Chris Stapleton at the 55th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on November 10, 2021. (Photo courtesy of ABC)
Luke Combs at the 55th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on November 10, 2021. (Photo courtesy of ABC)
Kelsea Ballerini at the 55th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on November 10, 2021. (Photo courtesy of ABC)
With four prizes, Chris Stapleton was the biggest winner at the 55th Annual CMA Awards, which were presented at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 10, 2021. ABC had the U.S. telecast of the ceremony, which was hosted by Luke Bryan. Stapleton received the awards for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year and Song of the Year—all for “Starting Over.”
Other winners were Luke Combs (who was named Entertainer of the Year) and Kelsea Ballerini, who won two prizes for “Half of My Hometown” (featuring Kenny Chesney): Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.
Other winners of the 2021 CMA Awards included Old Dominion (Vocal Group of the Year); Brothers Osborne (Vocal Duo of the Year); Carly Pearce (Female Vocalist of the Year); and Jimmie Allen (New Artist of the Year). Eric Church, who was tied with Stapleton with the most nominations (five) going into the ceremony, ended up winning no CMA Awards this year.
Performers at the ceremony included Bryan, Stapleton, Church, Combs, Allen, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Gabby Barrett, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Jennifer Hudson, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Chris Young, Kane Brown and Zac Brown Band. All-star team-ups included Mickey Guyton featuring Brittney Spencer and Madeline Edwards, as well as Dierks Bentley featuring Breland and Hardy.
Presenters included Trace Adkins, Ingrid Andress, Ballerini, Deana Carter, Lauren Daigle, Russell Dickerson, Faith Fennidy, Florida Georgia Line, Freddie Freeman, Amy Grant, Dulé Hill, Alan Jackson, Elle King, Lady A, Zachary Levi, Scotty McCreery, Hayley Orrantia, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Darius Rucker, Susan Sarandon, Saycon Sengbloh, Kurt Warner, Lainey Wilson and Trisha Yearwood.
The 55th Annual CMA Awards ceremony was a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton was the executive producer. Alan Carter was the director, and David Wild was the head writer.
The following is a complete list of winners and nominees for the 2021 CMA Awards:
*=winner
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Eric Church
Luke Combs*
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
SINGLE OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
“Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young Mix Engineer: Sean Moffitt
“The Good Ones” – Gabby Barrett Producers: Ross Copperman, Zach Kale Mix Engineers: Chris Galland, Manny Marroquin
“Hell Of A View” – Eric Church Producer: Jay Joyce Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“One Night Standards” – Ashley McBryde Producer: Jay Joyce Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton* Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
ALBUM OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
29 – Carly Pearce Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne and Jimmy RobbinsMix Engineer: Ryan Gore
Dangerous: The Double Album – Morgan Wallen Producers: Dave Cohen, Matt Dragstrem, Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome and Joey MoiMix Engineer: Joey Moi
Heart – Eric Church Producer: Jay JoyceMix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Skeletons – Brothers Osborne Producer: Jay JoyceMix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Starting Over – Chris Stapleton* Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris StapletonMix Engineer: Vance Powell
SONG OF THE YEAR Award goes to Songwriter(s)
“Forever After All” Songwriters: Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Robert Williford
“The Good Ones” Songwriters: Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis, Jim McCormick
“Hell Of A View” Songwriters: Casey Beathard, Eric Church, Monty Criswell
“One Night Standards” Songwriters: Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde
“Starting Over”* Songwriters: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Gabby Barrett
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris
Carly Pearce*
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton*
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion*
Zac Brown Band
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne*
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s) and Producer(s)
“Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
“Chasing After You” – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris Producers: Aaron Eshuis, Teddy Reimer
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” – Elle King & Miranda Lambert Producer: Martin Johnson
“Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown Producers: Corey Crowder, Chris Young
“Half of My Hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)* Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Ross Copperman, Jimmy Robbins
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle*
Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar
Aaron Sterling, Drums
Ilya Toshinskiy, Banjo
Derek Wells, Guitar
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
“Chasing After You” – Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris Director: TK McKamy
“Famous Friends” – Chris Young with Kane Brown Director: Peter Zavadil
“Gone” – Dierks Bentley Directors: Wes Edwards, Travis Nicholson, Ed Pryor, Running Bear, Sam Siske
“Half of My Hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)* Director: Patrick Tracy
“Younger Me” – Brothers Osborne Director: Reid Long
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jimmie Allen*
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Mickey Guyton
HARDY
The presentations of the following CMA Awards were not televised:
*=winner
“THE 55th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” – FINALISTS FOR BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (by market size):
Weekly National
“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Westwood One
“The Crook & Chase Countdown” (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase) – iHeartMedia
“Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence” (Tracy Lawrence and Patrick Thomas) – Compass Media Networks
Daily National
“The Big D and Bubba Show” (Derek Haskins, Sean Powell, Patrick Thomas and Carsen Humphreville) – Compass Media Networks
“The Bobby Bones Show” (Bobby Bones, Amy Brown, “Lunchbox” Dan Chappell, Eddie Garcia, “Morgan #2” Huelsman, “Raymundo” Ray Slater, “Scuba Steve” Stephen Spradlin, “Mike D” Rodriguez and “Utility Hillary” Borden) – Premiere Networks
“CMT After Midnite” (Cody Alan) – Premiere Networks*
“The Lia Show” (Lia Knight) – Westwood One
“The Music Row Happy Hour” (Buzz Brainard and Ania Hammar) – Sirius XM Satellite Radio
Major Market
“Angie Ward” – WUBL, Atlanta, Ga.
“Double-L” (Lois Lewis) – KNIX, Phoenix, Ariz.*
“Hawkeye in the Morning with Hawkeye and Michelle” (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk and Michelle Rodriguez) – KSCS, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
“The Morning Bull: George, Mo & Cowboy Dave” (George Lindsey, “Mo” Monica Lunsford and “Cowboy Dave” Bayless) – KILT, Houston, Texas
“Tampa Bay’s Morning Krewe with J.R., Launa and Kevin” (“J.R.” Jon Jaus, Launa Phillips and Kevin Ebel) – WQYK, Tampa Bay, Fla.
Large Market
“Jesse Tack” – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
“Jim, Deb & Kevin” (Jim Denny, Deborah Honeycutt and Kevin Freeman) – WFMS, Indianapolis, Ind.
“Lexi & Banks” (“Lexi” Elena Abatgis and “Banks” Jared Danielson) – KUBL, Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo, Utah
“Ridder, Scott and Shannen” (“Ridder” Shaun Ridderbush, Scott Dolphin, and Shannen Oesterreich) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.*
“The Wayne D Show” (“Wayne D” Danielson and Taylor Rosenberg) – WSIX, Nashville, Tenn.
Medium Market
“Brent Michaels” – KUZZ, Bakersfield, Calif.
“Ellis and Bradley Show” (Bill Ellis and Beth Bradley) – WSSL, Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.
