2019 CMT Music Awards: Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini announced as performers

May 15, 2019

The following is a press release from CMT:

CMT will make history this year as it packs the “2019 CMT Music Awards,” with more performances than ever before, featuring superstars Carrie Underwood, Dan + Shay, Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, and more to be announced. Hosted by award-winning musical talent Little Big Town, the show will air LIVE from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, June 5 at 8 pm ET / 7 pm CT.

Last week, CMT unveiled the full lineup of artists in the running for this year’s awards. Of the performers announced thus far, singer/songwriter Maren Morris leads the pack with three nominations, including “Video of the Year” and “Female Video of the Year” for “GIRL,” in addition to a nomination for “CMT Performance of the Year” for her collaboration with Brandi Carlile for “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” from the 2018 CMT Artists of the Year special.

Additionally, Carrie Underwood, the most awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history, will make an exciting return to the CMT stage to perform. Underwood is nominated for two awards this year, including “Video of the Year” for “Cry Pretty” and “Female Video of the Year” for “Love Wins.”

Fans can vote now for their favorite artists via vote.cmt.com, up until 11:59 pm ET on Tuesday, June 4 for all 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.” Tickets to the “2019 CMT Music Awards” are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.

For more information, follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

May 29, 2019 UPDATE: The following artists have been added to the 2019 CMT Music Awards lineup of performers: Boyz II Men, Brandi Carlile, Brett Young, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Tanya Tucker, Trombone Shorty and Zac Brown Band.

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).

CMT Music Awards: Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Brothers Osborne, Zac Brown Band are the top nominees

May 7, 2019

The following is a press release from CMT:

CMT today announced the nominations for the “2019 CMT Music Awards,” airing LIVE on Wednesday, June 5 at 8:00pm ET / 7:00pm CT. Nashville’s biggest party returns to kick off the summer with a grand celebration recognizing the most beloved names in country music. Each winner is selected by the fans, with voting open now at vote.cmt.com.

Continuing the “CMT Music Awards” tradition of embracing blended-genre collaborations among all musical formats, this year’s nominations feature a wide range of talent, from rising stars to music legends, spanning the worlds of pop, soul and R&B.

Superstars Brothers Osborne, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert and Zac Brown Band will compete for the most accolades of the evening, each with 3 nominations. Other artists with more than one nomination include Brandi Carlile, Carrie Underwood, Cole Swindell, Dan + Shay, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Julia Michaels, Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Sugarland, and Taylor Swift.

With first-time nominations, R&B legends Boyz II Men and soul singer Leon Bridges will compete for Performance of the Year. Other artists with first-time nominations this year include “Empress of Soul” Gladys Knight and pop sensation Shawn Mendes, along with Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Jimmie Allen, Jordan Davis, Julia Michaels, Mitchell Tenpenny, Morgan Wallen, Runaway June and Tenille Towns.

This year, 14 acts are in the running for the highly coveted “Video of the Year” award, including Carrie Underwood, who reigns as the most awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history with 18 wins. The top five “Video of the Year” nominees will be announced the morning of the show, and fans will be able to vote all day and throughout the show on Twitter to determine the winner.

Fan voting begins today at vote.cmt.com and continues until 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 4.

The nominees for the 2019 CMT MUSIC AWARDS are:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration) and the video director. Final nominees announced the morning of the show, with final voting held on social media during the live telecast.

●       Carrie Underwood – “Cry Pretty”

●       Chris Janson – “Drunk Girl”

●       Cole Swindell – “Break Up in the End”

●       Dan + Shay – “Speechless”

●       Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne – “Burning Man”

●       Eric Church – “Desperate Man”

●       Florida Georgia Line – “Simple”

●       Kacey Musgraves – “Rainbow”

●       Kane Brown – “Good as You”

●       Keith Urban featuring Julia Michaels – “Coming Home”

●       Kelsea Ballerini – “Miss Me More”

●       Luke Combs – “She Got the Best of Me”

●       Maren Morris – “GIRL”

●       Zac Brown Band – “Someone I Used To Know”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

●       Cole Swindell – “Break Up in the End”

●       Eric Church – “Desperate Man”

●       Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert – “Drowns the Whiskey”

●       Kane Brown – “Lose It”

●       Kenny Chesney – “Get Along”

●       Luke Bryan – “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset”

●       Thomas Rhett – “Life Changes”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

●       Brandi Carlile – “The Joke”

●       Carly Pearce – “Closer to You”

●       Carrie Underwood – “Love Wins”

●       Kacey Musgraves – “Space Cowboy”

●       Kelsea Ballerini – “Miss Me More”

●       Maren Morris – “GIRL”

●       Miranda Lambert – “Keeper of the Flame”

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists

●       Brothers Osborne – “I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)”

●       Dan + Shay – “Speechless”

●       Florida Georgia Line – “Simple”

●       LOCASH – “Feels Like a Party”

●       Maddie & Tae – “Friends Don’t”

●       Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift – “Babe”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video by a group; awarded to the artists

●       Eli Young Band – “Love Ain’t”

●       LANCO – “Born to Love You”

●       Little Big Town – “Summer Fever”

●       Midland – “Burn Out”

●       Old Dominion – “Hotel Key”

●       Zac Brown Band – “Someone I Used To Know”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)

●       Ashley McBryde – “Girl Goin’ Nowhere (At Marathon Music Works)”

●       Jimmie Allen – “Best Shot”

●       Jordan Davis – “Take It From Me”

●       Mitchell Tenpenny – “Drunk Me”

●       Morgan Wallen – “Whiskey Glasses”

●       Runaway June – “Buy My Own Drinks”

●       Tenille Townes – “Somebody’s Daughter”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists

●       Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell – “What Happens in a Small Town”

●       Darius Rucker featuring Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Charles Kelley – “Straight to Hell”

●       Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne – “Burning Man”

●       Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert – “Drowns the Whiskey”

●       Keith Urban featuring Julia Michaels – “Coming Home”

●       Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift – “Babe”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

Boyz II Men and Brett Young – “Motownphilly (From CMT Crossroads)”

Luke Combs and Leon Bridges – “Beautiful Crazy (From CMT Crossroads)”

Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile – “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (From 2018 CMT Artists of the Year)”

Brett Eldredge and Meghan Trainor – “Let You Be Right (From CMT Crossroads)”

Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman and Gladys Knight – “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night” (From 2018 CMT Artists of the Year)

Zac Brown Band and Shawn Mendes – “Keep Me in Mind (From CMT Crossroads)”

Returning for the second consecutive year, award-winning musical talent Little Big Town will serve as hosts for the evening when the “2019 CMT Music Awards” premieres LIVE from Nashville next month. The chart-topping group has graced the “CMT Music Awards” stage with multiple wins and performances under their belts and will introduce the next wave of winners in Nashville during one of the most highly-anticipated events in country music. As nominees, they’ll also vie for CMT Performance of the Year and Group Video of the Year.

For more information, follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

To request media credentials for the 2019 CMT Music Awards, please visit cmtmusicawardspress.com.

About CMT Awards Host: Little Big Town

GRAMMY, ACM, CMA, and AMA Award-winning group, Little Big Town — consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, and Jimi Westbrook — first entered the music scene over 19 years ago with hit songs “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good As Gone” and the GRAMMY-nominated “Little White Church.” Their breakthrough albums Tornado and Pain Killer produced multiple #1 singles, including “Pontoon,” “Tornado,” and “Day Drinking,” as well as the history-making, best-selling country single of the year (2015) “Girl Crush.” Released February 24, 2017, Little Big Town’s latest studio album, The Breaker, debuted #1 on the Billboard Country Charts and Top 10 (No.4) on the Billboard 200 to critical acclaim, marking the group’s fourth Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 chart. The album features their GRAMMY-winning, multi-week #1 single, “Better Man,” as well as “When Someone Stops Loving You.”

Little Big Town has earned more than 40 award show nominations and in the past five years has taken home nearly 20 awards, including multiple GRAMMY, AMA, People’s Choice, CMA, ACM awards, and an Emmy award. Currently the reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year, the Country Music Hall of Fame inductees (2014) went onto receive their star on the Nashville Walk of Fame in 2017. Also in 2017, Little Big Town hosted a sold-out, year-long artist residency at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville — marking the venue’s first-ever, year-long residency in its 125-year history. The band also recently launched 4 Cellars wine, their first non-musical project as a band, with Browne Family Vineyards. For more information on Little Big Town visit LittleBigTown.com or follow them @littlebigtown.

