Times. He is also the author of the acclaimed book "Rednecks & Bluenecks: The Politics of Country Music," which examines the complex relationship between country music and American political identity. The book remains a key text for understanding how artists from Johnny Cash to The Chicks have engaged with social and political issues.

Willman’s accolades are numerous, including two entertainment journalist of the year wins at the SoCal Journalism Awards (2020 and 2024) and being named print journalist of the year at the 2024 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. He also played a central role in launching Variety’s Power of Women Nashville, authoring cover profiles on artists Sheryl Crow and Mickey Guyton. This initiative celebrates influential women in country music and aligns with Willman’s long-standing effort to elevate underrepresented voices across the industry.

The 59th annual CMA Awards, hosted this year by Lainey Wilson, will be broadcast live on ABC starting at 8 p.m. The ceremony is a highlight of the country music calendar, drawing millions of viewers and honoring the year’s standout performers and contributors. It continues a tradition that not only reflects the genre’s commercial strength but also its deep cultural resonance across the United States.