Tonight marks the annual CMT Music Awards on CBS and YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, fuboTV, and Hulu + Live TV are also offering streaming.
Lainey Wilson will win Entertainer of the Year at this year’s Country Music Association awards. Only recently she earned New Female Artist of the Year status and continues to break barriers for country music women in an impressive manner.
CMT Awards
The CMT Music Awards is an annual fan-voted four-category music award show hosted by country stars. Broadcasted live on CBS and streamed live via Paramount+, these fan-voted awards began their inaugural show back in 1967 and remain one of the longest running musical programs on network TV today – often called MTV of country music for their emphasis on videos as well as songs. As with the CMAs, but without as many serious performers.
Over the years, numerous iconic country stars have won multiple CMT Awards – such as The Judds, Taylor Swift, Dwight Yoakam and Jennifer Nettles. Some memorable moments of these shows included heartwarming acceptance speeches and breathtaking musical performances; there was some questionable behavior at its beginnings but that now seems to have subsided.
Kelsea Ballerini hosted the 2024 CMT Music Awards, bringing out many of country music’s biggest names as performers, such as Melissa Etheridge for a duet of “Come to My Window”. Trisha Yearwood won the inaugural June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award and performed during this event; other performers included Sam Hunt, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson Megan Moroney Brittney Spencer Parker McCollum Old Dominion among many more.
Though not as high-profile as the CMAs, CMTs remain an integral part of country music culture and offer fans a special glimpse into genre culture as well as seeing some of their favorite artists perform in new light. Furthermore, viewers get to watch some of their favorites compete head to head against each other during musical battles on this show.
The CMT Awards share many similarities with MTV Video Music Awards, but with less pyrotechnics (for safety purposes). Shows usually take place in a large arena or theater and feature multiple performances by various artists as well as comedic skits that keep audiences laughing throughout the night.
ACM Awards
The Academy of Country Music Awards, which celebrates both top stars and up-and-comers in country music, will return with an incredible lineup in Frisco, Texas at Ford Center at The Star on Thursday May 16. This 59th annual event will include 18 performances as well as exciting collaborations – hosted by Reba McEntire for over 17 years now – that are set to make this show memorable.
This year’s ACMs will feature performances by popular artists Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and Lainey Wilson as well as an ACM Milestone Award tribute for legendary country artist Dolly Parton, set to receive this honor at this year’s show. Additionally, an full rebroadcast of this year’s ACMs can be streamed globally starting Friday May 16 on Amazon Prime Video and Freevee app if Prime members subscribe globally.
Luke Combs leads this year’s nominations with eight, including entertainer of the year and male artist of the year honors. Morgan Wallen and Cody Johnson share second place with six nods each; country artist Jelly Roll has four, while Chris Stapleton and Jordan Davis each earned three nods.
On the Academy website you can view a complete list of nominees. Expected performers include Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett who are all up for entertainer of the year; newcomer Post Malone who will make his ACMs debut; pop singers Noah Kahan and Avril Lavigne; Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani are among them as well.
The ACMs will air live on CBS and streamed globally via Prime Video and Amazon Music channel on Twitch, offering audiences worldwide access to this year’s show from their television, phone, computer or tablet using ExpressVPN from abroad. Starting at 8 p.m. ET the show will stream free for Amazon Prime members globally at home or abroad – as well as limited time access via Amazon Freevee service for those not yet subscribers to Amazon Prime membership.
CMA Awards
The Country Music Awards is an annual ceremony that recognizes and rewards country artists and songwriters for their outstanding achievements in country music since 1967, airing live on ABC. Since its inaugural ceremony held at Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
The CMA Awards is an elegant event that recognizes and rewards excellence in country music. Aside from awarding entertainer of the year, there are multiple other categories honoring individual artists and groups; winners are determined by members of the Country Music Association–an industry trade body dedicated to furthering country music.
Usually, the CMA Awards are an enjoyable evening full of music and celebration. But like any live televised event, things can quickly go off track; from Charlie Rich protesting pop-country’s influence on country to Reba McEntire wearing her trademark red dress at one point during an awards show; there have been plenty of memorable moments at past CMA ceremonies that made headlines.
The 2017 CMAs were somewhat contentious, with hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood taking aim at political figures like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton with jokes that were mostly even-handed but proved uncomfortable for fans who expected an evening that celebrates country music instead.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the CMAs aren’t just about music – they also serve as an important public relations opportunity for country music. They serve as an introduction for those not part of country’s close-knit family to watch how its evolution has taken shape over time; Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow’s appearances at this year’s CMAs were an affirmation that country can encompass artists who began their careers elsewhere such as rock or punk music.
This year’s CMA Awards will take place on November 8 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and be hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, with counting down starting on November 5 at 7 pm ET. Lainey Wilson leads with nine nominations followed by Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson Jordan Davis and Ashley McBryde as other leading candidates.
PCCA Awards
On Sept. 28 at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House in Tennessee, NBC will present its inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards live from Little Big Town members have received multiple nominations including Blake Shelton, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini HARDY Luke Combs and Kane Brown among many more. Little Big Town members will host this inaugural awards show.
Contrary to CMT and ACM awards, which are decided upon solely through fan voting, the PCCAs are determined solely through fan votes. At their inaugural event dubbed as an award show “for fans by fans”, 12 awards will be handed out during an exciting night hosted by Peacock streaming platform and broadcasted live from Peacock itself. A highlight of this night will be Toby Keith receiving his Country Music Icon award with an emotional acceptance speech.
At its inaugural show, 2023’s Professional Country Music Artist Awards featured performances by some of the most acclaimed country artists of 2023. Categories included Social Country Star, Male and Female Artist of 2023, Group/Duo Artist, Song Artist and Album Artist; in addition to these main honors there were special distinctions for legends as well as newcomers alike.
At the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, some of country music’s biggest stars, such as Shelton and Morgan Wallen, walked away with awards including Social Country Star for Shelton while Wallen won People’s Artist 2023 for him. Additionally, Dan+Shay, HARDY and Lainey Wilson won.
This year’s PCCAs will be broadcast live on both NBC and Peacock, reaching an even wider audience with country music than ever before. These awards celebrate chart-topping musical performances, genre-bending collaborations, and legendary tributes that showcase what country music means to so many fans around the world. NBC hopes that with this unique event that celebrates country music’s most loyal followers.
NBC will offer exclusive behind-the-scenes content alongside its awards show. These will include All-Access Live, which gives an insider look into production of the awards show; and All-Access On Demand which includes full performances and various specials.