Ashley McBryde & Cody Johnson to Host CMA Fest Television Special

Ashley McBryde and Cody Johnson are set to bring viewers deep into the music propelling the 52nd annual CMA Fest as hosts of the upcoming television special CMA Fest Presented by SoFi.

The three-hour special will air June 26 starting at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, and then stream on Hulu the following day, highlighting music from dozens of artists who are taking part in the four-day festival, which runs from June 5 to 8 in downtown Nashville.

This marks McBryde’s second year hosting the special, while Johnson is making his debut as a host. Though a specific lineup has yet to be revealed for the upcoming special, this year’s CMA Fest performers include artists such as Brooks & Dunn, Riley Green, Ella Langley, Johnson, McBryde, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Zach Top and the Red Clay Strays all performing on various nights at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium.

Viewers who don’t get the opportunity to attend one of country music’s largest festivals can get a close look at some of the most talked-about performances, seeing why the annual fest drew approximately 90,000 daily attendees in 2024, with the fans coming from all 50 states as well as 46 countries. Throughout the span of the four days, more than 300 performers will showcase their music on multiple outdoor stages in downtown Nashville, plus performances, panels and autograph signings at Music City Center and the nightly Nissan Stadium shows.

This year’s CMA Fest Presented by SoFi will mark the 22nd consecutive year of the Country Music Association assembling a summer concert television special. Robert Deaton serves as executive producer and writer for the special, with Alan Carter serving as director.