“Julie and DJ in the Morning” (“Julie K” Kansy and “D.J. Thee Trucker” Dale Sellers) – WPCV, Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
Miranda Lambert at the 54th Annual CMA Awards at Music City Center in Nashville on November 11, 2020. (Photo courtesy of ABC)
Dan + Shay at the 54th Annual CMA Awards at Music City Center in Nashville on November 11, 2020. (Photo courtesy of ABC)
Thomas Rhett at the 54th Annual CMA Awards at Music City Center in Nashville on November 11, 2020. (Photo courtesy of ABC)
The following is a press release from the Academy of Country Music, CBS and Dick Clark Productions:
CBS, The Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions announced today the full superstar performance lineup for the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards, airing live on Sunday, April 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+.
The artists include Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Lee Brice, Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Mickey Guyton, Ryan Hurd, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris, Carly Pearce, Jon Randall, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, The War and Treaty, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Cece Winans and Chris Young.
Over 30 performances from more than 25 artists will take place from three iconic Country Music venues: the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. Additional details on the exciting performances including unprecedented collaborations and surprising moments will be announced in the coming weeks.
Hosted by 15-time ACM Award winner Keith Urban and New Female Artist of the Year nominee Mickey Guyton, the 56th ACM Awards honor and showcase the biggest names and emerging talent in Country Music. Official 56th ACM Awards sponsors include 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wine, Ford, Security Benefit and T-Mobile.
The health and safety of the artists, fans, industry, staff and partners involved in the ACM Awards is the number one priority. All guidelines set forth by national, state and local health officials will be closely followed and implemented during the production along with additional safety measures to be instated by dick clark productions and the Academy of Country Music.
For more information, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook, follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
About the Academy of Country Music Awards(TM)
The 56th 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. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman and Linda Gierahn are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.
April 13, 2021 UPDATE:
CBS, The Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions announced today the exciting collaborations and must-see moments that will take center stage at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards. Hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, the 56th ACM Awards will air live on Sunday, April 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
The 56th ACM Awards will feature an unprecedented number of world television premiere performances, including Elle King and Miranda Lambert opening the show with “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”; Dierks Bentley performing U2’s poignant classic “Pride (In The Name of Love)” with husband and wife duo The War and Treaty; Brothers Osborne (“I’m Not For Everyone”); Kenny Chesney (“Knowing You”); Eric Church (“Bunch Of Nothing”); Luke Combs (“Forever After All”); Dan + Shay (“Glad You Exist”); Mickey Guyton (“Hold On”); Alan Jackson with “You’ll Always Be My Baby” and a special mashup for “Drive (For Daddy Gene)”; Miranda Lambert with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall (“In His Arms”); Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd (“Chasing After You”); Thomas Rhett premiering “What’s Your Country Song” while also performing “Country Again”; Blake Shelton celebrating the 20th Anniversary of his first hit single “Austin” as well as “Minimum Wage”; Chris Stapleton (“Maggie’s Song”); and Chris Young and Kane Brown (“Famous Friends”).
Additional powerful collaborations include Carly Pearce and Lee Brice duetting on “I Hope You’re Happy Now”; Carrie Underwood performing a medley from her new album of gospel hymns, My Savior, which will also feature a duet with CeCe Winans; and Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney performing together for “half of my hometown.”
Also, it was announced today that Lady A will join the lineup with recently revealed New Male Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen and New Female Artist of the Year Gabby Barrett, who will all perform on this year’s show. Previously announced performers include Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde and Keith Urban. Additional details on these performances, this year’s presenters and more will be announced in the coming days.
The unforgettable evening showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in Country Music will take place from three iconic Country Music venues: the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe and also feature performances at legendary locations across the city including the Station Inn, Bridge Building and on Broadway.
The following is a press release from the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions:
The Academy of Country Music® and Dick Clark Productions announced today that the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards will take place in Nashville, TN for the first time in the show’s 55-year history. In an unprecedented move, the 55th ACM AWARDS® will be the first awards show to broadcast from three iconic Country Music venues including the Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. The announcement was made this morning during Nashville Mayor John Cooper’s daily press conference. Hosted by reigning ACM® Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award winner Keith Urban, the 55th ACM Awards will be broadcast on Wednesday, September 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will stream live and on demand on CBS All Access.
“While we were disappointed to postpone our April show in Las Vegas, we couldn’t be more thrilled to host the rescheduled 55th ACM Awards in the home of Country Music for the first time in the Academy’s history,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “First and foremost, we want to ensure the safety of our artists and industry, and to ease the burdens of traveling large teams; therefore, we decided to bring the ACM Awards to them this September in Nashville. Now, more than ever, is the time to bring our community together to honor the best in our genre, and there is no more special place to do that than three of the most revered venues in Country Music – The Grand Ole Opry House, The Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe. A huge thank you to these historic venues and to the state of Tennessee and city of Nashville for all of the support in making this a reality!”
“Tennessee is honored to be a part of this historic event,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “Showcasing the talent and musical heritage of our state is always a source of pride, and it couldn’t be more valuable than this year. On behalf of all Tennesseans, I want to thank the Academy of Country Music for bringing this event home.”
“Country music has been our voice and our companion through so many difficult times and now it is our comfort as we confront and defeat the coronavirus,” said Nashville Mayor John Cooper. “I’m excited to join country music fans worldwide to celebrate with the Academy of Country Music and artists that uplift and inspire us all in these extraordinary times. And I look forward to the day when we can safely welcome visitors back to enjoy all that Music City has to offer, including over 160 live entertainment venues with the best country music shows in the world.”
“We are delighted to host the 55th ACM Awards and make history alongside the Academy of Country Music as the show comes to Nashville for the first time,” said Scott Bailey, President of Opry Entertainment Group. “We look forward to sharing this moment with our friends at The Bluebird Cafe and are pleased that fans will have the opportunity to experience the most famous stages in country music in such a unique way.”
As always, the health and safety of the artists, fans, industry, staff and partners is of the utmost importance. All guidelines set forth by national, state and local health officials will continue to be closely followed and implemented during the production along with additional safety measures to be instated by Dick Clark Productions and the Academy of Country Music.
The 55th ACM Awards, honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in Country Music, will feature exciting performances, unprecedented collaborations, surprising moments and more to be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook, follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
As previously announced, the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards was originally scheduled to air on Sunday, April 5 and was postponed due to COVID-19. ACM Lifting Lives® the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, created the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund to assist individuals working in the Country Music industry who are suffering a financial crisis as a result of the pandemic. Since April 1, the Fund has contributed $1.4 million thanks to the generous support of the Academy’s corporate sponsors FirstNet, Built with AT&T, Amazon Music and other individuals. For more information about the Fund or to donate, visit ACMLiftingLives.org.
About the Academy of Country Music Awards™
The 55th 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 on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on-demand on CBS All Access. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Amy Thurlow are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.
Building on the success of the digital series “One World: Together at Home,” Global Citizen and the World Health Organization (WHO) are partnering for a special one-night event of the same name to air across NBC, ABC, CBS and other global networks and platforms on Saturday, April 18, 2020 (8:00-10:00 p.m. PT/ET).
“One World: Together at Home” is not a telethon – but rather a global broad entertainment special to celebrate the heroic efforts of community health workers and support the World Health Organization and the global fight to end COVID-19. The event is curated by Lady Gaga and will feature exclusive appearances by Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Burna Boy, Chris Martin, David Beckham, Eddie Vedder, Elton John, FINNEAS, Idris and Sabrina Elba, Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong, J Balvin, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, Lizzo, Maluma, Paul McCartney, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan and Stevie Wonder. Friends of Sesame Street will also be on hand to help unify and inspire people around the world.
