Leave it to Brooks & Dunn to turn a milestone moment into a full-blown country music mic drop.
At the 59th Annual CMA Awards last night (November 19), the Country Music Hall of Famers officially cemented their legendary status by becoming the most-awarded artists in CMA history. With their 16th win for Vocal Duo of the Year, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn brought their career total to an unmatched 20 CMA Awards, setting a new gold standard that may never be topped.
For a duo that’s spent more than three decades soundtracking tailgates, heartbreaks, honky-tonks, and arena-sized singalongs, the historic win felt less like a victory lap — and more like a heartfelt thank-you between artists and fans who’ve grown up together.
“It’s hard not to be emotional about it,” Dunn shared following the win. “Every night at these sold out venues, Kix will ask the crowd, ‘How many of you are here for your first Brooks & Dunn show?’ and 80% of the audience are raising their hands. So, we’ll take this honor and try to make y’all proud.”
And if anyone was wondering whether the magic ever wears off, Kix Brooks made his answer crystal clear.
“Someone asked us last night, ‘Y’all ever get sick of this?’ And my answer was a quick ‘Oh, hell no,’” Brooks said. “This is too good. Thank you very much.”
RONNIE DUNN, KIX BROOKS
Once artists reach Country Music Hall of Fame status, expectations tend to shift toward reflection rather than reinvention. But Brooks & Dunn have never been ones to coast. Thirty-plus years into their career, the best-selling country duo of all time continues to push boundaries while honoring the sound that made them icons.
Their unmistakable yin-and-yang country-rock chemistry has delivered 20 No. 1 hits, a Grammy-winning catalog, and era-defining anthems that remain staples on country radio and live stages alike. Yet instead of resting on nostalgia, the duo doubled down on evolution.
Released via Sony Music Nashville, REBOOT II serves as the bold sequel to their acclaimed 2019 project REBOOT, once again inviting today’s most exciting artists — both within and beyond country music — to reimagine Brooks & Dunn classics with maximum creative freedom. The result? An 18-track genre-blurring celebration that transforms songs fans know by heart into something thrillingly new.
From progressive country and bluegrass to grunge, swampy soul, orchestral pop, and even heavy metal influences, reworked hits like “Neon Moon,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” and “Believe” prove that timeless songwriting can thrive in any era — and any sound.
RONNIE DUNN, KIX BROOKS
Brooks & Dunn’s impact doesn’t stop at the awards stage. The duo also holds the record for the longest-running country music residency in Las Vegas and continues to criss-cross North America on sold-out tours year after year.
And in true trailblazer fashion, they’re not slowing down anytime soon. In spring 2026, Brooks & Dunn will embark on their first-ever UK dates, headlining C2C 2026, Europe’s largest country music festival, with stops in Belfast, Glasgow, and London. From there, they’ll return stateside for Stagecoach before rejoining Morgan Wallen for eight shows on his Still the Problem Tour 2026.
For more coverage from the 2025 CMA Awards, click here.
