56th Academy of Country Music Awards | |
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Date | April 18, 2021 |
Location |
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Hosted by | |
Most awards | (2 each) |
Most nominations | (4 each) |
Television/radio coverage | |
Network | CBS |
Viewership | 6.28 million |
The 56th Academy of Country Music Awards were held on April 18, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast from various locations around Nashville. The evening was co-hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton. The ceremony involved no ticketed audience due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but featured a limited number of health care workers.
On March 11, 2021, CBS announced that the ceremony would be co-hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton. With her involvement, Guyton became the first African-American female, and second African-American overall, to host the ceremony, after Charley Pride, who co-hosted the ceremony in 1984. [1] The full list of performers were announced on April 5, 2021, which included a record four Black artists. [2]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show followed a similar format to the 55th ceremony, utilizing several locations and including a mix of live and pre-recorded performances. [3] [4] As with the 55th ceremony, presentations took place at the Grand Ole Opry House, Ryman Auditorium, and the Bluebird Café, while performances were also held at The Station Inn, Lower Broadway, and the Cumberland River. [5] Unlike the previous ceremony, a limited number of health care workers were also invited to attend the components of the ceremony at the Grand Ole Opry House and Ryman Auditorium, seated on the balconies (while the main floors were used to seat rotating groups of nominees). [4] [6]
On February 3, 2021, the ACM announced that Morgan Wallen would be ineligible to receive nominations or be involved with the ceremony, amid criticism of Wallen over a video that depicted him using a racial slur. The ACM stated that it "does not condone or support intolerance or behavior that doesn't align with our commitment and dedication to diversity and inclusion." [7]
Winners are shown in bold.
Entertainer of the Year | Album of the Year |
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Female Artist of the Year | Male Artist of the Year |
Group of the Year | Duo of the Year |
Single of the Year | Song of the Year |
| |
New Female Artist of the Year | New Male Artist of the Year |
Songwriter of the Year | Video of the Year |
Music Event of the Year | |
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On April 15, 2021, the ACMs announced the official setlist for the ceremony. [8] [9] Luke Bryan was originally scheduled to perform at the ceremony but had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. He was replaced by Lady A. [10]
On April 16, 2021, [11] the ACMs announced the presenters for the ceremony:
Presenters |
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Ingrid Andress |
Blanco Brown |
Amy Grant |
Leslie Jordan |
Martina McBride |
Dolly Parton |
Darius Rucker |
Clay Walker |
The ceremony was generally well received. Noted for its "efforts to add diversity to its ranks" said the Rolling Stone , "the broadcast hit nearly all the right notes". [12] The 56th ACM Awards gained 6.28 million viewers making it the lowest-rated and least watched ACM Awards to date, but still topping all of broadcast in the demo and drew larger audience than its network competitors combined. [13] [14]
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly live country-music radio broadcast from – and a several-nights-per-week performance held at – the Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment, it is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history. Dedicated to honoring country music and its history, the Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music as well as comedic performances and skits. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world and millions of radio and internet listeners.
The Academy of Country Music(ACM) was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Among the founders were Eddie Miller, Tommy Wiggins, and Mickey and Chris Christensen. They wanted to promote country music in the western 13 states with the support of artists based on the West Coast. Artists such as Johnny Bond, Glen Campbell, Merle Haggard, Roger Miller and others influenced them. A board of directors was formed to govern the academy in 1965.
The Country Music Association (CMA) is an American trade association with the stated aim of promoting and developing country music throughout the world. Founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee, it originally consisted of 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre. The CMA is best known for its annual Country Music Association Awards broadcast live on network television each fall.
WSM is a commercial AM radio station, located in Nashville, Tennessee. It broadcasts a country music format and is known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the world's longest running radio program. The station is owned Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. WSM currently operates out of the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, and visitors to the hotel may look into the studio 24 hours a day, provided the curtains are open, which they usually are.
Ryman Auditorium is a historic 2,362-seat live-performance venue located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in the downtown core of Nashville, Tennessee, United States. A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark, National Historic Landmark, and the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, it is one of the most influential and revered concert halls in the world. It is best known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. It is owned and operated by Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. Ryman Auditorium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was later designated as a National Historic Landmark on June 25, 2001, for its pivotal role in the popularization of country music. A storied stage for Rock & Roll artists for decades, the Ryman was named a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark in 2022.