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). For more information, please visit CMT Press at cmtpress.com.

2019 ACM Awards: Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, LANCO win in categories for new artists

March 25, 2019

ACM Awards

The Academy of Country Music revealed the winners of the new artist categories for the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards, Country Music’s Party of the Year. Luke Combs, LANCO and Ashley McBryde have been named New Male Artist of the Year, New Vocal Group of the Year and New Female Artist of the Year, respectively. The winners each received a surprise phone call from 14-time ACM Award winner, two-time ACM Entertainer of the Year and current ACM Award nominee Carrie Underwood, who won the 2005 New Female Vocalist category at the 2006 ACM Awards.

These awards mark the first-ever ACM Award wins for Combs, LANCO and McBryde. All three artists are also nominated in the Male Artist of the Year, Group of the Year and Female Artist of the Year categories, respectively.

Carrie Underwood and each of the new artist winners Luke Combs, LANCO and Ashley McBryde will all perform on the show, joining previously announced ACM Awards performers including Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Kelly Clarkson, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton and George Strait along with ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award honoree Jason Aldean.

Additional acts and presenters will be announced in the coming week. The awards telecast, hosted by Reba McEntire, will air LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET / delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

Tickets for the ceremony are available for purchase now at www.axs.com. For more information on the ACM Awards and all ACM events including ACM Party for a Cause®, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter and Instagram for more immediate updates.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards
The 54th Academy of Country Music Awards™ is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 8:00 PM ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. R.A. Clark, Reba McEntire, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Pete Fisher is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

2018 American Music Awards: Taylor Swift is the top winner; Camila Cabello also wins big

October 9, 2018

by Carla Hay

AMAs logo

 

With four prizes, including Artist of the Year, Taylor Swift was the top winner at the 2018 American Music Awards, which were presented on October 9 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.  Camila Cabello, a former member of Fifth Harmony, also won four American Music Awards, including New Artist of the Year. Cabello was an opening act for Swift on Swift’s “Reputation” tour. Tracee Ellis Ross hosted the American Music Awards show for the second year in a row. The awards are voted for online by the public.

Swift now has 23 American Music Awards, the most ever won by a female artist. The previous record holder was Whitney Houston, who won 21 American Music Awards.

At the 2018 ceremony, Swift also did her first award-show performance in more than two years. She opened the 2018 American Music Awards with “I Did Something Bad.” Swift was one of several people on the show, including Ross and presenter Billy Eichner, who urged people to vote in their upcoming political elections.

With eight nominations each, Cardi B and Drake were the top nominees for the 2018 American Music Awards, but Drake (who did not attend the ceremony) did not win any of the prizes. Cardi B won three American Music Awards, and so did Kane Brown. Post Malone won two American Music Awards.

Other performers on the show included Twenty One Pilots (“Jumpsuit”), Carrie Underwood (“Spinning Bottles”), Cabello (“Consequences”), Mariah Carey (who sang the live world premiere of “With You”), Dua Lipa (who did a medley of “One Kiss” and “Electricity”), Jennifer Lopez (“Limitless”) and Ella Mai (“Boo’d Up”). Imagine Dragons had been announced as performers several weeks before the ceremony, but the band’s appearance was canceled with no explanation.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” stars Rami Malek, Joseph Mazzello and Gwilym Lee introduced Panic! At the Disco, which performed Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” from a concert in Brisbane, Australia.

There were also several on-stage collaborations. Cardi B featuring Bad Bunny and J Balvin performed their hit song “I Like It” on television for the first time. Benny Blanco joined forces with Halsey and Khalid for their hit “Eastside.” Ciara featuring Missy Elliott did a medley of “Level Up” and “Dose.” Post Malone was joined by Ty Dolla $ign for their hit “Psycho” after Malone performed “Better Now.”  Shawn Mendes paired with Zedd for “Lost in Japan.” Gladys Knight, Ledisi, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin and CeCe Winans closed out the show did a special tribute to Aretha Franklin, who died of pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018.

Other presenters included Kelsea Ballerini, Tyra Banks, Kane Brown, Chloe x Halle, Macaulay Culkin, Lauren Daigle, Sara Gilbert, Kathryn Hahn, Amber Heard, Vanessa Hudgens, Taran Killam, Leighton Meester, Heidi Klum, Liza Koshy, Lenny Kravitz, Normani, Rita Ora, Busy Philipps, Bebe Rexha, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Evan Ross, Ashlee Simpson-Ross, John Stamos, Amandla Stenberg, The Chainsmokers and Constance Wu.

YouTube Music was the presenting sponsor of the 2018 American Music Awards. Capital One Savor Card and Subaru of America, Inc. were sponsors of the show. The media partner was Cumulus Media/Westwood One.

The 2018 American Music Awards show was produced by Dick Clark Productions. Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and host Ross were executive Producers. Larry Klein was a producer.

The following is the complete list of nominees and winners of the 2018 American Music Awards:

*=winner

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Drake
Imagine Dragons
Post Malone
Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift*

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR PRESENTED BY CAPITAL ONE SAVOR CARD
Camila Cabello*
Cardi B
Khalid
Dua Lipa
XXXTentacion

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug, “Havana”*
Post Malone featuring 21 Savage, “Rockstar”
Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B, “Finesse”
Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be”
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey, “The Middle”

TOUR OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé & JAY-Z
Bruno Mars
Ed Sheeran
Taylor Swift*
U2

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug, “Havana”*
Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”
Drake, “God’s Plan”

FAVORITE SOCIAL ARTIST 
BTS*
Cardi B
Ariana Grande
Demi Lovato
Shawn Mendes

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Drake
Post Malone*
Ed Sheeran

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Taylor Swift*

FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK
Imagine Dragons
Maroon 5
Migos*

FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK
Drake, “Scorpion”
Ed Sheeran, “÷ (Divide)”
Taylor Swift, “Reputation”*

FAVORITE SONG  – POP/ROCK
Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug, “Havana”*
Drake, “God’s Plan”
Ed Sheeran, “Perfect”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Kane Brown*
Luke Bryan
Thomas Rhett

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Kelsea Ballerini
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood*

FAVORITE DUO or GROUP – COUNTRY
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line*
LANCO

FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY
Kane Brown, “Kane Brown”*
Luke Combs, “This One’s For You”
Thomas Rhett, “Life Changes”

FAVORITE SONG  – COUNTRY
Kane Brown, “Heaven”*
Dan + Shay, “Tequila”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be”

FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
Cardi B*
Drake
Post Malone

FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP
Drake, “Scorpion”
Lil Uzi Vert, “Luv Is Rage 2”
Post Malone, “Beerbongs & Bentleys”*

FAVORITE SONG – RAP/HIP-HOP
Cardi B, “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)”*
Drake, “God’s Plan”
Post Malone featuring 21 Savage, “Rockstar”

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Khalid*
Bruno Mars
The Weeknd

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Ella Mai
Rihanna*
SZA

FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B
Khalid, “American Teen”
SZA, “CTRL”
XXXTentacion, “17”*

FAVORITE SONG – SOUL/R&B
Khalid, “Young Dumb & Broke”
Ella Mai, “Boo’d Up”
Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B, “Finesse”*

FAVORITE ARTIST  – ALTERNATIVE ROCK
Imagine Dragons
Panic! At The Disco*
Portugal. The Man

FAVORITE ARTIST  – ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Shawn Mendes*
P!NK
Ed Sheeran

FAVORITE ARTIST  – LATIN
J Balvin
Daddy Yankee*
Ozuna

FAVORITE ARTIST  – CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Lauren Daigle*
MercyMe
Zach Williams

FAVORITE ARTIST  – ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM)
The Chainsmokers
Marshmello*
Zedd

FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK
“Black Panther: The Album, Music From and Inspired By”*
“The Greatest Showman”
“The Fate of the Furious: The Album”

2018 American Music Awards: Performers include Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood, Post Malone, Cardi B, Khalid, Halsey, Benny Blanco

September 26, 2018

The following are press release excerpts from Dick Clark Productions and ABC:

Dick Clark Productions and ABC have announced that multi-platinum rapper, singer and songwriter, Cardi B will perform at the “2018 American Music Awards,” marking her very first televised awards show performance since the birth of her child in July. Cardi B ties for top-nominated AMA artist this year with a total of eight nominations, including New Artist of the Year presented by Capital One® Savor® Card and Favorite Artist – Rap/Hip-Hop. Joining Cardi B on stage will be multi-platinum selling Latin singers Bad Bunny and J Balvin.

