Unlikely pairings, epic collaborations, milestone performances and heartfelt tributes were the name of the game on Sunday night (April 2) at the 2023 CMT Music Awards. The action-packed broadcast delivered major moment after major moment, with so many surprises and highlights that it's tough to narrow it down to just six.

There was Kelsea Ballerini's performance of "If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)" featuring drag queens from Ru Paul's Drag Race, plus appearances from Yellowstone stars — and even a surprise vocal cameo from actor Matthew McConaughey, who recently became the latest star to join the Yellowstone family for a show spinoff.

Cross-genre duets abounded: Gwen Stefani teamed up with Carly Pearce, while Darius Rucker brought the Black Crowes to the show. Ashley McBryde and Wynonna Judd reunited, delivering a powerhouse and unexpected performance of Foreigner's "I Wanna Know What Love Is." Then, of course, there were the awards themselves, which saw first-timers and well-established stars alike taking home CMT trophies.

But ultimately, the most memorable moments of the show were the ones that packed the greatest emotional punch. Some were sobering, others were celebratory and all were unforgettable examples of the power country music has to bring a community together. Flip through the gallery below to see the top six moments from the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

The Top 6 Moments From the 2023 CMT Music Awards

In a night full of unforgettable performances, mind-blowing team-ups, heartfelt tributes and history-making moments, here were the six best.