Riley Green’s CMA Nominations Spotlight Collaborations, Not Solo Work
Riley Green has become one of the most consistent voices in mainstream country music, regularly notching radio hits and cultivating a loyal fan base. Yet despite that momentum, his name is still missing from the solo artist categories at the genre’s biggest shows. At the 2025 CMA Awards, Green earned four nominations — but all of them come from collaborations rather than his own individual projects.
This year, Green and Ella Langley are up for Single of the Year and Song of the Year with their breakout duet “you look like you love me.” The pair also secured nominations for Musical Event of the Year (“Don’t Mind If I Do”) and Music Video of the Year (“you look like you love me”). While the recognition confirms the duo’s impact, it also highlights a noticeable absence: Green has yet to land a CMA nomination solely for his solo work.
It’s not the first time this gap has surfaced. Since winning ACM New Male Artist in 2020, Green hasn’t earned individual nods at the CMAs, ACMs, or other top ceremonies. Fans and critics alike argue that his steady run of hits — from “There Was This Girl” to “I Wish Grandpas Never Died” — deserves more recognition, especially given his balance of traditional leanings and modern appeal.
Part of the challenge may be timing. Awards tend to honor artists whose work captures broader cultural waves, and in 2025, Green’s collaborations with Langley have clearly done that. Their chemistry and success have dominated radio and streaming, with “you look like you love me” becoming a career milestone for both. In that context, it makes sense why voters singled out their joint work rather than Green’s solo catalog.
Still, the omission is hard to ignore for an artist already considered one of the genre’s most reliable hitmakers. It raises questions about whether Green’s award recognition will remain tied to duets, or if his solo career will eventually get its due.
For now, the nominations are still significant — his first CMAs of any kind. For Langley, they mark a breakout year; for Green, they’re both a victory and a reminder that his solo success has yet to be honored on country’s biggest stage. As the show nears, fans are celebrating the wins while continuing to push for the recognition many believe he has already earned on his own.