There will also be performances from 10-time American Music Award-winning icon Mariah Carey, as well as a collaboration from award-winning record producer and songwriter, benny blanco with multiplatinum artist Halsey and global superstar Khalid, who is up for four AMAs this year. These artists join previously announced performers Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Carrie Underwood. Hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, the “2018 American Music Awards,” the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, on ABC.

Multi-platinum songstress, Cardi B will take the stage to perform the genre-bending, Latin-trap hit “I Like It,” alongside Bad Bunny and 2018 AMA-nominated artist J Balvin (Favorite Artist – Latin).  The track earned Cardi B her second No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (now totaling three No. 1s) – the most for a female rapper in the chart’s history. “I Like It,” which also marks the first No. 1 for both Bad Bunny and J Balvin – landed the No. 3 spot on Billboard’s Pop Songs airplay chart, and went on to earn the No. 1 spots on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Rhythmic Airplay charts. This will be Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin’s first performance on the American Music Awards stage.

Mariah Carey, who first performed at the AMAs in 1991 for a rendition of her dance-pop hit “Someday,” will make her world television debut of “With You,” the first single from her new album, returning to the AMA stage for the first time since 2008. benny blanco will take the American Music Awards stage for the very first time, joined by multiplatinum artists and AMAs performance veterans Halsey and Khalid, to perform their nostalgic love song, “Eastside,” which is already in the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and Pop Songs Airplay charts with more than 300 million streams to date.

Carrie Underwood and multi-platinum selling band Imagine Dragons as part of the first round of performers at the “2018 American Music Awards.” Additionally, multi-platinum selling artists Post Malone and Ty Dolla $ign will team up for their first-ever AMA performance. Hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross, the “2018 American Music Awards,” the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, will broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

Twelve-time American Music Award winning artist and 2018 nominee in the Favorite Female Artist – Country category, Carrie Underwood returns to the AMAs stage for the first time since 2015 to perform a song hot off her recently released sixth studio album, Cry Pretty. The album follows Underwood’s six earlier No. 1s on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Three-time American Music Award winning band, and 2018 nominees, Imagine Dragons will take the stage to perform their standalone single and Billboard Hot 100 track, “Natural,” which has earned the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Rock Airplay and Alternative Songs charts since its debut. Chart-topping musician, and seven-time AMA nominee, Post Malone will make his American Music Awards stage debut, joined by acclaimed singer/songwriter/producer and previous AMA nominee Ty Dolla $ign, to perform the #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Psycho” from Post Malone’s second studio album, beerbongs & bentleys. Additionally, Post Malone will treat fans to a solo performance of a track off the same album.

Cardi B’s rambunctious spirit and brave tongue garnered instant online popularity, rapidly increasing her fan base. She has evolved into an entertainer and actress and a renowned rapper in just a short time. Cardi has also risen to rap success and fame, releasing her debut studio album “Invasion Of Privacy” in 2018. Cardi B is currently at the top of her game as the first woman with five simultaneous Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as well as the first female rapper with two Billboard Hot 100 #1s (“I Like It” and “Bodak Yellow”). Now a GRAMMY-nominated rap superstar, Cardi B released her Platinum-certified debut album “Invasion Of Privacy,” which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. “Invasion Of Privacy” – includes the 6x RIAA platinum certified classic, “Bodak Yellow,” alongside the 2x platinum certified smash, “Bartier Cardi (feat. 21 Savage),” standout favorites like platinum certified “Be Careful” and 2x platinum certified “I Like It,” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin and a spectacular lineup of featured appearances from Chance The Rapper, SZA (Gold certified “I Do”), Kehlani (Gold certified “Ring”), Migos, and YG. Breakout single, “Bodak Yellow,” which is now certified 6x platinum, had an astronomical rise – earning the coveted #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for three consecutive weeks, making Cardi B the first female rapper to reach #1 without any accompanying acts since Lauryn Hill in 1998. Cardi B has been nominated for numerous prestigious awards including – 2 GRAMMY nominations, 8 AMAs, 9 BET Hip-Hop Awards (2018), 10 VMAs, 7 Teen Choice Awards, 7 BET Awards (2018), 1 Kid’s Choice Award, 2 BET Awards (2017), 9 BET Hip Hop Awards (2017). Cardi has graced the covers of Rolling Stone, Billboard, The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, Cosmopolitan, CR Fashion Book, i-D Magazine, and The Fader. Additionally, Cardi B was named on Forbes “30 Under 30” list. 2017 saw Cardi make a seemingly unstoppable series of appearances and live events including memorable performance of “Bodak Yellow” on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Brooklyn, during the MTV Video Music Awards pre-show ceremonies, the BET Awards post show. Cardi has since made appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was the first ever co-host, The GRAMMY Awards, The Ellen DeGeneres show, Saturday Night Live, The VMAs, and more.

Bad Bunny, originally from Puerto Rico, is most recognized for his explosive and infectious trap songs. Rollingstone magazine has named him “The Four-Billion-Stream Man leading the Latin Trap Explosion.” This talented artist has demonstrated his already overwhelming power, influence and demand with completely sold-out concerts for his “La Nueva Religión Tour” (The New Religion Tour) all over Europe, Latin America and the U.S. His unmistakable voice and rhythm have led him to transitioned to the general market, where he is already creating waves of revolution with his participation in “I Like It” alongside Cardi B and J Balvin, which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has continued dominated the chart in the top 3 position. He has been nominated to the iHeart Radio Music Award, MTV VMA’s, Latin AMAs, Latin GRAMMYs, and E! People Choice Awards. Currently, Bad Bunny celebrates being the face of the cover of FADER magazine for the fall issue. The artist boasts a feature story that perfectly recaps his story and properly introduces him to the American market as the Latin trap superstar he has become. He also adds yet another major accomplishment to his book of accolades by appearing on the cover of COMPLEX magazine, along with J Balvin. This is a historic moment, as it is the first time in the magazine’s history that Latin Urban artists are featured in the cover, showing the extent of Bad Bunny’s reach across the globe, breaking cultural boundaries and language barriers and seamlessly transcending into the American market as a full-fledged urban artist of his own right.

Hailing from Medellín, Colombia, José Álvaro Osorio Balvin – better known to a legion of global fans as J BALVIN – has been praised by Billboard as “the biggest breakout act Latin music has seen in many years.” With a distinctive style all his own that pays reverence to the first-wave of Reggaeton stars from Puerto Rico, but fused with additional Colombian and mainstream hip-hop rhythms, more seductive than boastful lyrics, and a strong passion for fashion, J Balvin has become the undeniable leader of a second-generation Reggaeton revolution propelling Urban music back to the forefront of Latin music worldwide. Between his game-changing major-label debut album LA FAMILA, multiplatinum ENERGIA and recent landmark singles such as Mi Gente, and Machika, J Balvin  quickly notched ten #1 Latin singles, Over 50 million social media followers, and over TEN BILLION Total YouTube Views.  With his distinctive style and chart success, J Balvin has also become one of Latin music’s most in-demand collaborators, having now worked with artists, such as Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Cardi B, Liam Payne, Nicky Jam, Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Major LazerPoo Bear, Juanes, Daddy YankeeCamilla Cabelo, and more. Major award recognition has also followed, as J Balvin holds a Guinness World Record for the longest #1 run for a solo Latin single, has won back-to-back Latin Grammy Awards, multiple Billboard Latin Awards, and Premio Lo Nuestro ARTIST OF THE YEAR recognition two years in a row. J Balvin’s recently released new album VIBRAS has been hailed by TIME. Rolling Stone, Billboard and more as: “One of the Best Albums of 2018” ­while also propelling the Colombian star to #1 rankings on both YouTube & Spotify’s global charts as this summer’s #1 streaming artist in the world. As a result, J Balvin is now the leading nominee for this year’s Latin Grammy and Latin AMA Awards.

