CMT Marks 10 Years Of Next Women Of Country With New Class Of 16 Rising Females

Marking the 10 year anniversary of CMT’s landmark Next Women of Country (NWOC) program, CMT has unveiled its largest class in program history with 16 new female artists joining the fold.

Among the rising stars named to the Class of 2023 are Alana Springsteen, Angie K, Ashley Cooke, Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Catie Offerman, Georgia Webster, Julie Williams, Kasey Tyndall, Kimberly Kelly, Mackenzie Carpenter, MaRynn Taylor, Megan Moroney, O.N.E The Duo, Pillbox Patti and Roberta Lea.

The 2023 class was revealed last night (Jan. 17) at City Winery Nashville to a crowd of industry and VIP guests, alongside NWOC alums Brittney Spencer (2021), Brooke Eden (2015), Caitlyn Smith (2017), Ingrid Andress (2019), Kelsea Ballerini (2015), Maddie & Tae (2015) and Mickey Guyton (2015) as well as songwriter-artist-producer Nicolle Galyon.

“Each year, it’s extremely gratifying to welcome a new wave of fiercely independent females to our Next Women of Country program, all of whom are blazing their own paths and playing by their own rules,” Leslie Fram, SVP of Music & Talent, CMT explained. “Tonight we’re introducing our largest class of inductees ever as we celebrate with the return of our first in-person event in over three years—and this group of accomplished artists is absolutely worth the wait!” She continued, “Reaching this historic 10th anniversary milestone with CMT Next Women is a testament to the hard work of those gatekeepers in our industry who have locked arms and worked tirelessly toward a level playing field for women. I’m so proud of this franchise for continuing to be at the forefront of this imperative dialogue and look forward to continuing our fight toward greater progress and true equity for all underrepresented voices in country music.”

Over the next year, the new class will receive cross-brand support for their music and videos across the CMT platform and social channels as well as cross-promotional opportunities for Paramount Media’s MTV Entertainment Group brands, such as live events, the Paramount Times Square NYC Billboard and more. As part of the brand’s CMT Equal Play initiative, the class will also be given access to social impact and artist advocacy opportunities designed to assist them in supporting charitable causes and social issues. CMT will also partner with City Winery Nashville to continue a series of fan-focused showcases featuring NWOC throughout the year.

CMT first launched its Next Women of Country campaign in 2013 to support and expose developing female talent, both signed and unsigned, in a male-dominated format. The initiative has grown since its inception, showcasing emerging female artists across all CMT screens, various digital series and seven tours anchored by superstar acts including Jennifer Nettles, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tanya Tucker and Maddie & Tae.

This year’s 2023 class marks a total of 111 female acts that have been named as part of the program, including notable alumni such as Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Spencer, Eden, Smith, Carly Pearce, Gabby Barrett, Andress, Kacey Musgraves, Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, Madeline Edwards, Maren Morris, Guyton, Morgan Wade, Miko Marks, Tenille Arts and more.

CMT’s flagship series, CMT Hot 20 Countdown, hosted by Cody Alan and Rissi Palmer, will air a dedicated Next Women of Country three-hour special episode introducing the Class of 2023 with exclusive interviews and performances from each new inductee. The episode is slated to air Feb. 11 at 7 a.m. CT with an encore presentation on Feb. 12 at 8 a.m. CT on CMT.