Several artists, including Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and Thomas Rhett, were noticeably absent from the 2023 CMA Awards. While attendance is not mandatory, fans become concerned when artists who have been regular attendees for 10 years suddenly miss the event. As artists age, the allure of attending the awards may diminish. However, some veterans still earned major nominations but opted not to attend. It is possible that some artists may have been hidden behind someone's cowboy hat or alongside more visually interesting celebrities. Regardless, their absence was certainly missed by fans.