Mariah Carey is the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and 18 Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles (17 self-penned), more than any solo artist in history. Mariah is a singer/song­writer/producer recognized with multiple Grammy Awards, numerous American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award, the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium,” and BMI’s “Icon Award” for her outstanding achievements in songwriting, to name a few – with her distinct five-octave vocal range, prolific songwriting, and producing talent, Mariah is truly the template of the modern pop performance. Mariah’s ongoing impact has transcended the music industry to leave an indelible imprint upon the world at large.  She made her entry into the world of independent film with her landmark performance in “WiseGirls” starring alongside Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino and Melora Walters. In 2009, Mariah was recognized with the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Palm Spring International Film Festival for her critically acclaimed role in Lee Daniels’ “Precious.” Mariah went on to appear in Daniels’ stellar ensemble piece “The Butler” (2013). A Congressional Award recipient, Mariah has generously donated her time and energy to a range of philanthropic causes near to her heart including Save the Music, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, World Hunger Relief, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, among many others. A tremendous supporter of children’s charities, both domestic and international, Mariah founded Camp Mariah in partnership with the Fresh Air Fund, a retreat for inner city children to explore career development.

Benjamin Levin, known professionally as Benny Blanco, is a Grammy-winning American record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recipient of the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also a five-time BMI Songwriter of the Year award winner and 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year award winner. As a producer and songwriter, blanco is responsible for more than 100 million album sales worldwide due to his work with artists including Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Kesha, Sia, The Weeknd, Selena Gomez, Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West among others. He is also the founder of two labels in collaboration with Interscope Records, Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets. In 2016, his work was nominated for a Golden Globe® Award in the category Best Original Song for “Faith” (Stevie Wonder featuring Ariana Grande). In July 2018, blanco released the song “Eastside” under his own name, a collaboration with Halsey and Khalid, which is climbing Top 40 radio charts in the U.S. and is #1 in the U.K.

GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum alternative pop maverick Halsey claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 with her second release, “hopeless fountain kingdom,” an album Rolling Stone called “bold” in a four-star review, claiming that “Halsey could go anywhere from here.” Indeed, since storming on the music scene in 2015, she has garnered over 7 billion stream globally and nearly 6 million global sales, graced the covers of magazines from Nylon to Billboard to Forbes, among others – a far cry from the New Jersey teen who’d escaped her suburban existence for New York, writing poetry, and scrounging money for concerts and her next slice of pizza. Halsey shows no signs of slowing down. This summer she joined benny blanco and Khalid for the song “Eastside,” which has garnered 300 million streams worldwide in just 2 monthsThe track was the follow-up to the platinum-certified smash with G-Eazy “Him & I,” which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Songs airplay chart and No. 1 at Top 40 radio – marking her second No. 1 since accompanying The Chainsmokers on “Closer,” which dominated for 11 weeks and has been certified diamond by the RIAA. “Him & I” has accrued over 750 million streams worldwide and been certified platinum in several countries. In addition, her own two double-platinum-certified singles, “Bad At Love” and “Now Or Never,” also peaked in the Top 3 on the Pop Songs chart. In addition, Halsey pushes creative boundaries expanding her influence and impact beyond music. Earlier this year, Halsey spoke at the 2018 women’s march advocating for equality. Her speech has been viewed millions of times and has moved people from around the world. As her star continues to rise, Halsey uses her voice to speak up for causes she passionately believes in, including disenfranchised youth, women’s rights, mental health and the LGBTQ community, proving that both she and her music can affect meaningful change, and that, yes, the 23-year-old can go anywhere from here.

Five-time Grammy® nominated artist Khalid has seen great success since he released his first single “Location” right before his high school graduation. The song’s domination led to Khalid’s major label deal with Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records followed by the release of his debut album American Teen. The album received mass critical acclaim with Rolling Stone calling Khalid a “pop prodigy” and TIME Magazine stating, “His thoughtful, relatable reflections on modern youth culture and the limitations of love are just as pitch-perfect as his soulful, measured delivery.” American Teen shattered expectations, spending more than 80 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at #4, and has stayed in the top 20 for more than 50 weeks. The singer-songwriter has over one billion streams worldwide across all partners, his first single “Location” is certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA, his previous single “Young Dumb & Broke” is certified 3X Platinum, and his album is now certified 2x Platinum. Since the American Teen’s debut, Khalid has garnered five 2018 Grammy® nominations including Best New Artist and landed on the cover of Billboard’s 2018 Grammy® Preview issue. He won two 2018 Teen Choice Awards for Choice Breakout Artist and Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Song for “Love Lies.” He was also nominated for 2017 BET Award for Best New Artist, a 2017 Teen Choice Award for Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Song for “Location”, and a 2017 American Music Award for Favorite Song-Soul/R&B for “Location.” Khalid also won Top New Artist at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, Best New Artist at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards and an MTV’s Woodie To Watch Award. He has recently been nominated for four 2018 American Music Awards including New Artist of the Year, Favorite Male Artist – Soul/R&B, Favorite Album – Soul R&B, and Favorite Song – Soul/R&B for “Young Dumb & Broke.” In addition to American Teen, Khalid has collaborated with some of music’s biggest stars. He has been featured on a number of songs including mega hits like Calvin Harris’s “Rollin” with Future, “1-800-273-8255” with Logic and Alessia Cara, “Silence” with Marshmello, “Lovely” with Billie Eilish, “Youth” with Shawn Mendes, and many more. Khalid’s current singles “Love Lies”, duet with Normani, and “OTW” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and 6lack are burning up the airwaves. “Love Lies” hit #1 on Billboard’s Pop Songs airplay chart and “OTW” is #14 and climbing on the Rhythmic Airplay chart. Khalid just wrapped up his third sold-out North American headlining tour and recently, the Mayor and Council of the city of El Paso honored him with a “Key To The City” marking September 13th, 2018 “Khalid Day.” While in his hometown, Khalid performed two sold-out arena shows and dropped a new track entitled “Better” dedicated to his fans and the city of El Paso.

Carrie Underwood emerged from the promise of her 2005 American Idol win to become a true multi-format, multi-media superstar, spanning achievements in music, television, and film. A seven-time GRAMMY® Award winner, she has sold 64 million records worldwide and recorded 26 #1 singles, 13 of which she co-wrote. She released Cry Pretty, her first studio album on Capitol Records Nashville on September 14, marking the first time she has co-produced her own album.  The title track and lead single – co-written by Carrie – was released worldwide in April and topped the iTunes Top Songs charts in 12 countries. Cry Pretty’s second single, “Love Wins,” and its accompanying vibrant and hopeful music video directed by Shane Drake, were released in August to rave reviews.  In spring 2019, Carrie will launch The Cry Pretty Tour 360, which will kick off in May and will play 55 arenas across the U.S. and Canada. Earlier this year, she released the hit event anthem she co-wrote, “The Champion” featuring Ludacris, which opened NBC’s Super Bowl LII and was incorporated into the network’s coverage of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.  “The Champion” has been certified Gold by the R.I.A.A. In 2013, Carrie starred as Maria von Trapp in NBC’s three-hour holiday blockbuster, the Emmy®-winning The Sound of Music Live!, whose airings attracted 44 million viewers.  She is lead designer for her fitness and lifestyle brand, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, which launched in 2015 and is exclusively available at DICK’S Sporting Goods nationwide and online. This spring, Carrie celebrated her 10th anniversary as a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry and returns this fall for her sixth season as the voice of primetime television’s #1 program, Sunday Night Football.

Formed in 2009 and featuring lead vocalist Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee, and drummer Daniel Platzman, Imagine Dragons earned a grassroots following by independently releasing a series of EPs. After Alex Da Kid signed them to his KIDinaKORNER/Interscope label, the band made its major-label debut with the release of Continued Silence, a 2012 EP featuring the 2x platinum breakthrough single “It’s Time.” Night Visions arrived later that year and Imagine Dragons found themselves on a skyward trajectory that saw the album debut at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and became the No. 1 album on Spotify Worldwide for 2013. Night Visions has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. The album’s second single, the 9x-platinum “Radioactive,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart and earned the band a 2014 Grammy for “Best Rock Performance.” The third single, “Demons,” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Songs airplay chart and has sold 3.9 million copies in the U.S. Imagine Dragons’ platinum-selling second album, Smoke + Mirrors, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and has sold 1.1 million copies worldwide. Imagine Dragons’ third studio album, Evolve, has been certified double-platinum within a year of its June 2017 release. Evolve has spent 63 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The album is 10th in the world on Spotify with over 38 million monthly listeners.

