Your Thursday night television schedule just became significantly more interesting. “CMA Fest presented by SoFi” lands on ABC June 26, 2025, at 8/7c, bringing Nashville’s legendary festival energy directly to your living room through a three-hour primetime concert special. This isn’t another sanitized awards show—it’s the raw celebration that makes country music feel like family reunion and stadium concert rolled into one.
The Perfect Host Pairing
Cody Johnson steps into his first major television hosting role, joining Ashley McBryde who returns after previous co-hosting success. Johnson’s authentic cowboy credibility paired with McBryde’s sharp wit creates the kind of chemistry that makes you forget you’re watching television instead of hanging backstage with friends.
This marks Johnson‘s television hosting debut for a major country event, but anyone who’s witnessed his commanding stage presence knows he’ll handle the spotlight naturally.
Star-Studded Lineup Delivers Genre’s Full Spectrum
The 2025 special showcases country music’s incredible range through performances recorded during the 52nd CMA Fest. Faith Hill’s surprise appearance reminded everyone why she remains country royalty—delivering vocals that need zero studio polish to captivate 80,000 fans. Her unannounced set became the festival moment that had social media buzzing for days afterward. Your favorite stadium-filling headliners share the stage with artists reshaping the genre’s future:
- Classic Country Power: Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Darius Rucker
- Chart-Topping Superstars: Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini
- Rising Forces: Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Bailey Zimmerman
- Deep Cuts Worth Discovering: The Red Clay Strays, Ella Langley, Zach Top
This lineup represents country music’s evolution without abandoning its roots—exactly what festival television should deliver.
More Than Just Performances
The special captures CMA Fest‘s unique magic: artist collaborations that happen nowhere else, surprise moments that become social media legends, and the palpable connection between performers and fans that defines Nashville‘s festival culture. Streaming on Hulu the next day means you can relive your favorite moments or catch what you missed during the live broadcast. Jon Bon Jovi’s emotional Nashville performance proved that vulnerability creates the most powerful festival moments—his first major appearance since vocal surgery resonated deeper than any pyrotechnic display. These raw, unscripted instances of human connection are exactly why CMA Fest transcends typical concert experiences.
Your Thursday night entertainment just upgraded to stadium-level country music, and your Hulu queue gained its next must-watch special.
