"Radio country trash": The Road fans disappointed with Adam Sanders' victory in the finale

CBS’s singing competition, The Road, aired its highly anticipated finale on December 21, 2025. The segment saw Adam Sanders, Cassidy Daniels, and Channing Wilson battle it out on stage for a shot at the winner’s title and the $250,000 cash prize. 

However, despite all efforts, it was Adam Sanders who ultimately emerged victorious, taking home not just the title but also a recording contract. 

The finale saw Adam, as well as the other two finalists, have the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Ryman Auditorium for the last round of the competition 

The winner of the contest was decided based on audience votes, and since Adam received the most, he defeated Cassidy and Channing, who finished in third and second place, respectively. 

Adam left a lasting impression on the audience and the experts, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, and Taylor Sheridan, with his version of That Ain’t No Way to Go by Brooks & Dunn and his original song, All Summer Long. 

Adam’s victory generated mixed reviews from fans, as some congratulated him, but many were left disappointed because they believed the other two finalists would have made better winners than him.

Consequently, The Road fans took to X to share their thoughts on the finale, as one commented:

“Absolutely terrible. Radio country trash.”

Many fans of The Road were not pleased with the outcome, as they felt Adam’s voice did not stand out from the rest. 

“I can’t believe Adam won. WTF He’s like every other county guy out there,” a fan wrote. 

“He's very good but is like 20 other country artists.  Channing and Cassidy are both different.  The general public doesn't like different.  But they'll both be just fine,” another one commented.

“The dark cloud over this whole show was that it seemed like Keith Urban had already chosen Adam Sanders to win before it started, and not even Adam being terrible every time could change that,” an X user reacted.

“Canning was better all season Adam is not even that good of a singer,” a person wrote. 

On the contrary, other fans were not too upset with Adam’s win.

“Adam put the work in and he knew what the crowd wanted! He is authentic and has energy and he was a deserving winner! Can't wait for another season,” a netizen commented.

“Adam is amazing! So glad he won and it was a tough call for sure!!” a fan posted.

How did The Road star Adam Sanders react to his win?

After Adam Sanders was declared the winner of the show, he took a moment to reflect on his victory and said that he “worked really hard” and prayed to get to where he stood in the finale. 

“We did it. You lean on your faith when there’s hard days in the business,” he added. 

Adam emphasized the importance of staying persistent and not giving up on dreams, adding that he “never wavered” despite the challenges he faced on his journey to the finish line. 

He stated that singing and making music were things he ever wanted to do, and now that he had won the contest, he looked back on his journey with gratitude.

Channing Wilson, who finished in second place, sang The Ride by David Allan Cole and his original, Blues Comin’ On in the finale, whereas Cassidy Daniels, who finished in third place, sang Crazy On You by Heart and her original, Crazy Love. 

Despite their efforts, they were unable to outperform Adam in terms of receiving the most votes. 

Viewers can catch up on The Road, currently streaming on Paramount+.

Stay tuned for more updates.