Post Malone stirs a mix of genres into his own sonic sound that’s both intoxicating and invigorating. His RIAA Platinum certified debut album, Stoney, led the genre-bending Dallas, TX artist to his first Top 10 on the Billboard 200 and first #1 R&B/Hip-Hop Album. In 2018, his sophomore album, beerbongs & bentleys, debuted on the Billboard 200 at #1 with the then-largest streaming week ever for an album in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music. Additionally, Post charted nine songs in the Top 20 of the Hot 100, notching a then-record for the most concurrent songs in the Top 20 of the Hot 100. Moreover, he set a then-record for most simultaneous Top 40 Hot 100 hits with 14. As beerbongs & bentleysreturned to #1 for the second consecutive week on the Top 200, his domination shows no sign of slowing down.

Los Angeles-bred singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, TY DOLLA $IGN has been one of the most acclaimed singers and in-demand writers, producers, and featured artists since helming YG’s 2010 smash, “Toot It and Boot It.” Ty Dolla $ign made a major splash with 2014’s critically-acclaimed BEACH HOUSE EP, highlighted by the RIAA platinum certified “Paranoid (Feat. B.o.B)” and 3x platinum smash, “Or Nah (Feat. Wiz Khalifa & The Weeknd).” He released his debut album FREE TC in November 2015, which has since gone on to become RIAA-certified Gold & features the multi-platinum hits “Blasé (feat. Future & Rae Sremmurd) and “Saved (feat. E-40).” Ty’s second studio album, BEACH HOUSE 3, was released in October 2017 followed by the deluxe release in May of this year. Ty undoubtedly took over Summer 2018 as both a writer and featured artist. In addition to receiving his first Billboard Hot 100 #1 with Post Malone’s “Psycho,” the Grammy-nominated phenom’s talents were featured on Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s EVERYTHING IS LOVE (“Boss”,) Drake’s SCORPION (“Jaded” and “After Dark”), Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s KIDS SEE GHOSTS (“Freee Ghost Town Pt. 2”,) Christina Aguilera (“Accelerate”,) Khalid (“OTW”,) 6lack (“Switch”,) Teyana Taylor (“3way”) and Kanye West’s ye, where Ty is featured on 3 out of 7 songs (“All Mine,” “Wouldn’t Leave,” Violent Crimes”.) He’s also been credited with writing several hits such including Rihanna’s 3X platinum hit “FourFiveSeconds” with Kanye West and Paul McCartney and Chris Brown’s “Loyal,” to name a few. Ty also just finished a blockbuster summer on G Eazy’s The Endless Summer Tour.

Nominations for the “2018 American Music Awards” were announced live by Kane Brown, Ella Mai, Normani and Bebe Rexha on Wednesday, Sept. 12, from YouTube Space LA. Cardi B and Drake lead this year’s nominees, with eight possible wins for each. Ed Sheeran and Post Malone each earned six nominations. Camila Cabello, nominated five times this year, could win her first AMA as a solo artist.

The American Music Awards winners are voted entirely by fans. Voting is now open in all categories.

For New Artist of the Year presented by Capital One® Savor® Card, Favorite Social Artist presented by Xfinity and Collaboration of the Year, fans can vote for each award 100 times per day, per voting platform in one or both of the ways below. Fans can vote for all other awards once per day, per voting platform.

  • Via web at VoteAMAs.com
  • Posting a tweet on Twitter that includes the nominee’s name or Twitter handle, the category name and #AMAs within the tweet

Voting for New Artist of the Year presented by Capital One Savor Card and Collaboration of the Year will close on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 5:59:59 p.m. PDT, one hour into the live broadcast. Voting for all other categories will close on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 11:59:59 p.m. PDT. American Music Awards nominees are based on key fan interactions as reflected on Billboard.com, including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay, social activity and touring. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound, and reflect the time period of Sept. 15, 2017, through Aug. 9, 2018.

YouTube Music is the presenting sponsor of the “2018 American Music Awards.”

Capital One Savor Card and Subaru of America, Inc. are sponsors of the “2018 American Music Awards.” Media partner is Cumulus Media/Westwood One.

The “2018 American Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Tracee Ellis Ross are executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.

For the latest American Music Awards news, exclusive content and more, be sure to follow the AMAs on social and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #AMAs.

Facebook: Facebook.com/AMAs
Twitter: @AMAs
Instagram: @AMAs
Snapchat: TheAMAs
YouTube: YouTube.com/TheAMAs

Tickets are now on sale at www.axs.com.

About the American Music Awards
The American Music Awards, the world’s largest fan-voted award show, features performances from today’s hottest artists and presents fan-voted awards in the music genres of Pop/Rock, Alternative Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Adult Contemporary, Contemporary Inspirational, Latin, EDM and Soundtrack, and the categories of Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year presented by Capital One Savor Card, Collaboration of the Year, Tour of The Year, Favorite Social Artist presented by Xfinity and Favorite Music Video. The American Music Awards pays tribute to today’s most influential and iconic artists.  The show is produced by dick clark productions and is seen in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. For more information, visit www.theamas.comwww.dickclark.com or abc.go.com/shows/american-music-awards.

About dick clark productions
dick clark productions (dcp) is the world’s largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “American Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Golden Globe Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes “So You Think You Can Dance” from 19 Entertainment and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world’s most unique and extensive entertainment archive libraries with over 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. dcp is a division of Valence Media, a diversified media company with divisions and strategic investments in premium television, wide release film, specialty film, live events and digital media. For additional information, visit www.dickclark.com.

About YouTube Music 
YouTube Music is a completely reimagined streaming music service with music videos, official albums, singles, remixes, live performances, covers and hard-to-find music you can only get on YouTube. It’s ALL here! YouTube Music serves music based on your tastes and what’s moving the community around you. Discover something new or keep up with what’s trending. Basic functions such as playing music and watching videos are totally free, but you can upgrade to YouTube Music Premium to explore the world of music ad-free, offline, and with the screen locked. Available on mobile and desktop.  For additional information, visit  www.youtube.com/musicpremium.

2018 CMT Artists of the Year show has all-female honorees: Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini and more

September 11, 2018

The following is a press release from CMT:

In recognition of the undeniable influence and impact of female artists in country music, CMT today announced that for the first-time ever the annual “CMT Artists of the Year” special is dedicated to the women of country music—past, present and future. This year’s all-female “Artists of the Year” celebration will honor CarrieUnderwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott. The 90-minute special will premiere on Wednesday, October 17 at 8:00 PM, ET/PT only on CMT.

“This year, we’re evolving the special to reflect what’s happening right now in culture and in the lives of our fans,” said Leslie Fram, Senior Vice President of Music & Talent, CMT.“In this monumental year for women, dedicating one of the biggest nights in the genre to applaud female country artists not only solidifies our commitment, but we hope will spark a much-needed change in the industry.”

As in past years, the event will feature surprise musical pairings and guests that will be announced at a later date. In addition, CMT will further its commitment to female artists through a day-long “Women of Country Music” takeover across all CMT platforms where music lives including music hours on CMT, the 24/7 digital channel CMT Music and CMT Radio’s widely-syndicated shows “CMT Radio LIVE” and “CMT After Midnite” to encourage and inspire increased female airplay on October 17.

A staunch advocate for country music’s female artists, CMT launched its dedicated “Next Women of Country” campaign in 2013 as a way to give female artists voice and airplay across all CMT platforms. The franchise has received critical acclaim, and in five years since launch CMT has expanded to include tours, digital programming and more. Ballerini and Morris are both alumnae of the “Next Women” franchise.

Last year’s special notched its highest ratings to date and ranked as the most watched in the event’s eight-year history. More than 1.1 million fans tuned in to the premiere telecast and the encore. Socially, #CMTAOTY trended nationally on Twitter during the show and the special ranked as the #1 Most Social Entertainment Program in Primetime on Cable.

