Well, somehow there are only a few months left in 2021. And as the year winds down, CMT has decided to declare five artists who stood out above all the others.

In a statement, they said their choices “collectively dominated the last 12 months in country music, leading across all CMT platforms, scoring chart-topping albums and singles, while simultaneously finding creative ways to connect with fans and meet the personal and professional challenges posed by the [COVID-19] pandemic.”

So congratulations to Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Gabby Barrett and Chris Stapleton. All five definitely meet the criteria mentioned above, and it does seem like we heard those names all the time in 2021.

There will be a 90-minute special on CMT on October 13, which will feature never-before-seen performances, collaborations, and congratulatory moments.