Morgan Wallen would have likely won his second straight CMA Entertainer of the Year award on Wednesday if not for what happened on Jan. 31, 2021.

The events of May 23, 2020 were embarrassing, but within the parameters of behavior we expect from our favorite country stars. April 23, 2023 was a bad day for Team Wallen, but hey, it happens.

April 7, 2024 still haunts him — in fact, Wallen is still scheduled answer to those charges in court on Dec. 12, 2024.

Wallen’s win for Entertainer of the Year at the 2024 CMA Awards happened on Nov. 20, 2024, but he secured it on Sept. 22, 2024. In a twist of fate, the man who accepted the award on his behalf has so much to do with why we’re here.

Was Morgan Wallen Snubbed by the CMA Awards?

Before Nov. 20 at 10:55PM CT, much of the social media conversation around Wallen continued a narrative that the CMA Awards had snubbed him this year and previous years.

After he won, people tried to say it was perfect that he didn’t show up.

Fans and at least one country outlet said Wallen has been banned from the show since 2020, so why should he attend this year?

This is factually inaccurate. He attended, walked the red carpet and performed in 2022 and 2023. Actually, last year he took the stage twice — with Eric Church and with Post Malone and Hardy (the Joe Diffie tribute).

Can we stop this argument for all artists? It’s silly. When your favorite doesn’t get a nomination or award, it’s not the Country Music Association’s fault. This is an institution that really just wants people to watch the broadcast — having the genre’s biggest stars perform or win is absolutely in their best interest.

Since the CMAs are faceless, they’re a soft target for criticism. It’s far easier to blame them than Rooster, the morning radio deejay in Anywhere, USA.

Thousands of radio DJs, record label employees, media members and industry personnel vote for these things — when your favorite artist loses, you just have to accept that your opinion is not universal. Getting mad at  “the CMAs” is like getting mad at “the man.”

It also takes your favorite artist off the hook. Wallen’s behavior came with consequences. That’s life. This is true for Zach Bryan and Beyoncé, as well — neither have made much effort to introduce themself to the industr,y and in turn, the industry isn’t voting for them. Is it wrong?

Maybe, but the rules of this game are pretty clear.

It’s also not uncommon for a deserving artist to lose their first few tries in big categories like Entertainer of the Year. The metrics were there for Luke Combs in 2020, but he had to wait another year. Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Stapleton are three artists who’ve never won, and all three won the metrics game at one point or another.

If we’ve learned anything since 2016, it’s that you can’t predict human voting behavior.

So, Why Did Morgan Wallen Win?

There’s been a ground swell of support to forgive Wallen for using a racial slur over the last three years, but the tone has switched from one of understanding to one of simple acknowledgment that he’s the genre’s No. 1 artist. Jelly Roll, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker and Lainey Wilson are just a few artists who’ve actively stumped for him to win this thing — I don’t think I need to list his sales accomplishments here, but he’s basically No. 1 at everything since 2021.

Wallen hasn’t been able to avoid legal scrutiny, but his success, his charitable acts and his generosity are now the story. He was first to write a big check for Hurricane Helene relief. He also donated 100,000 meals.

Three weeks ago, he dropped a half million dollars on musical instruments for kids in schools. Youth baseball is another initiative he’s supported. It’s never going to be enough for some people, and that’s valid. What’s now clear, however, is that it’s enough for enough people.

Which brings us to last September: The smartest and most creative thing Wallen has done is broadcast a walk-out to each of his concerts. This is a true country music innovation — at the start of each show, his screens show him walking to the stage from the green room, often with a celebrity. The air becomes electric as this happens.

Related: Morgan Wallen’s Best Celebrity Walk-Outs, Ranked

Mike Tyson and Hulk Hogan were not celebs that spoke to his character, but Peyton Manning was. In addition to being one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, he’s squeaky clean. His endorsement on Sept. 22 means Wallen is no longer untouchable — heck, the dude even put on a UT football costume for the show in Knoxville!

Wallen still has problems — we’re double-checking, but he is likely the first CMA EOTY winner with a pending felony charge — but his greatest social offense officially became old news when Manning stood next to him.

If he manages to stay out of trouble, it will be a story next generation fans discover with shock, the way this generation learns about Waylon Jennings’ drug habit, Keith Urban’s trips to rehab and Garth Brooks’ divorce.