Previous “CMT Artists of the Year” performances have included Adele and Darius Rucker performing Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now;” Meghan Trainor, Jill Scott and Kelsea Ballerinihonoring Shania Twain with a medley of her biggest hits; Jason Aldean, Keith Urban and Chris Stapleton in a moving Tom Petty tribute with “I Won’t Back Down;” Adam Lambert and Leona Lewis paying tribute to Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush;” and Maroon 5 covering Taylor Swift’s “Mine.” The show has featured appearances by Ellen DeGeneres, Matthew McConaughey, Selena Gomez, Billy Bob Thornton, Roger Clemens, Morgan Freeman, the cast of Nashville and more.

Former “CMT Artists of the Year” honorees include Blake Shelton (2015), Brad Paisley (2011), Carrie Underwood (2010, 2012, 2016), Cast of “Nashville” (2015), Chris Stapleton (2015, 2016, 2017), Eric Church (2012), Florida Georgia Line (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Hunter Hayes(2013), Jason Aldean (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Keith Urban (2017), Kelsea Ballerini(2016), Kenny Chesney (2011, 2012), Kenny Rogers (2015), Lady Antebellum (2010, 2011), Little Big Town (2015), Luke Bryan (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Merle Haggard (2014), Miranda Lambert (2012, 2014), Sam Hunt (2015, 2017), Shania Twain (2016), Taylor Swift (2010, 2011), Thomas Rhett (2016), Tim McGraw (2013) and Toby Keith (2012.)

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).

2018 CMT Music Awards: Blake Shelton is the top winner

June 6, 2018

The following is a press release from CMT:

The loudest night in country music kicked it up a notch as the biggest stars in the genre and beyond took on Nashville for the “2018 CMT Music Awards.” In a night of firsts, Blake Shelton won his first-ever Video of the Year Award for “I’ll Name The Dogs;” Little Big Town hosted for the first-time; and Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line, Kelly Clarkson, Little BigTown, Sam Hunt and Backstreet Boys seized the moment to debut new music for the first-time anywhere. A slew of new artists walked away with their first buckles, including Dan + Shay (Duo Video of the Year), Carly Pearce(Breakthrough Video of the Year), Kane Brown (Collaborative Video of the Year with Lauren Alaina), Backstreet Boys (CMT Performance of the Year with Florida Georgia Line) and Ludacris (Female Video of the Year with Carrie Underwood). Carly Pearce and Kane Brown won the first awards  of their careers. Carrie Underwood’s win for “Female Video of the Year” extends her record for most “CMT Music Awards” wins with a grand total of 18.

The show kicked off with a star-studded tongue-in-cheek sendup that has the royal family in Nashville to escape the prying paparazzi, only to find themselves engulfed in the bachelorette party capital of the country. The sketch featured Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest, hosts Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Midland, Dustin Lynch, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Trace Adkins, Darius Rucker (as the Queen, no less), and Florida Georgia Line as Princes William and Harry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqBl2Or3cG0

Little Big Town got the crowd jumping with their first-ever live performance of the danceable “Summer Fever” surrounded by large gold orbs, while Blake Shelton took to the rooftop of his new restaurant, Ole Red, in downtown Nashville for an intimate performance of his hit “Turnin’ Me On.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNdKDEeE6Do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqaHsLCpmuE

Bordered by a dramatic white curtain, Jason Aldean delivered a stirring rendition of his hit “Drowns the Whiskey,” while Kelsea Ballerini offered a beautiful twist on love with her hit, “I Hate Love Songs.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkuBGRp7jO0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8c5Gra87Ps

Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne shared the stage surrounded by fire for a hard-rocking version of Bentley’s single, “Burning Man.” Luke Bryan performed his summer anthem “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” aptly at dusk on the crowd-filled outdoor stage.

Florida Georgia Line turned the Bridgestone Arena into a cozy backyard get-together with the first-ever-live performance of their new single “Simple,” while Carrie Underwood dazzled the audience with her soaring power ballad “Cry Pretty.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpHbBLPiyMg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ9difnqsYM

Sam Hunt roamed the streets Nashville’s famed Broadway before taking the outdoor stage in front of thousands of country music fans and fireworks for first-ever-performance of “Downtown’s Dead,” while Dan & Shay, in their first-ever CMT Music Awards appearance, delivered a sobering sweeping rendition of their smash, “Tequila.”

Chris Stapleton’s unmistakably powerful voice boomed through the streets of downtown Nashville for a priceless performance of “Millionaire,” while pop royalty Backstreet Boys got the entire house dancing with an electric first-time-ever performance of their new single, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” proving that great music transcends genres.

Accompanied by an all-female choir, Kelly Clarkson made her CMT Music Awards debut by reclaiming the classic “American Woman” as a fiery female-empowerment anthem from the forthcoming series “American Woman,” starring Alicia Silverstone, Mena Suvari and Jennifer Bartles, premiering tomorrow night, Thursday, June 7 at 10pm ET/PT on Paramount Network.

The evening concluded with a bang as Darius Rucker and The Troublemakers – Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Charles Kelley – turned the Bridgestone Arena into a local honky tonk with their first-ever-live performance of the seminal Drivin’ N Cryin’ classic, “Straight To Hell.”

Furthering its commitment to new artists, CMT’s Ram side-stage featured performances of CMT Next Women of Music artists Carly Pearce and Lindsay Ell, as well as CMT Listen Up Artists DevinDawson, LANCO and Russell Dickerson.

The A-list roster of presenters from music, television and film includes Backstreet Boys, Brett Young, Bobby Bones, 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”), Jon Pardi, Kaitlin Doubleday (“Nashville”), Katie Cook (TV personality), Keith Urban, 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.

Here are the nominees and winners of the 2018 CMT Music Awards

*=winner

VIDEO OF THE YEAR 
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Final nominees announced the morning of the show, with final voting held on social media during the live telecast.

  • Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line –“Meant To Be”
  • Blake Shelton – “I’ll Name The Dogs”*
  • Brett Young – “Mercy”
  • Brothers Osborne – “It Ain’t My Fault”
  • Carrie Underwood feat.Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Dan + Shay – “Tequila”
  • Jason Aldean – “You Make It Easy”
  • Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton – “Say Something”
  • Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina – “What Ifs”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “Legends”
  • Luke Combs – “When It Rains It Pours”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Marry Me”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

  • Blake Shelton –“I’ll Name The Dogs”*
  • Dustin Lynch – “Small Town Boy”
  • Jason Aldean – “You Make It Easy”
  • Jon Pardi – “Heartache on the Dance Floor”
  • Luke Bryan – “Light It Up”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Marry  Me”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

  • Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing”
  • Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris – “The Champion”*
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “Legends”
  • Lauren Alaina – “Doin’ Fine”
  • Maren Morris – “I Could Use a Love Song”
  • Miranda Lambert – “Tin Man” From 2017 ACM Awards

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists

  • Big & Rich – “California”
  • Brothers Osborne – “It Ain’t My Fault”
  • Dan + Shay – “Tequila”*
  • Florida Georgia Line – “Smooth”
  • High Valley – “She’s With Me”
  • Tim McGraw & Faith Hill – “Speak to a Girl”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group; awarded to the artists

  • Lady Antebellum – “You Look Good”
  • LANco – “Greatest Love Story”
  • Little Big Town – “When Someone Stops Loving You”*
  • Midland – “Make a Little”
  • Old Dominion – “No Such Thing as a Broken Heart”
  • Rascal Flatts – “Yours If You Want It”
  • Zac Brown Band – “My Old Man”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)

  • Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing”*
  • Danielle Bradbery – “Sway”
  • Devin Dawson – “All on Me”
  • LANco – “Greatest Love Story”
  • Russell Dickerson – “Yours”
  • Walker Hayes – “You Broke Up With Me”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists

  • Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line – “Meant To Be”
  • Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Cole Swindell featuring Dierks Bentley – “Flatliner”
  • Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton – “Say Something”
  • Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina – “What Ifs”*
  • Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris – “Craving You”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

  • From 2017 CMT Artists of the Year: Andra Day, Common, Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack and Danielle Bradbery – “Stand Up For Something”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line – “Everybody”*
  • From 2017 CMT Music Awards: Charles Kelley, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker and Derek Trucks – “Midnight Rider”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Earth, Wind & Fire and Lady Antebellum – “September”
  • From 2017 CMT Artists of the Year: Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town – “I Won’t Back Down”
  • From 2017 CMT Music Awards: Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood – “The Fighter”

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).