The two-hour program will be hosted by a trio of network late-night hosts: Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert and will include performances from the world’s biggest artists with multimillion-dollar pledges to the WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund. Audrey Morrissey (“The Voice,” “Songland”) and Live Animals will produce the special in partnership with Global Citizen.
The show will lift viewer’s spirits with exclusive, special cameos from the worlds of music and arts, sports superstars, and comedic sketches, while always drawing back to its core purpose – to educate and inform on COVID-19 risks, prevention and response. The broadcast will feature interviews with experts from WHO as well as stories of frontline healthcare workers from around the world – their courage and sacrifice a reminder of the urgency of this moment.
The special will connect artists with audiences on a global scale, airing on the following networks and platforms:
· NBCUniversal: NBC, Bravo, E!, MSNBC, MSNBC.com, NBCSN, NBC News, NBCNews.com, NBC News on YouTube, Peacock, SYFY and USA.
· Walt Disney Television: ABC, ABC News, ABC News Live, Freeform and Nat Geo.
· ViacomCBS: CBS, Channel 5 in the UK, Network 10 in Australia, and Telefe in Argentina; BET and MTV globally across 180+ countries; and CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land and VH1 in the U.S.
· Bell Media platforms in Canada, MultiChoice, and RTE.
· BBC One will broadcast an edited version of the event for UK audiences on Sunday, April 19.
“One World: Together At Home” will also be a multi-hour digital broadcast streaming online on multiple global platforms, including Alibaba, Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Facebook, Hulu, Instagram, LiveXLive, Tencent, Tencent Music Entertainment Group, TIDAL, TuneIn, Twitch, Twitter, Yahoo and YouTube. This digital special will include additional artists and performances from all over the globe as well as unique stories from the world’s healthcare heroes. For information about how to tune in and take action, visit www.globalcitizen.org/togetherathome.
Commitments from supporters and corporate partners will go to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, powered by the UN Foundation, to support and equip healthcare workers around the world, and to local charities that provide food, shelter, and healthcare to those that need it most. These local groups have been vetted to ensure they are helping communities impacted by COVID-19.
April 14, 2020 UPDATE: International advocacy organization Global Citizen today announced an expanded list of artists that will appear in the “One World: Together at Home” global broadcast special, being held in support of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic being led by the World Health Organization.
The newly announced artists include Alicia Keys, Amy Poehler, Awkwafina, Camila Cabello, Celine Dion, Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Lopez, LL COOL J, Lupita Nyong’o, Matthew McConaughey, Oprah Winfrey, Pharrell Williams, Sam Smith, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift, Usher and Victoria Beckham. Curated in collaboration with Lady Gaga, the artists announced today join a lineup of entertainers who were unveiled last week that includes Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Burna Boy, Chris Martin, David Beckham, Eddie Vedder, Elton John, FINNEAS, Idris and Sabrina Elba, J Balvin, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Kerry Washington, Lang Lang, Lizzo, Maluma, Paul McCartney, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan and Stevie Wonder.
“One World: Together at Home” will be hosted by Jimmy Fallon of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Jimmy Kimmel of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Friends from Sesame Street will also be on hand to help unify and inspire people around the world to take meaningful actions that increase support for the global COVID-19 response.
Leading up to the global broadcast special, there will be a six-hour streamed event, curated from around the world, to support brave healthcare workers doing life-saving work on the front lines. The “One World: Together at Home” streamed event will reach millions around the world digitally and will include performances and appearances from Adam Lambert, Andra Day, Angèle, Anitta, Annie Lennox, Becky G, Ben Platt, Billy Ray Cyrus, Black Coffee, Bridget Moynahan, Burna Boy, Cassper Nyovest, Charlie Puth, Christine and the Queens, Common, Connie Britton, Danai Gurira, Delta Goodrem, Don Cheadle, Eason Chan, Ellie Goulding, Erin Richards, FINNEAS, Heidi Klum, Hozier, Hussain Al Jasmi, Jack Black, Jacky Cheung, Jack Johnson, Jameela Jamil, James McAvoy, Jason Segel, Jennifer Hudson, Jess Glynne, Jessie J, Jessie Reyez, John Legend, Juanes, Kesha, Lady Antebellum, Lang Lang, Leslie Odom Jr., Lewis Hamilton, Liam Payne, Lili Reinhart, Lilly Singh, Lindsey Vonn, Lisa Mishra, Lola Lennox, Luis Fonsi, Maren Morris, Matt Bomer, Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bublé, Milky Chance, Naomi Osaka, Natti Natasha, Niall Horan, Nomzamo Mbatha, P.K. Subban, Picture This, Rita Ora, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sebastián Yatra, Sheryl Crow, Sho Madjozi, SOFI TUKKER, SuperM, The Killers, Tim Gunn, Vishal Mishra and Zucchero. The digital stream will be available on Alibaba, Amazon Prime Video, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, LiveXLive, Tencent, Tencent Music Entertainment Group, TIDAL, TuneIn, Twitch, Twitter, Yahoo and YouTube.
As part of the “One World: Together at Home” campaign, brands including Analog Devices, Cisco, Citi, The Coca-Cola Company, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, State Farm(R), Target, Teneo, Verizon, Vodafone and WW International, Inc. have supported the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO and regional charities that are working to meet immediate COVID-19-related needs locally.
“We are grateful to the private sector who have listened to the public’s call for action and come together to support the global response to COVID19. This pandemic is too large for governments to tackle alone,” said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen. “We are also incredibly grateful for the continued support from the artist community to make ‘One World: Together at Home’ a moment of global unity. Our hope for the special is that everyone will come away believing that we, as a shared humanity, can emerge from this moment forever grateful for the work of doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store workers and all those who are the backbone of our communities.”
“One World: Together at Home” will air on Saturday, April 18, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. PDT/8:00 p.m. EDT, appearing on ABC, NBC, ViacomCBS Networks, The CW, iHeartMedia and Bell Media networks and platforms in Canada. Internationally, BBC One will run the program on Sunday, April 19, 2020. Additional international broadcasters include AXS TV, beIN Media Group, MultiChoice Group and RTE. The digital stream will begin at 11:00 a.m. PDT/2:00 p.m. EDT and will inspire unity among all people who are affected by COVID-19.
At this critical moment in history, Global Citizen is also calling on individuals, governments and philanthropists to join and support immediate COVID-19 response efforts. Changemakers, investors and foundation leaders are being urged to actualize their giving and invest quickly in related efforts, like stronger health systems and vaccine development.
Last month in response to the global pandemic, Global Citizen launched an urgent campaign in support of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for WHO. Calling on individuals to take action and asking world leaders and corporations to support the response with sufficient resources, Global Citizens from over 150 countries around the world have taken hundreds of thousands of actions in support of the response fund. For information about how to tune in and take action, visit globalcitizen.org/togetherathome.
For more information about Global Citizen and their campaign to support the WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund, please visit globalcitizen.org and follow @GlblCtzn Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #GlobalCitizen.
