“I Can’t Change—I’m Still As Bad As I Used To Be”: Chris Stapleton Stuns CMA Awards With Raw, Soulful Performance That Leaves Crowd On Their Feet

  • byJasmin
  • November 23, 2025
  • 2 minute read
Chris Stapleton
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Country’s Hottest Stars Gather For The 2025 CMA Awards

On November 19, country music’s hottest artists gathered in Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate the 59th Annual CMA Awards.

Lainey Wilson dazzled as the host for the second year in a row, her first time running the show solo.

One of the memorable performances of the night came from Chris Stapleton, singing his hit, “Bad As I Used To Be.”

 

Chris Stapleton’s Highly Anticipated F1: The Album

“Bad As I Used To Be” was released in May 2025 on Chris’ F1: The Album. The song was his first solo release since his album Higher from 2023.

The album was the official soundtrack for F1 the Movie, which released in theaters early last summer.

“‘Bad As I Used To Be” combines a classic Chris Stapleton sound mixed with a little bit of rock-and-roll. It opens with a warm, melodic guitar riff, soon accompanied by a soulful harmonica that lingers, setting a hypnotic, laid-back feel.

Stapleton grapples with the desire to change and be a better man, yet he’s drawn to the fast life, ultimately accepting that, despite his efforts, he’s still as reckless as he once was.

The lyrics read:

“I bet you thought / You’d seen the last of me / I can’t change the way I am, you see? / I think it’s my responsibility to tell you / I’m just as bad as I used to be.”

Listen to Chris Stapelton’s “Bad As I Used To Be” below.

Chris Stapleton Performs At The CMA Awards

Chris wowed the audience during this year’s CMA Awards as he sang “Bad As I Used To Be.”

From the moment he stepped on stage, Chris commanded the audience’s attention with his gritty style and magnetic presence.

Chris combined raw emotion, and his powerhouse vocals with a smooth guitar solo in the middle of his performance.

Receiving a standing ovation from the crowd, Chris proved why he remains one of country music’s most beloved artists of today.

Watch Chris Stapleton’s 2025 CMA Performance below.

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— Previous article

Lainey Wilson fell to her knees in front of a roaring Nashville crowd, her voice shaking as she lifted the CMA stage into a moment no one will ever forget. “Mom… Dad… if you can hear me, this is for you. I owe you my life,” she cried, her words cracking through the silence like lightning. As she accepted her 2025 Entertainer of the Year award, the emotion hit her so hard she could barely stand. The arena—thousands strong—went completely still, then broke into tears right along with her.

Next article —

“SHE NEVER SANG THAT VERSE WITHOUT THINKING OF HIM.” Reba McEntire confessed that there’s one line in “Does He Love You” that still catches her breath. She said Vince Gill once told her backstage, “You sing like you’re trying to save someone.” Reba admitted she never forgot that. When the spotlight hits her now, she sometimes closes her eyes for half a second — just enough to feel his presence, steady and kind, like he’s still harmonizing beside her. “Music keeps people close,” she said softly. “Closer than we think.”

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