The 2022 CMA Awards may have brought together the biggest stars in country music for a night of celebration, but there was one thing country music fans were desperately missing: Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley as hosts. Taking place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday night, the event was hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, marking the third year in a row that Underwood and Paisley’s hilarious antics have been missed.
The beloved country duo had been staples of the annual CMA Awards for 11 years before it was announced in 2019 that the show would be going a different route. That year, rather than reuniting Underwood and Paisley, the CMAs opted for an all-female lineup of hosts that included Underwood, Dolly Parton, and Reba McEntire, with Paisley notably absent. That year marked the final appearance as host for Underwood, who in December 2019 announced her decision to retire as CMA Awards host after 12 years, telling fans at the time that she “decided that it’s time to pass the hosting torch” to others in the industry for the time being.
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In the years since Underwood and Paisley last took the stage together to host the CMA Awards, the annual event has brought new rosters of hosts to lead the night. However, one thing has been persistent: fans have continued to wish for the return of Underwood and Paisley, and Wednesday’s 56th Annual CMA Awards were no different.
‘Can we start a petition?’
“I’d like a word with whoever decided that Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley were no longer the hosts of … everything that needs hosts,” tweeted one country music fan as the awards show aired.
Some fans have since stopped watching
“As a big country music fan; I have not watched the CMA Awards since Brad and Carrie stopped hosting,” wrote another person. They should host the freakin Oscars!”
‘CMA Awards went downhill’
“I miss Carrie and Brad hosting the CMA awards,” added somebody else. “They were funny and one of the main reasons I watched when I realized they will never give Carrie what she deserves.”
‘Bring them back’
“Carrie and Brad’s opening monologue would always guarantee a good belly laugh,” one person noted. “I can’t even remember anything said during this opening monologue.”
‘It’s just not the same’
“No host of the CMA Awards will be as good as Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood were, no one. They were the best,” wrote somebody else.
‘They had the secret sauce’
“The CMAs hosting never really recovered after Brad and Carrie left… they had the secret sauce,” added another viewer.
‘They were great together’
“Still wish we could get Brad and Carrie to host the [CMA Awards],” added another. “They were great together.”
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