To learn more about WHO’s response to the pandemic and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, please go to www.who.int/COVID-19 and follow @WHO on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood (Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
The following is a press release from the Academy of Country Music and Dick Clark Productions:
The Academy of Country Music® and Dick Clark Productions announced today the all-star lineup of performers for ACM® Presents: Our Country, a two-hour special featuring intimate conversations and at-home acoustic performances with Country Music’s biggest stars, along with clips from the Academy of Country Music Awards’™ 55-year history. Confirmed performers include Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Kane Brown & John Legend, Luke Bryan, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Sheryl Crow, Florida Georgia Line, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, Old Dominion, Brad Paisley & Darius Rucker, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban. The special will be broadcast Sunday, April 5 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT and 7:00 PM CT) on the CBS Television Network and on CBS All Access.
ACM® Presents: Our Country will also honor 10-time ACM Award® winner Kenny Rogerswith performances by Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker. As previously announced, artists will appear from their homes to share heartfelt thoughts and perform acoustic versions of Country hits. Additionally, video clips from previous ACM Award broadcasts will highlight favorite ACM moments from the past. It will be a night filled with entertainment, hope and reflection, bringing the healing power of music to Americans at a time when they need it most.
The special will broadcast during the time slot previously scheduled for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will now be broadcast Wednesday, Sept. 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on demand on CBS All Access. The 55th ACM Awards, hosted for the first time by reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award winner Keith Urban, honors the biggest names and emerging talent in the Country Music industry.
For more information, visit ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
About ACM® PRESENTS: OUR COUNTRY
ACM® Presents: Our Country invites fans to join their favorite superstars for a new kind of entertainment special featuring at-home acoustic performances with top Country artists along with clips of their favorite moments from the Academy of Country Music Awards’™ 55-year history. is produced for television by Dick Clark Productions. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Amy Thurlow are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music®.
Keith Urban (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW)
The following is a press release from the Academy of Country Music and CBS:
March 23, 2020 UPDATE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards show has been rescheduled and will now take place on September 16, 2020.
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The Academy of Country Music announced today the nominations for the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards, Country Music’s Party of the Year, honoring the biggest names and emerging talent in the Country Music industry. Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award-winner Keith Urban will host the show for the first time. The 55th ACM Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 5, 2020 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on-demand across digital platforms on the CBS All Access subscription service.
Nominees were revealed online via the ACM Awards Nominations Digital Press Conference held this morning. Urban along with ACM Award-winning artist Lauren Alaina, this year’s ACM Radio Award National On-Air Personality of the Year winner Bobby Bones, Entertainment Tonight’s Cassie DiLaura and Kevin Frazier, CBS This Morning’s Gayle King and reigning ACM New Female Artist of the Year Ashley McBryde all announced select categories via video postings to the Academy’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. It was also announced today Lauren Alaina will be participating in this year’s telecast as the official Backstage Announcer for the 55th ACM Awards.
Maren Morris earned five nominations in four categories, including her fourth Female Artist of the Year nomination and first Group of the Year nomination as a member of The Highwomen. She is also nominated in the Album of the Year category twice, as both artist and producer, for GIRL. Additionally, Morris is nominated for Music Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” with Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King.
Reigning Male Artist of the Year Thomas Rhett received five nominations in four categories, including his first-ever Entertainer of the Year nomination. Rhett is also nominated twice, as both artist and producer, for his album Center Point Road in the Album of the Year category. Additionally, he received his first Video of the Year nomination for “Remember You Young,” and his fourth Male Artist of the Year nomination.
Producer Dann Huff received five nominations, including a nod for Album of the Year with Thomas Rhett as a producer for Center Point Road. He is also nominated for Music Event of the Year as a producer for “What Happens in a Small Town” with Brantley Gilbert and Lindsay Ell, and Single of the Year as a producer for “What If I Never Get Over You” with Lady Antebellum. Huff also received two nominations across the Studio Recording Award categories, including Guitar Player of the Year and Producer of the Year, an award he won previously in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
Reigning Duo of the Year Dan + Shay earned four nominations, including their seventh nod for Duo of the Year. They received nominations in the Video of the Year, Music Event of the Year, and Song of the Year categories for “10,000 Hours.” Shay Mooney received his first individual nomination as a songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “10,000 Hours.” Additionally, Dan Smyers received two individual nominations as a songwriter in the Song of the Year category and as a producer in the Music Event of the Year category for “10,000 Hours.”
First-time Academy of Country Music Award nominee Justin Bieber earned four nominations for “10,000 Hours” (featuring Dan + Shay). Bieber is nominated for Music Event of the Year, Video of the Year, and twice, as both artist and songwriter, for Song of the Year.
Blake Shelton received four nominations, including Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “God’s Country.” He is also nominated for Music Event of the Year for “Dive Bar” with Garth Brooks; Shelton previously won in this category in 2009 for “Hillbilly Bone.”
Reigning Group of the Year Old Dominion earned four nominations, including their fifth nod for Group of the Year. They are also nominated for Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year for “One Man Band.” Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen and Brad Tursi each received individual nominations as songwriters in the Song of the Year category for “One Man Band.”
Eric Church received three nominations, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. Church was also nominated as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “Some of It” – marking his eighth and ninth nominations in the category.
Reigning New Male Artist of the Year Luke Combs received three nominations including Male Artist of the Year and his first nomination for Entertainer of the Year. He also received his first nomination for Album of the Year for What You See Is What You Get.
Miranda Lambert received three nominations including Female Artist of the Year, which she has won nine times, more than any other female in the history of the ACM Awards. Lambert was also nominated for Album of the Year for Wildcard and received a nomination for Music Event of the Year for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack and Elle King.
Reigning New Female Artist of the Year Ashley McBryde received three nominations. She received two nominations in the Song of the Year category as both artist and songwriter for “Girl Goin’ Nowhere,” her first in the category. Also, she received her first nomination for Music Event of the Year for her contribution to Miranda Lambert’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love.”
Reigning Female Artist of the Year Kacey Musgraves earned three nominations including her seventh nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she received her first Single of the Year nomination as both artist and producer for “Rainbow.”
ACM Award-winning producer busbee is posthumously nominated for two awards, including his third nod for Album of the Year with Maren Morris as a producer for GIRL. Also, he is nominated for Producer of the Year, his third nomination in this category.
This year’s nominations list includes 25 artists and industry creators receiving their first-ever ACM Awards nomination. The first-time nominees include Mason Allen, Ingrid Andress, Dan Atchison, Gabby Barrett, Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jeremy Bussey, Clint Daniels, Carlo Glorioso, Riley Green, Caylee Hammack, Michael Hardy, The Highwomen, Cody Johnson, Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos, Lil Nas X, Angie Lorenz, Sophie Muller, Michael Trent Reznor, Matthew Atticus Ross, Jordan Schmidt, Tenille Townes, Morgan Wallen and YoungKio.
Additionally, women are represented in every Main Award category where they are eligible including Entertainer of the Year (Carrie Underwood) and Album of the Year (Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert).
“As if having a new song out today wasn’t enough, I also get to host the ACM Awards in April,” said Urban. “I’ll tell you – this year already feels like the most creative and energized year of my life… and there’s so much more to come. Incredibly grateful – and ready to roll!”
“We are thrilled to have our reigning Entertainer of the Year as the centerpiece of our 55th ACM Awards ceremony. Keith epitomizes greatness in our industry, is beloved by fans and fellow artists, and I can’t think of a better representative to be the face of our Awards show and to help usher in a new era at the Academy,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.