2018 CMT Music Awards: Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line and more artists added to lineup

May 31, 2018

CMT Music Awards

The following are excerpts from CMT press releases:

Hosted by country chart-toppers Little Big Town, the “2018 CMT Music Awards” today announced the second round of A-list performers that will take over Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, June 6th at 8 pm ET/ PT. The newest superstars to join the already-impressive performance lineup include Backstreet BoysCarrie UnderwoodDan + ShayFlorida Georgia LineJason Aldean and hosts Little Big Town. Tickets for the “2018 CMT Music Awards” are on sale now via Ticketmaster.

CMT also revealed today that country music’s loudest night is about to get even louder with two star-studded collaborations; country icon Dierks Bentley featuring “Video of the Year” nominees Brothers Osborne, as well as “CMT Performance of the Year” nominee Darius Rucker featuring Jason Aldean (who is tied for most “CMT Music Awards” nominations), Luke Bryan and Charles Kelley. More performers to be announced in the coming days.

Last week, the first round of “2018 CMT Music Awards” performers were announced including Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan and Sam Hunt. It was also revealed that pop superstar Kelly Clarkson will premiere her rendition of iconic rock hit, “American Woman,” from the promotional campaign for the upcoming Paramount Network series of the same title debuting the day after the Awards on Thursday, June 7 at 10pm ET/PT. Inspired by the real-life upbringing of Kyle Richards (“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”), “American Woman” follows Bonnie (Alicia Silverstone), an unconventional mother struggling to raise her two daughters after leaving her husband with the help of her two best friends, Kathleen (Mena Suvari) and Diana (Jennifer Bartels) in 1970s Los Angeles.

Fans can vote for their favorite artists now via CMT.com until Monday, June 4th 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.”

Country music’s hottest breakthrough artists Carly Pearce, Devin Dawson, LANCO, Lindsay Ell, Russell Dickerson and Walker Hayeswill perform on the Ram Trucks Side Stage.

From the group of fresh talent, first-time nominees Carly Pearce, Devin Dawson, LANCO, Russell Dickerson and Walker Hayes will all be vying for the title of “Breakthrough Video of the Year.” Platinum-selling band LANCO will also be up for “Group Video of the Year” and Carly Pearce will battle it out for the coveted title of “Female Video of the Year” with her No. 1 hit “Every Little Thing.”

This 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)

Follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

CMT INVITES FANS TO JOIN THE PARTY BEGINNING JUNE 3
WITH FREE EVENTS THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE TO KICK OFF THE “CMT MUSIC AWARDS”

SUNDAY, JUNE 3

1-5 p.m.         CMT AND THE PEDIGREE BRAND’S FIRST-EVER “PAWS & PLAY” MUSIC FESTIVAL

Location:        Cumberland Park (592 S. 1st Street, Nashville, TN 37213)

CMT and the PEDIGREE brand are teaming up for the first “Paws & Play” Music Festival in Nashville on Sunday, June 3. The free event is the official kickoff to “CMT Music Awards” week and celebrates the role four-legged family members play in making lives better. Dogs (and their humans) can participate in a number of family-friendly events, including performances by country singer/songwriter, The Voice champion and CMT Music Award winner Cassadee Pope, doggie yoga, canine massage, games, photo opps, food trucks, a beer and wine garden and much more. The event is hosted in association with adoption partner, Nashville Humane Association, who will feature adoptable dogs onsite looking for fur-ever homes. No RSVP necessary.

*Performances by CassadeePope are at 2:00 and 3:30 p.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 4

7-10 p.m.       “RAM JAM: ARTISTS TO WATCH” AT THE CMT MUSIC AWARDS

Location:        TopGolf Nashville (500 Cowan Street, Nashville, TN 37207)

RSVP:            http://eepurl.com/dvGZsD

Get up close and personal with Nashville’s hottest rising country stars at this exclusive CMT concert            at the city’s newest hangout, TopGolf. Scheduled to perform are Devin Dawson, Walker Hayes and LANCO. Must RSVP to attend. Event is 18 and up.

TUESDAY, JUNE 5

12-4 p.m.       CMT MUSIC AWARDS AND BAR-S BLOCK PARTY

Location:        Schermerhorn Symphony Center Plaza (1 Symphony Pl, Nashville, TN 37201)

Bar-S and CMT invite you to kick off the summer with the ultimate downtown block party, featuring live music and free food for the whole family. Festivities include performances and meet-and-greets with artists Bailey Bryan, Kelleigh Bannen and The Sisterhood Band, along with carnival games, prizes and a chance to win tickets to the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday night.

Performances are as follows:

  • 12:15 p.m.                 Bailey Bryan
  • 1:45 p.m.                    Kelleigh Bannen
  • 3:15 p.m.                    The  Sisterhood Band

 

8:30 p.m.       CMT CROSSROADS taping with Leon Bridges and Luke Combs

Location:        5th & Broadway (outdoor stage) – fans are encouraged to arrive early. Gates will open at 7:00 p.m., first-come, first-served, standing room only.

CMT’s iconic music franchise takes over the streets of downtown Nashville with a one-of-a-kind pairing featuring Leon Bridges and Luke Combs.

 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6

7-9:30 a.m.    CMT SWEAT WITH BARRY’S BOOTCAMP

Location:        Schermerhorn Symphony Center Plaza (1 Symphony Pl, Nashville, TN 37201)

RSVP:            https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cmt-sweat-featuring-barrys-bootcamp-tickets-46157271642

Get down before the world gets up! A one-of-a-kind morning workout event, CMT Sweat is the can’t-miss kickoff to the CMT Music Awards, powered by Barry’s Bootcamp. Join some of Barry’s top national trainers for an early-morning workout, and enjoy a performance by singer/songwriter Kalie Shorr, music curated by DJ Ivy, appearance by Danielle Bradbery and other surprise guests as they turn your early morning into the ultimate calorie-shredding exercise session. Must RSVP to attend.

 

12-4 p.m.       CMT MUSIC AWARDS AND BAR-S BLOCK PARTY

Location:        Schermerhorn Symphony Center Plaza (1 Symphony Pl, Nashville, TN 37201)

Bar-S and CMT invite you to kick off the summer with the ultimate downtown block party, featuring live music and free food for the whole family. Festivities include performances and meet-and-greets with artists Carly Pearce, Morgan Evans, Tyler Rich and Delta Rae, along with carnival games, prizes and a chance to win tickets to the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday night.

Performances are as follows:

  • 12:00 p.m.                 Carly Pearce
  • 1:00 p.m.                    Morgan Evans
  • 2:15 p.m.                    Tyler Rich
  • 3:30 p.m.                    Delta Rae

 

1-7 p.m.         HERSHEY’S “CERTIFIED COUNTRY GOLD” AT THE CMT MUSIC AWARDS

Location:        Bridgestone Plaza (501 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203)

CMT and Hershey’s are throwing a free karaoke party all day long from the heart of downtown Nashville. Fans are invited to hop on the karaoke RV, grab a mic and belt out Country Gold hits. Enjoy free Hershey’s Gold, a digital photo booth and certified gold prizes, including a chance to attend the CMT Music Awards on Wednesday night.
###

Events are free and open to the public. Some events require advance registration. RSVP links included above.

 

2018 CMT Music Awards: Little Big Town set to host the show; Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Carrie Underwood leading nominees

May 8, 2018

Little Big Town
Little Big Town (Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS)

The following is a press release from CMT:

CMT announced the nominations and hosts for the “2018 CMT Music Awards,” premiering on Wednesday, June 6 at 8pm ET/PT. In celebration of blended-genre collaborations dominating all formats, this year’s nominations feature the most eclectic and diverse list to date, spanning the worlds of pop, hip-hop, Americana and R&B. Each winner is selected by the fans with voting open now at CMT.com.

Little Big Town, nominated for three awards this year, is set to host their first-ever awards show when the “2018 CMT Music Awards” premieres LIVE from Nashville next month. With multiple “CMT Music Awards” wins and performances under their belts, the chart-topping and record-breaking group are no strangers to dominating the loudest night in country music.

