Billboard‘s Country Power Players presented by Bud Light was the perfect way to kick off CMA Fest 2025 in Nashville. Attendees at Category 10 celebrated the achievements of musicians and executives in country music over the last year while being treated to ice-cold Bud Light from the evening’s sponsor. This is partner content.
Billboard‘s Melinda Newman kicked off the evening by introducing this year’s host, Reyna Roberts. She teed up the first performer of the program, Carin Leon. The house was full of A-list presenters like Shaboozey, Garth Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Daigle and Brothers Osborne. Other incredible talent attended the festivities to support their peers like Bailey Zimmerman and Max McNown.
Those in attendance danced to tunes curated by Dj Grant Fisher while they enjoyed light-bites and refreshing Bud Light drafts and tall boys.
This year’s honorees included BigXThaPlug, who took home the Innovator Award, Ella Langley as 2025’s Trailblazer, and Riley Green who nabbed the Groundbreaker Award. This year’s executive honorees were Tatum Allsep, who accepted the Impact Award while Stacy Vee took home Executive of the Year. Billboard‘s Jim Asker was given a commemorative farewell Billboard cover.
The evening ended with a Little Big Town performance and the group accepting the inaugural Ben Vaughn Song Champion award, where they gave a heart-warming speech dedicated to the late Warner Music Nashville president/CEO.