“Keith Urban is the perfect choice to host the Academy of Country Music Awards,” said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music & Live Events, CBS. “He’s an incredible musician, a respected and revered member of the Country Music community and the music community worldwide, and our viewers love him. We’re thrilled to have him lead Country Music’s Party of the Year.”
Following is the full list of nominees for the Main Awards, Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards categories. The Industry Awards and Studio Recording Awards will be presented to recipients at ACM Honors, a special event held annually in August at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
MAIN AWARDS
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Carrie Underwood
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Dierks Bentley
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
DUO OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
The Highwomen
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Lindsay Ell
Caylee Hammack
Tenille Townes
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Jordan Davis
Russell Dickerson
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Morgan Wallen
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Thomas Rhett, The Stereotypes, Cleve Wilson
Record Label: The Valory Music Co.
Girl – Maren Morris
Producers: busbee, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris
Record Label: Columbia Nashville
Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi
Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs
Producer: Scott Moffatt
Record Label: River House Artists/Columbia Nashville
Wildcard – Miranda Lambert
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Producer: Scott Hendricks
Record Label: Warner Bros. (Nashville)
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Producer: Shane McAnally
Record Label: RCA Records Nashville
Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian
Record Label: MCA Nashville
Rumor – Lee Brice
Producers: Lee Brice, Dan Frizsell, Kyle Jacobs, Jon Stone
Record Label: Curb Records
What If I Never Get Over You – Lady Antebellum
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Label: BMLG Records
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Songwriters: Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Shay Mooney Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI), Big Machine Music (BMI) / Buckeye 26 (ASCAP), Jreynmusic (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Bieber Time Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music (ASCAP) / Poo B Z Inc. (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP).
Girl Goin’ Nowhere – Ashley McBryde
Songwriters: Jeremy Bussey, Ashley McBryde
Publishers: Songs of Song Factory (BMI) / Universal Tunes (SESAC).
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Songwriters: Devin Dawson, Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt
Publishers: Relative Music Group (BMI), Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing (BMI) / WB Music Corp. / Georgia Song Vibez / We-volve Music (ASCAP) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Neon Cross Music (BMI).
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi
Publishers: WB Music Corp/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing. Rezsongs/Reehits World/Smacktown Music, a division of Smack Blue, LLC/Unfair Entertainment (ASCAP) adm. by Me Gusta Music. We’re Really Doin’ It Publishing (ASCAP) adm by Words & Music. Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing.
Some of It – Eric Church
Songwriters: Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Bobby Pinson
Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music, admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music/Little Louder Songs, admin. by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music/Not A Track Guy Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights (BMI).
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Director: Patrick Tracy
Producer: Christen Pinkston
God’s Country – Blake Shelton
Director: Sophie Muller
Producers: Jamie Amos, Patrick Kennedy
One Man Band – Old Dominion
Director: Mason Allen
Producer: Mason Allen
Remember You Young – Thomas Rhett
Director: TK McKamy
Producer: Dan Atchison
Sugar Coat – Little Big Town
Directors: Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos
Producers: Wes Edwards, Carlo Glorioso, Angie Lorenz
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR *(Off Camera Award)
Ashley Gorley
Michael Hardy
Hillary Lindsey
Shane McAnally
Josh Osborne
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber
Producers: Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
Dive Bar – Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton
Producers: Garth Brooks
Record Label: Pearl Records, Inc.
Fooled Around and Fell in Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King
Producer: Jay Joyce
Record Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
Producers: Michael Trent Reznor, Atticus Matthew Ross, YoungKio
Record Label: Columbia Records
What Happens in a Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell
Producer: Dann Huff
Record Label: The Valory Music Co.
INDUSTRY AWARDS
CASINO OF THE YEAR – THEATER
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, NV
The Joint: Tulsa – Tulsa, OK
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Mt. Pleasant, MI
The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino – Las Vegas, NV
WinStar Global Event Center – Thackerville, OK
CASINO OF THE YEAR – ARENA
Mark G. Etess Arena – Atlantic City, NJ
MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
Sandia Amphitheater – Albuquerque, NM
Stir Concert Cove – Council Bluffs, IA
T Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, NV
FAIR/RODEO OF THE YEAR
California Mid-State Fair – Paso Robles, CA
Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, WY
Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo – Houston, TX
Minnesota State Fair – St. Paul, MN
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo – San Antonio, TX
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Boots and Hearts Music Festival – Oro-Medonte, OR
Stagecoach – Indio, CA
Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Watershed Festival – George, WA
Windy City Smokeout – Chicago, IL
CLUB OF THE YEAR
Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX
Coyote Joe’s – Charlotte, NC
Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
Joe’s Live – Rosemont, IL
Losers Bar & Grill – Nashville, TN
THEATER OF THE YEAR
The Beacon Theatre – New York, NY
The Chicago Theatre – Chicago, IL
DeJoria Center – Salt Lake City, UT
Rialto Square Theatre – Joliet, IL
Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL
OUTDOOR VENUE OF THE YEAR
Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion – Gilford, NH
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
Innsbrook After Hours – Glen Allen, VA
Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
Rose Music Center – Huber Heights, OH
The Wharf at Orange Beach – Orange Beach, AL
ARENA OF THE YEAR
Infinite Energy Center – Duluth, GA
Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA
Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI
VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena – Jacksonville, FL
DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR
Clay Campbell – Triangle Talent
Gary Osier – Gary Osier Presents
Gil Cunningham – Neste Live!
Kell Houston – Houston Productions
Nina Rojas – Neste Live!