For the first-time ever, the highly-coveted “Video of the Year” category features pop artists, as Justin Timberlake’s soul searching “Say Something,” featuring Chris Stapleton, and Bebe Rexha’s head-bopper hit “Meant To Be,” with Florida Georgia Line are added into the mix, along with videos from 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. The top five “Video of the Year” nominees will be announced the morning of the show and fans will be able to vote all day and throughout the show on Twitter.

Country superstar Carrie Underwood, who holds the title of most “CMT Music Awards” wins with 17, looks to add to her trophy case and defend her crown against superstars Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean, who are tied with Underwood for the most nominations with four each. Other artists with multiple nominations include “2018 CMT Music Awards” hosts Little Big Town (3), Chris Stapleton (3), Lauren Alaina (3), Thomas Rhett (3), Bebe Rexha (2), Blake Shelton (2), Brothers Osborne (2), Carly Pearce (2), Dan + Shay (2), Danielle Bradbery(2), Justin Timberlake (2), Kane Brown (2), Keith Urban (2), Kelsea Ballerini (2), Lady Antebellum (2), LANco (2), Ludacris (2) and Maren Morris (2).

As a longtime advocate and supporter of the emerging artist community, each of this year’s nominees for “Breakthrough Video of the Year” (Carly Pearce, Danielle Bradbery, Devin Dawson, LANco, Russell Dickerson, Walker Hayes) have been featured across CMT’s multiple platforms and screens as part of its “CMT Listen Up” campaign and/or highly-lauded “CMT Next Women of Country” franchise.

Artists with first-time nominations this year include Andra Day, Backstreet Boys, Bebe Rexha, Carly Pearce, Common, Derek Trucks, Devin Dawson, High Valley, Justin Timberlake, LANco, Ludacris, Russell Dickerson, Walker Hayes, and the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire.

Fan voting begins today at CMT.com and continues until 12:01am ET on Monday, June 4.

The nominations follow 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).

The nominees for the 2018 CMT MUSIC AWARDS are:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration). Final nominees announced the morning of the show, with final voting held on social media during the live telecast.

  • Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line –“Meant To Be”
  • Blake Shelton – “I’ll Name The Dogs”
  • Brett Young – “Mercy”
  • Brothers Osborne – “It Ain’t My Fault”
  • Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Dan + Shay – “Tequila”
  • Jason Aldean – “You Make It Easy”
  • Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton – “Say Something”
  • Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina – “What Ifs”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “Legends”
  • Luke Combs – “When It Rains It Pours”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Marry Me”

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist

  • Blake Shelton –“I’ll Name the Dogs”
  • Dustin Lynch – “Small Town Boy”
  • Jason Aldean – “You Make It Easy”
  • Jon Pardi – “Heartache on the Dance Floor”
  • Luke Bryan – “Light It Up”
  • Thomas Rhett – “Marry  Me”

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist

  • Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing”
  • Carrie Underwood featuring Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Kelsea Ballerini – “Legends”
  • Lauren Alaina – “Doin’ Fine”
  • Maren Morris – “I Could Use a Love Song”
  • Miranda Lambert – “Tin Man” From 2017 ACM Awards

DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists

  • Big & Rich – “California”
  • Brothers Osborne – “It Ain’t My Fault”
  • Dan + Shay – “Tequila”
  • Florida Georgia Line – “Smooth”
  • High Valley – “She’s With Me”
  • Tim McGraw & Faith Hill – “Speak To A Girl”

GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group; awarded to the artists

  • Lady Antebellum – “You Look Good”
  • LANco – “Greatest Love Story”
  • Little Big Town – “When Someone Stops Loving You”
  • Midland – “Make A Little”
  • Old Dominion – “No Such Thing As A Broken Heart”
  • Rascal Flatts – “Yours If You Want It”
  • Zac Brown Band – “My Old Man”

BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)

  • Carly Pearce – “Every Little Thing”
  • Danielle Bradbery – “Sway”
  • Devin Dawson – “All On Me”
  • LANco – “Greatest Love Story”
  • Russell Dickerson – “Yours”
  • Walker Hayes – “You Broke Up With Me”

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists

  • Bebe Rexha feat. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be”
  • Carrie Underwood feat. Ludacris – “The Champion”
  • Cole Swindell feat. Dierks Bentley – “Flatliner”
  • Justin Timberlake feat. Chris Stapleton – “Say Something”
  • Kane Brown feat. Lauren Alaina – “What Ifs”
  • Thomas Rhett feat. Maren Morris – “Craving You”

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)

  • From 2017 CMT Artists of the Year: Andra Day, Common, Little Big Town, Lee Ann Womack and Danielle Bradbery – “Stand Up For Something”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Backstreet Boys and Florida Georgia Line – “Everybody”
  • From 2017 CMT Music Awards: Charles Kelley, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker and Derek Trucks – “Midnight Rider”
  • From CMT Crossroads: Earth, Wind & Fire and Lady Antebellum – “September”
  • From 2017 CMT Artists of the Year: Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town – “I Won’t Back Down”
  • From 2017 CMT Music Awards: Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood – “The Fighter”

For more information, follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.

To request media credentials for the 2018 CMT Music Awards, please visitcmtmusicawardspress.com.

About Little Big Town

GRAMMY, ACM, CMA, and AMA Award-winning group, Little Big Town — consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Schlapman, and Jimi Westbrook — first entered the music scene over 19 years ago with hit songs “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good As Gone” and the GRAMMY-nominated “Little White Church.” Their breakthrough albums Tornado and Pain Killer produced multiple #1 singles, including “Pontoon,” “Tornado,” and “Day Drinking,” as well as the history-making, best-selling country single of the year (2015) “Girl Crush.”  Released February 24, 2017, Little Big Town’s latest studio album, The Breaker, debuted #1 on the Billboard Country Charts and Top 10 (No.4) on the Billboard 200 to critical acclaim, marking the group’s fourth Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 chart. The album features their GRAMMY-winning, multi-week #1 single, “Better Man,” as well as “When Someone Stops Loving You.”

Little Big Town has earned more than 40 award show nominations and in the past five years has taken home nearly 20 awards, including multiple GRAMMY, AMA, People’s Choice, CMA, ACM awards, and an Emmy award. Currently the reigning CMA and ACM Vocal Group of the Year, the Country Music Hall of Fame inductees (2014) went onto receive their star on the Nashville Walk of Fame in 2017. Also in 2017, Little Big Town hosted a sold-out, year-long artist residency at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville — marking the venue’s first-ever, year-long residency in its 125-year history. The band also recently launched 4 Cellars wine, their first non-musical project as a band, with Browne Family Vineyards. For more information on Little Big Town visit LittleBigTown.com or follow them @littlebigtown.

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).

2018 ACM Awards: performers and presenters announced

April 9, 2018

ACM Awards

Carrie Underwood at the 52nd Annual ACM Awards at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 2, 2017.
Carrie Underwood at the 52nd Annual ACM Awards at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 2, 2017. (Photo by Francis Specker/CBS)

The following is a press release from the Academy of Country Music:

The Academy of Country Music® revealed today that thirteen-time ACM Award® winner Carrie Underwood will perform the world television premiere of her soon-to-be-released single live on the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards™, joining a star-studded lineup of performers and presenters.

Underwood is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year as well as Vocal Event of the Year for “The Fighter” with Keith Urban. The 53rd ACM Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

Previously announced ACM Awards performers include Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Kelly Clarkson, Florida Georgia Line, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Midland, Maren Morris, Jon Pardi, Bebe Rexha, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and Brett Young. Previously announced presenters include David Boreanaz, Drew Brees, AJ Buckley, Cam, Sam Elliot, Eve, Ashton Kutcher, Dustin Lynch, Nancy O’Dell, Rebecca Romijn, Max Thieriot and Lindsey Vonn.

Tickets to the ACM Awards are now on sale at www.axs.com. For more information on the ACM Awards and all ACM events including ACM Party for a Cause®, visit www.ACMcountry.com and www.PartyForaCause.com. You can like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards and Instagram @ACMAwards for more immediate updates.

About the Academy of Country Music Awards
The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards™ is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry. The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 8:00 PM live ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers. Pete Fisher is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

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