award shows, Backstreet Boys, Bobby Bones, Brett Young, Carly Pearce, Chrissy Metz, CMT, CMT Music Awards, Garret Hedlund, Lauren Alaina, music, Nashville, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, TV
June 5, 2018
The “2018 CMT Music Awards” announced today the list of presenters featuring everyone from music industry icons to sports legends and Hollywood stars. The A-list roster includes Backstreet Boys, Bobby Bones, Brett Young, Carly Pearce, Chrissy Metz (“This Is Us”), Cody Alan (Radio and TV Personality), Courtney Force (NHRA racing), Dustin Lynch, Garrett Hedlund (“Mudbound,” “Country Strong”), Hoda Kotb (“NBC’s TODAY”), Joel McHale (“The Joel McHale Show”), Johnny Knoxville (“Action Point”), Kaitlin Doubleday (“Nashville”), Katie Cook (TV personality), Lauren Alaina, Leon Bridges, Lennon Stella (“Nashville”), Lindsey Vonn (US Ski Team), Luke Combs, Maisy Stella (“Nashville”), P.K. Subban (Nashville Predators), RaeLynn, Rascal Flatts and Sugarland. The “2018 CMT Music Awards” will premiere LIVE from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, June 6 at 8:00 pm ET/ PT.
Country music’s loudest night will be hosted by three-time nominees Little Big Town, who willalso join the list of knockout performers including Blake Shelton; Carrie Underwood; Chris Stapleton; Dan + Shay; Darius Rucker featuring Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Charles Kelley; Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne; Florida Georgia Line; Jason Aldean; Kelly Clarkson; Kelsea Ballerini; Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt. Breakthrough artists Carly Pearce, Devin Dawson, LANCO, Lindsay Ell, Russell Dickerson and Walker Hayes will perform on the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
The “2018 CMT Music Awards” nominations announcement made history, as pop sensations Bebe Rexha, with her record-breaking, chart-topping collaboration “Meant to Be” with Florida Georgia Line, and Justin Timberlake, with “Say Something” featuring Chris Stapleton, received first time nods for the highly coveted “Video of the Year.” The additional lineup of country stars vying for the title include Blake Shelton, Brett Young, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris, Dan + Shay, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett. Up for four nominations each, Carrie Underwood (who also currently holds the title of most “CMT Music Awards” wins), Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean are tied for most nods.
Fans have until the end of the day today, June 4th, to vote for their favorite artists via CMT.com for categories including “Video of the Year,” “Male Video of the Year,” “Female Video of the Year,”, “Duo Video of the Year,” “Group Video of the Year,” “Breakthrough Video of the Year,” “Collaborative Video of the Year” and “CMT Performance of the Year.”
CMT also revealed that some of music’s biggest stars will perform brand-new songs for the first time ever on television when the “2018 CMT Music Awards” premieres LIVE from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena tomorrow, June 6 at 8pm ET/PT. The performances will not only feature the newest songs that will become the soundtrack to the summer, but they will use the CMT stage to introduce their new music to the world.
“CMT music fans have an unquenchable thirst for music discovery. This show features the freshest and most exciting summer songs ever presented on one stage,” said Margaret Comeaux, executive producer, CMT Music Awards.
The line-up of world television premiere performances includes:
- Darius Rucker featuring Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Charles Kelley – “Straight to Hell”
- Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne – “Burning Man”
- Florida Georgia Line – “Simple”
- Kelly Clarkson – “American Woman”
- Little Big Town – “Summer Fever”
- Sam Hunt – “Downtown’s Dead”
- Backstreet Boys – “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
The performers join previously announced performers Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Jason Aldean and Kelsea Ballerini to round out the ultimate night of country music in Nashville.
The latest announcement follows renewed ratings growth and critical acclaim for CMT music specials and events due in part to a creative refresh featuring current and genre-bending artist pairings and pro-social elements. In October, “CMT Artists of the Year” notched its highest rating to date and now ranks as one of the fastest growing award shows, while “CMT Crossroads” recently garnered its highest ratings in five years with an episode featuring Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line. The network recently finished its highest-rated quarter since 2014 and notched its fifth consecutive quarter of year-over-year ratings growth. April 2018 was CMT’s best April performance in 4 years, extending to 17 the channel’s streak of consecutive months of year-over-year ratings growth among Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49. (L+SD, CMT Total Day)
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Tickets are still available at TICKETMASTER.
About CMT
CMT is the leading authority on country music and lifestyle, offering a mix of original series, music events and specials. CMT is everywhere its fans are including two cable channels (CMT and the 24-hour music channel, CMT Music), radio (CMT Radio), digital (CMT App, CMT.com) and social (CMT on Facebook, CMT on Instagram and CMT on Twitter). CMT is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).