Todd Boltin – Variety Attractions
PROMOTER OF THE YEAR
Adam Weiser – AEG Presents
Brian O’Connell – Live Nation
Jered Johnson – Pepper Productions
Stacy Vee – Messina Touring Group
Troy Vollhoffer – Premier Global Production
STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS
BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Eli Beaird
Mike Brignardello
Tim Marks
Michael Rhodes
Jimmie Lee Sloas
DRUMMER OF THE YEAR
Fred Eltringham
Miles McPherson
Greg Morrow
Jerry Roe
Nir Zidkyahu
GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tom Bukovac
Dann Huff
Rob McNelley
Adam Shoenfeld
Ilya Toshinskiy
PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
David Dorn
Tony Harrell
Charlie Judge
Tim Lauer
Gordon Mote
Mike Rojas
SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stuart Duncan
Jenee Fleenor
Jim Hoke
Danny Rader
Joe Spivey
Charlie Worsham
STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dan Dugamore
Paul Franklin
Josh Grange
Russ Pahl
Justin Schipper
AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR
Chuck Ainlay
Jeff Balding
Tony Castle
Julian King
Steve Marcantonio
Justin Niebank
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
busbee
Buddy Cannon
Dann Huff
Michael Knox
Joey Moi
NATIONAL ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Blair Garner, “Off Eric” Garner
The Blair Garner Show
Bobby Bones, Amy, Lunchbox, Eddie, Morgan, Ray
The Bobby Bones Show
Charlie Chase, Lorianne Crook
The Crook & Chase Countdown
Buzz Brainard
The Music Row Happy Hour
Storme Warren, Mary Carlisle Callahan, Thomas Massad
The Storme Warren Show
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MAJOR MARKET
Bud and Broadway
WIL-FM – St. Louis, MO
Kelly Ford in the Morning – Kelly Ford
WNSH-FM – New York, NY
Mason & Remy
WIL-FM – St. Louis, MO
The Morning Wolfpack with Matt McAllister
– Matt McAllister, Emily Raines, Slow Joe Wallace
KKWF-FM – Seattle, WA
The Rob and Holly Show
– Rob Stone, Holly Hutton
WYCD-FM – Detroit, MI
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET
Lexi and Banks
KUBL-FM – Salt Lake City, UT
Marty McFly
WSM-FM – Nashville, TN
Q Morning Crew with Mike and Janie
WQDR-FM – Raleigh, NC
Robyn & Roger in the Morning
CKRY-FM – Calgary, AB
The Big Dave Show – Big Dave, Chelsie, Statt, Ashley
WUBE-FM – Cincinnati, OH ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM MARKET
Brent Michaels
KUZZ-AM/FM – Bakersfield, CA
Clay & Company
WYRK-FM – Buffalo, NY
Kenn McCloud
KUZZ-AM/FM – Bakersfield, CA
Steve & Gina in the Morning
– Steve Lundy, Gina Melton
KXKT-FM – Omaha, NE
The Cowboy Kyle Show – Cowboy Kyle
WUSY-FM – Chattanooga, TN
ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – SMALL MARKET
Adam & Jen in the Morning
KIOK-FM – Kennewick, WA
Ben & Arnie – Ben Butler, Arnie Andrews
WCOW-FM – Sparta, WI
Big Rick In The Morning – “Big” Rick Daniels
WGGC-FM – Bowling Green, KY
Scotty & Catryna in the Morning
– Scotty Cox, Catryna Craw
KCLR-FM – Columbia, MO
Steve & Jessica – Steve Waters, Jessica Cash
WFLS-FM – Fredericksburg, VA
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – MAJOR MARKET
KAJA-FM – San Antonio, TX
KFRG-FM – San Bernardino, CA
KILT-FM – Houston, TX
WNSH-FM – New York, NY
WSOC-FM – Charlotte, NC
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – LARGE MARKET
CKRY-FM – Calgary, AB
WDSY-FM – Pittsburgh, PA
WIRK-FM – West Palm Beach, FL
WMIL-FM – Milwaukee, WI
WUBE-FM – Cincinnati, OH
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – MEDIUM MARKET
KATM-FM – Stockton, CA
KUZZ-AM/FM – Bakersfield, CA
KXKT-FM – Omaha, NE
WQMX-FM – Akron, OH
WUSY-FM – Chattanooga, TN
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR – SMALL MARKET
KKNU-FM – Eugene, OR
KTHK-FM – Idaho Falls, ID
WBYT-FM – South Bend, IN
WPAP-FM – Panama City, FL
WYCT-FM – Pensacola, FL
IMPORTANT NOTE: Awards counts for artists reflect categories in which they have been recognized as individuals or as part of their duo or group. In some cases, an artist may receive more than one nomination, which factors into their official count.
Award recipients in each category are noted above parenthetically in the Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year and Music Event of the Year.
The 55th ACM Awards will feature exciting performances, unprecedented collaborations, surprising moments and more to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for the 55th ACM Awards are available for purchase now at ACMawards.com. The media credential application to apply to cover the Awards in Las Vegas is available at www.ACMcountry.com/press.
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 at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
About the Academy of Country Music Awards™
The 55th 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 5, 2020 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream live and on-demand across digital platforms on the CBS All Access subscription service. R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Amy Thurlow are executive producers. Damon Whiteside is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.
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March 23, 2020 UPDATE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards show has been rescheduled and will now take place on September 16, 2020. The show will still take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Watching a New Year’s Eve special on TV is a tradition for millions of people around the world. Here’s what is planned for the four biggest New Year’s TV specials in the United States:
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2020
Ryan Seacrest (Photo by Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC)
Celebrating its 48th year, “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” (which is produced by Dick Clark Productions and airs in the U.S. on ABC) is still the most high-profile televised New Year’s Eve event. Post Malone, who performed on the show last year, is headlining the show this year from New York City’s Times Square. Ryan Seacrest will once again host the show, which begins airing from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, followed by 11:30 p.m. to 2:13 a.m. ET. Former “Pretty Little Liars” star Lucy Hale, who previously hosted the show’s Central Time Zone segments from New Orleans, replaces Jenny McCarthy to provide on-site reporting in Times Square. McCarthy quit the show because she said she wants to celebrate New Year’s Eve with her family. Other performers in Times Square this year include BTS, Sam Hunt and Alanis Morrissette.
Additionally, country artist Jessie James Decker will reveal the first Powerball millionaire of the year during this year’s live broadcast. She will provide live updates from the First Powerball Millionaire of the Year party throughout ABC’s live telecast and the big reveal announcing the winner will air just after midnight on January 1, 2020.
Ciara will once again host the Los Angeles segments of the show that will feature performances that were mostly previously recorded. Artists in the show’s Los Angeles segments will include Paula Abdul, Kelsea Ballerini, Blanco Brown, Dan + Shay, Green Day, Dua Lipa, Ava Max, Megan Thee Stallion, Anthony Ramos, Salt-N-Pepa and SHAED.
Meanwhile, Billy Porter will host the show’s third annual Central Time Zone celebration from New Orleans, where Sheryl Crow and Usher will perform. The show has added a segment from Miami, where Jonas Brothers will perform.
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2020” is produced by Dick Clark Productions with Ryan Seacrest, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco serving as executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.
Fox’s New Year’s Eve With Steve Harvey: Live From Times Square
Steve Harvey (Photo courtesy of Fox)
After televising its New Year’s Eve show (hosted by Pitbull) in Miami from 2014 to 2016, Fox changed locations and hosts in 2017, with the show now taking place at New York City’s Times Square with comedian/talk-show host Steve Harvey and former E! News personality Maria Menounous. This year, three-time Super Bowl Champion and Fox Sports NFL analyst Rob Gronkowski joins Harvey and Menounous to co-host the show, which airs on Fox from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. ET live; CT/MT/PT tape-delayed. Performers will include headliner LL Cool J with DJ Z-Trip, The Chainsmokers, The Lumineers, Florida Georgia Line, the Backstreet Boys, Lauren Alaina, Tyga and The Killers. Select musical performances will be broadcast in collaboration with iHeartRadio. Additionally, the special will include celebrity cameo appearances by Gordon Ramsay, Will Arnett and Jenna Dewan, plus an exclusive WWE match featuring Roman Reigns. “Fox’s New Year’s Eve With Steve Harvey: Live From Times Square” is produced by Endeavor Content’s Film 45 and Done + Dusted. Guy Carrington, Katy Mullan, Michael Antinoro and David Chamberlin serve as executive producers.
