The DRTI CMA Live Chat & Predictions Forum

Marissa Moss

19 Nov 2025 — 3 min read

It's Country's Biggest Night! And like many of you, I'll be watching tonight's CMA Awards from the comfort of my couch. But it wouldn't be a CMA Awards if we didn't offer you up a safe comment section space to air your thoughts, praise, grievances and confusion, or just chat with other DRTI subscribers. But first, let's go over the nominees with some predictions (as well as who I'd personally like to see win!). And let me know what you think in the comments, too. See you tonight at 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET!

Entertainer of the Year

Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson

I think Lainey Wilson will win this one, joining Taylor Swift and Barbara Mandrell to become only the third woman in history to win this award multiple times. And I want her to win it. She deserves it.

Kelsea Ballerini & Carly Pearce: Can You Have It All in Country Music?

First off, thanks for all of you who joined me last week in the CMA chat post. Some of you gave the excellent feedback that you think we should consider a DRTI Discord - curious to hear what more of you think (Discord? Right here on the newsletter? Reddit? Whatever?

Put A Record On: It's All Our Fault

Welcome back to Don’t Rock the Inbox. Here’s this week’s music recommendation post and playlist, which are for paying subscribers only. If you’re interested in paid content but not able to afford it, shoot us an email. The Good "In Her Eyes (Act I, Scene

Something good comes along, then it’s gone: Farewell, Todd Snider.

When I moved to East Nashville in 2012, legend had it that if you wanted to find Todd Snider, all you had to do was go to Drifter’s BBQ in Five Points, and he’d be there at the bar. Nashville always had rumblings like this: that John Prine

Put a Record On: An Instrumental Country Playlist for Writing (or whatever else you do)

As someone who listens to music all the time, and writes about music and musicians for a living, there is one curious time when I am extremely picky about what I listen to: when I am actually writing. And when I am in that deep work, ignore everything else and