CMA Christmas and NBC’s Nashville Special Bring Stars to 16th and First Annual Broadcasts
### Two Holiday Specials, Two Different Visions of Country’s Future December 2025 brought two major country holiday specials within 24 hours. “CMA Country Christmas” aired on ABC December 2 at 9 p.m. ET, hosted by Lauren Daigle and Jordan Davis. “Christmas in Nashville” premiered on NBC December 3 at 10 p.m. ET, hosted by Trisha Yearwood. Together, these broadcasts reveal how country music’s major institutions approach the holiday seasonand why holiday specials remain culturally relevant even as traditional television viewership collapses. The CMA special, now in its 16th year, features a blend of established stars (Little Big Town, Lady A) and contemporary artists (Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum), plus unexpected collaborators from gospel and roots traditions. The NBC special leans crossover, mixing country with artists like Ne-Yo, The War and Treaty, and actor Bill Murray (performing with his band, “His Blood Brothers”). Both become available for streaming the next dayHulu and Disney+ for the CMA special, Peacock for NBC’s offering. That accessibility matters. In 2025, “watching live” is optional. The content lives on streaming indefinitely, becoming holiday playlist fixtures year after year. ### The War and Treaty Moment That Defined the Week The standout performance across both specials belonged to The War and Treaty, whose emotionally raw moment on NBC became an instant social media sensation. Critics and fans praised their authenticity amid more polished or novelty-oriented performances (like Bill Murray’s cameo). This performance dynamic illuminates something crucial: casual viewers crave genuine emotion over spectacle. That’s a significant insight for producers, networks, and artists. The moments that generate online discussion aren’t the production values or celebrity appearances. They’re the performances that hit authentically. The War and Treaty’s unguarded vulnerability trumped Bill Murray’s star power because it connected emotionally rather than relying on novelty. On the CMA side, performances by established acts alongside emerging names (Megan Moroney, Riley Green, Parker McCollum) maintained balance between nostalgia and contemporary country. That programming strategy helps both boost holiday streaming playlists and push seasonal singlesa win for artists and networks simultaneously. ### Why Holiday Specials Matter When Everything Else Is Streaming Here’s the thing about holiday specials in the streaming era: they shouldn’t matter as much as they do. Yet they persist, drawing millions of viewers despite television’s ongoing collapse. Why? Holiday programming taps something streaming algorithms can’t replicate: communal viewing. People watch holiday specials together. The CMA Christmas special becomes a family event, a background soundtrack to holiday gatherings, a shared reference point across generations of country fans. That communal aspect can’t be replicated on Spotify or TikTok. Second, holiday specials function as seasonal industry engines. They give artists high-visibility platforms reaching casual audiences. They create evergreen content for playlists. They position Nashville as a polished, cross-genre cultural hubblending country with gospel, pop, and celebrity cameos to broaden mainstream appeal. Third, for independent and emerging artists, holiday specials represent opportunities to reach audiences beyond their core base. Performing alongside established stars lends credibility while exposing those fans to new names. ### Authority & Sources: – Tom’s Guide – Streaming & Entertainment Coverage – CMA World – Country Music Association ### The Surprisingly Resilient Appeal of Live Country Music on Television What seems paradoxicalmassive viewership decline for awards shows, but sustained interest in holiday specialsactually makes sense when you examine the content differently. Awards shows celebrate industry achievement. Holiday specials celebrate music itself. Viewers don’t need to care about industry politics or award validity. They just need to want to hear country music performed live during the holiday season. That distinction explains the ratings gap. Holiday specials offer functional value: seasonally appropriate entertainment for gatherings and celebrations. Awards shows require cultural investment in ceremony and recognition. In 2025, the former resonates far more than the latter. If this pattern continues, expect traditional awards shows to keep hemorrhaging viewers while holiday programming holds steady. That suggests the future of country music on television isn’t celebration and industry politicsit’s seasonal entertainment and direct musical performance.