NBC’s New Year’s Eve
(Photo courtesy of NBCUniversal)
Stars from NBC’s “The Voice” are all over “NBC’s New Year’s Eve” special, which begins airing at 10 p.m. ET from New York City’s Times Square. Not only is “The Voice” host Carson Daly hosting the New Year’s Eve show (with Julianne Hough and correspondent Stephen “tWitch” Boss), but “The Voice” coaches Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are also performing on the special. Other performers include Hough, X Ambassadors, Brett Eldredge, Ne-Yo, Leslie Odom Jr. and The Struts. Keith Urban will once again perform at Jack Daniel’s Music City Midnight: New Year’s Eve in Nashville, taking place near the Tennessee State Capitol at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. “NBC Nightly News” and “Dateline NBC” anchor Lester Holt will also appear on stage before the iconic ball drop. “NBC’s New Year’s Eve” will be televised from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, followed by the New Year’s countdown segment 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. ET. “NBC’s New Year’s Eve” is executive produced by Daly and John Irwin through NBCUniversal Television Studio and Irwin Entertainment. It is co-executive produced by Casey Spira and directed by Alan Carter.
Before “NBC’s New Year’s Eve,” the network will air the special “A Toast to 2019!” from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Hosted by Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, the special will highlight the year’s biggest pop culture moments and trends. Celebrities interviewed for the show include Lauren Ash, Kristen Bell, Andrea Canning, Chris D’Elia, Dylan Dreyer, Ryan Eggold, Ben Feldman, Akbar Gbajabiamila, Willie Geist, Brad Goreski, Tony Hale, NBC’s Holt, Matt Iseman, Sheinelle Jones, Carson Kressley, Loni Love, Howie Mandel, Josh Mankiewicz, Craig Melvin, Natalie Morales, Brent Morin, Keith Morrison, Dennis Murphy, Patton Oswalt, Al Roker, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Ashley Tisdale, Johnny Weir and many more.
New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen
Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen (Photo courtesy of CNN)
For the third year in a row, longtime friends Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will co-host CNN’s New Year’s Eve celebration, which begins at 8 p.m. ET. CNN’s 12th annual New Year’s Eve Show, which is telecast live from New York City’s Times Square. Performers on New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen will include Christina Aguilera, Lenny Kravitz, Shania Twain, Patti LaBelle, Keith Urban, 50 Cent, The Chainsmokers, and comedian/actress Dulcé Sloan. The show will also feature CNN’s Stephanie Elam, Randi Kaye, Richard Quest, Bill Weir and Gary Tuchman with daughter Lindsay at locations across America, including the Brady Bunch House and Key West. Then at 12:30am ET, CNN’s Brooke Baldwin and Don Lemon will do a New Year’s countdown from the Central Time Zone, live from Nashville for the Music City Midnight Celebration. In previous years, CNN’s Central Time Zone countdown took place in New Orleans.
In 2017, Cohen replaced Kathy Griffin, who was notoriously fired from the show in May of that year for publicly posting a photo of herself holding up a fake bloody head of President Donald Trump. Griffin and Cooper had co-hosted CNN’s New Year’s Eve Show since 2007, but the Cooper/Cohen duo brought in the show’s highest ratings so far. Cooper and Cohen have an established rapport, since they have done numerous speaking engagements together. The CNN live stream will be available on CNN.com and across mobile devices via CNN’s apps for iOS and Android. It can also be viewed on CNNgo. Leading up to “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen” will be the CNN one-hour special “All the Best, All the Worst 2019,” beginning at 7 p.m. ET and hosted by Tom Foreman, covering the highlights and lowlights of the past year.
Carrie Underwood emerged as the night’s biggest winner with two trophies at tonight’s “2019 CMT Music Awards,” continuing her streak as the most awarded artist in CMT history. Winning two awards tonight for “Female Video” for “Love Wins” and “Video of the Year” for “Cry Pretty,” her overall CMT Music Awards tally now consists of 20 career wins.
Tonight’s first-time winners include Ashley McBryde and Julia Michaels, and Luke Combs and Leon Bridges. Fan favorites Dan + Shay, Kane Brown, Keith Urban and Zac Brown Band were also winners.
The evening was filled with spectacular performances both inside and outside the Bridgestone Arena, kicking off indoors with a rousing performance of “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time” from Thomas Rhett featuring show host Little Big Town and Trombone Shorty, followed by Kane Brown’s “Short Skirt Weather,” live from the outdoor stage on Broadway.
The night was full of several exciting collaborations, including ones focusing on powerful female voices: Brandi Carlile and the legendary Tanya Tucker sang Tucker’s classic hit, “Delta Dawn,” with vocal backing provided by an all-star group of female artists that included Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Deana Carter, Carly Pearce, Lauren Alaina and RaeLynn. Maren Morris performed her newest song, “Shade,” and was joined onstage by icon Sheryl Crow, singing their collaboration “Prove You Wrong” off of Crow’s upcoming album.
The collaborations continued with R&B phenoms Boyz II Men and Brett Young who performed “Here Tonight” and “Water Runs Dry.” Toby Keith took to the outdoor stage to sing his single, “That’s Country Bro,” and brought down the house when Cole Swindell joined him on stage for his hit, “Beer For My Horses.”
Superstar group Little Big Town returned to their hosting duties for a second time this year, and performed their moving song, “The Daughters,” and Keith Urban performed his newest single, “We Were,” for the first time on television. The outdoor performances continued with Dan + Shay’s “All to Myself,” and Carrie Underwood had the outdoor crowd dancing with a dazzling performance of “Southbound,” live from the Parthenon in Centennial Park.
Nashville’s biggest party also featured show-stopping performances by Kelsea Ballerini, “Miss Me More,” Luke Bryan, “Knockin’ Boots,” Luke Combs, “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” and Zac Brown Band, “Someone I Used to Know.”
CMT’s Ram Trucks Side Stage featured performances by new artists Jordan Davis, Tenille Townes, Jimmie Allen, Runaway June, Morgan Wallen and Mitchell Tenpenny.
As part of this year’s “CMT Music Awards,” CMT and Save the Music committed to gifting a new band program to a deserving public school. Tonight it was announced that “Breakthrough Video of the Year” winner Ashley McBryde selected the city of New Orleans and KIPP East Community Program to be the recipients of this gift. Serving over 600 students whose entire population receives free or reduced lunches, KIPP East Community program will now be able to add a second full time music teacher and implement a full-fledged band program.
The Save The Music organization restores music education programs in public schools across the country by making grants of new band or string musical instruments, music stands and method books, and program services including professional development workshops, to K-8 public schools.
Here is the complete list of winners and nominees for the 2019 CMT Music Awards:
*=winner
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.
● 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 talentLittle Big Town served 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.
Miranda Lambert in Cosmopolitan’s August 2017 issue (Photo by Ben Watts)
Maren Morris at the iHeart Radio Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on March 14, 2019. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Fox/PictureGroup)
Brothers Osborne at the 51st Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, on Nov. 8, 2017. (Photo courtesy of ABC/Image Group LA)
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.
● 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 talentLittle 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 onTwitter andInstagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards onFacebook.
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.
Kacey Musgraves at the 54th Annual ACM Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 7, 2019. (Photo courtesy of CBS)
The following is a press release from Dick Clark Productions and CBS:
Winners have been announced for the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards, which aired live on April 7, 2019, hosted by iconic entertainer and 16-time ACM Award® winner, Reba McEntire, on the CBS Television Network from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The ACM Awards named Keith Urban as Entertainer of the Year, his first win in the category and the evening’s biggest honor. With this win, he will receive the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award, as he previously received awards for New Male Vocalist of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.