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. is a hotel, resort, entertainment, and media company named after National Historic Landmark the Ryman Auditorium, built as a tabernacle by Captain Thomas G. Ryman in 1892 and later the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The hospitality group was founded by Edward Gaylord. Prior to its public ownership, it was previously a subsidiary of the Oklahoma City-based Oklahoma Publishing Company, which was formerly owned by the Gaylord family for 71 years until 2011. The OPUBCO company was once the longtime publisher of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Until 2012, the company was known as Gaylord Entertainment Company, and earlier as Gaylord Broadcasting Company. The company has operated as a real estate investment trust since October 1, 2012.
At the Ryman is a 1992 live album by Emmylou Harris and her then-newly formed acoustic backing band, The Nash Ramblers, recorded at the one-time home of the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Amanda Carol Barnett is an American country music singer.
Victoria Wenonah Banks is a Nashville-based Canadian singer and songwriter. Her self-produced debut CD When You Can Fly was released on the On Ramp/EMI Canada label in April 2009. The CD earned Banks a 2010 Canadian Indie Award nomination and six nominations at the 2009 Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs) including Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Single of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and Rising Star, making Banks the most nominated female artist of 2009. "The Wheel," the album's first single, reached the Top 20 on the Radio & Records Country Singles chart earning her a 2010 Canadian Radio Music Award nomination. Music videos for "The Wheel" and "When You Can Fly" received airplay on CMT Canada.
The Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACM Awards, were first held in 1966, honoring the industry's accomplishments during the previous year. It was the first country music awards program held by a major organization. The academy's signature "hat" trophy was first created in 1968. The awards were first televised in 1972 on ABC. In 1979, the academy joined with Dick Clark Productions to produce the show. Dick Clark and Al Schwartz served as producers while Gene Weed served as director. Under their guidance, the show moved to NBC in 1979, then to CBS in 1998, and Amazon Prime Video in 2022.
The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. After more than twenty years in Nashville, the awards ceremony is now held Austin, Texas, and is broadcast live on CBS, along with CMT and other Paramount Global networks. Voting takes place on CMT's website, CMT.com.
Candace Mycale "Mickey" Guyton is an American country music artist. Raised in Texas, Guyton was exposed to various types of music at a young age, and her material incorporates elements of contemporary country and R&B music. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2011 and signed a recording contract with Capitol Records Nashville. In 2015, the label released Guyton's debut extended play (EP), Unbreakable.
Circle Country, previously known as Circle, is a free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service owned by Circle Media, LLC, a joint venture of Ryman Hospitality Properties, a subsidiary of Opry Entertainment Group. The network's programming consists of country music oriented shows, and rural/blue collar themed material, featuring a mix of original and off-network shows.
The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards were held in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 16, 2020. Keith Urban was the host for the show. The event was originally planned to air on April 5 of the same year in Las Vegas, Nevada, but was postponed and relocated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"What Are You Gonna Tell Her?" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mickey Guyton, which was released on March 6, 2020, as the first single from her third EP Bridges and was subsequently included on her debut album Remember Her Name.
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in 2021.
Dolly & Carol in Nashville is a television special starring Dolly Parton and Carol Burnett that was shot at The Grand Ole Opry and broadcast on CBS on Valentine's Day in 1979. It was part of a promotional campaign for Parton's recent album, Heartbreaker.
The 55th Annual Country Music Association Awards were held on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The ceremony was hosted by CMA Award winner Luke Bryan.
The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards was held on March 7, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. The show was hosted by ACM award winner Dolly Parton. Parton was joined by co-hosts, Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett. The ceremony was streamed live on Amazon Prime Video. In the main awards categories Miranda Lambert, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, and Chris Young received the most nominations with four each.
The 2022 CMT Music Awards, the 56th edition of the awards ceremony, were held in Nashville, Tennessee on April 11, 2022, at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium and locations in and around Nashville, Tennessee. The ceremony was hosted by Kelsea Ballerini (virtually), Kane Brown, and Anthony Mackie. The ceremony marked the final appearance and public performance of the country music duo, The Judds, as Naomi Judd died on April 30.