Dan + Shay won Duo of the Year as well as Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “Tequila.” In addition to the wins as an artist, Dan Smyers received two individual wins as a producer in the Single of the Year category and songwriter in the Song of the Year category.
Kacey Musgraves won Female Artist of the Year for the first time. She also won Album of the Year as both artist and producer, for Golden Hour. Musgraves previously won in the Album of the Year category in 2013 for Same Trailer Different Park. Thomas Rhett won Male Vocalist of the Year for the second time. He first won the award at the 52nd ACM Awards in 2017.
During the telecast, former ACM Artist of the Decade Award honoree George Strait presented Jason Aldean with the ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award. In celebration of the honor, Aldean performed a medley of his hits including “Lights Come On,” “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson and “Dirt Road Anthem.”
Old Dominion won Group of the Year Award for the second consecutive year. During the ACM Awards red carpet, Songwriter of the Year winner Shane McAnally surprised Old Dominion on the red carpet at the PEOPLE Digital Red Carpet Pre-Show with the news of their win. Earlier in the day it was also announced Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne won Music Event of the Year for “Burning Man,” and Chris Janson won ACM Video of the Year” for “Drunk Girl.” McEntire surprised Janson with the news backstage before the show.
Luke Combs, LANCO and Ashley McBryde were also previously announced winners of the New Male Artist of the Year, New Group of the Year and New Female Artist of the Year, respectively and each performed on the show. The winners received a surprise phone call from host Carrie Underwoodlast month notifying them of the news.
Shane McAnally was announced as the winner of this year’s ACM Songwriter of the Year Award on Friday at the ACM Stories, Songs & Stars: A Songwriter’s Event Benefitting ACM Lifting Lives, which was presented to him by the event’s hosts Hillary Scott and Storme Warren, alongside reigning ACM Songwriter of the Year winner, Rhett Akins.
Country Music’s Party of the Year featured an all-star lineup of collaborations and memorable performances. The awards telecast once again featured “ACM Flashbacks” with 29-time ACM Award-winning duo Brooks & Dunn performing “Brand New Man” with Luke Combs, and the King of Country Music and 24-time ACM Award winner George Strait performing “Run” with Miranda Lambert. In addition, Lambert, the most-awarded artist in ACM Awards history with 32 wins, performed a flashback medley of her greatest hits.
Chrissy Metz, star of the upcoming movie “Breakthrough,” made her live television performance debut at the ACM Awards and was joined on stage by Lauren Alaina, Mickey Guyton, Maddie & Tae and Carrie Underwood for a special rendition of the song “I’m Standing With You” from the film’s soundtrack. The powerful performance spotlighted ACM Lifting Lives®, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.
The awards telecast also featured solo performances by Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, Old Dominion, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Additional highlights included collaborations by Dierks Bentley & Brandi Carlile performing “Travelin’ Light,” Kane Brown and Khalid performing “Good as You” & “Saturday Nights,” Eric Church & Ashley McBryde performing “The Snake,” Dan + Shay & Kelly Clarkson performing “Keeping Score,” Florida Georgia Line & Jason Aldean performing “Can’t Hide Red” and Maren Morris & Brothers Osborne performing “All My Favorite People.”
Here is the complete list of winners and nominees for the 2019 ACM Awards:
*=winner
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• Jason Aldean
• Luke Bryan
• Kenny Chesney
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban*
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Dierks Bentley
• Luke Combs
• Thomas Rhett*
• Chris Stapleton
• Keith Urban
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Miranda Lambert
• Ashley McBryde
• Maren Morris
• Kacey Musgraves*
• Carrie Underwood
DUO OF THE YEAR
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan + Shay*
• Florida Georgia Line
• LOCASH
• Maddie & Tae
GROUP OF THE YEAR
• Lady Antebellum
• LANCO
• Little Big Town
• Midland
• Old Dominion*
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Danielle Bradbery
• Lindsay Ell
• Ashley McBryde*
• Carly Pearce
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Jimmie Allen
• Luke Combs*
• Jordan Davis
• Michael Ray
• Mitchell Tenpenny
NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
• High Valley
• LANCO*
• Runaway June
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR (Off-Camera Award)
• Ross Copperman
• Ashley Gorley
• Shane McAnally*
• Chase McGill
• Josh Osborne
ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
“Dan + Shay” – Dan + Shay
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers / Matt Dragstrem
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
“Desperate Man” – Eric Church
Producers: Jay Joyce / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: EMI Records Nashville
“From a Room: Volume 2” – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb / Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Nashville
“Golden Hour” – Kacey Musgraves*
Producers: Ian Fitchuk / Daniel Tashian / Kacey Musgraves
Record Label: MCA Nashville
“The Mountain” – Dierks Bentley
Producers: Ross Copperman / Jon Randall Stewart / Arturo Buenahora Jr.
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
“Down to the Honky Tonk” – Jake Owen
Producer: Joey Moi
Record Label: Big Loud Records
“Heaven” – Kane Brown
Producer: Dann Huff / Polow Da Don
Record Label: RCA Nashville
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Producer: Wilshire for Rock The Soul Ent
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
“Most People Are Good” – Luke Bryan
Producers: Jeff Stevens / Jody Stevens
Record Label: Capitol Records Nashville
“Tequila”– Dan + Shay*
Producers: Scott Hendricks / Dan Smyers
Record Label: Warner Music Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
“Break Up in the End”– Cole Swindell
Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon / Chase McGill / Jon Nite
Publishers: EMI April Music Inc. / Nite Writer Music (ASCAP) / Songs of Universal, Inc. / Plum Nelly (BMI) / Big Music Machine (BMI)/ Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI)
“Broken Halos” – Chris Stapleton
Writers: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
Publishers: WB Music Corp./House of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights/Spirit Catalog Holdings, S.a.r.l. admin. by Spirit Two Nashville (ASCAP); Straight Six Music (BMI)
“Meant to Be” – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Writers: David Garcia, Tyler Hubbard, Joshua Miller, Bebe Rexha
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kiss Me If You Can Music (BMI) (all rights administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC) Big Loud Mountain (BMI) and T Hubb Publishing (BMI). All Rights Administered by Round Hill Works. Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. on behalf of itself and Songs of the Corn and Jack 10 Publishing. Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (ASCAP) D Soul Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
“Space Cowboy” – Kacey Musgraves
Writers: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves
Publishers: Smack Hits/Smack Songs, admin bvy Kobalt Music Group ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative NBaSmack Hits/Smack Songs, LLC, admin. by Kobalt Music Group Ltd. (GMR); Universal Music Works/We Are Creative Nation/Jake and Mack Music, admin. by Universal Music Works; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./351 Music (BMI).
“Tequila”– Dan + Shay*
Writers: Nicolle Galyon / Jordan Reynolds / Dan Smyers
Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP), A Girl Named Charlie (BMI) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Buckeye26 (ASCAP) / Jreynmusic (ASCAP)
“Yours” – Russell Dickerson
Writers: Casey Brown / Russell Dickerson / Parker Welling
Publishers: BMG Platinum Songs/Kailey’s Dream / So Essential Tunes / Not Just Another Song Publishing / Hillbilly Science and Research Publishing/Trailerlily Music
VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
