What to know about the 2020 ACM Awards: Tim McGraw and Miranda Lambert to perform, how to watch, and more
Get Ready for PeopleTV Red Carpet Live: 55th Academy of Country Music Awards
The ACM Awards are almost here! PeopleTV's official pre-show will feature interviews with host Keith Urban and nominees and performers from backstage at the famous Grand Ole Opry!
This year's Academy of Country Music Awards are almost here, and to prepare, EW has rounded up all the must-know information about this year's show.
As with every other major event since the coronavirus pandemic started, the ACMs, which celebrate the biggest names and emerging talent in country music, will look a little different this year. However, like the VMAs, the awards ceremony is still set to be broadcast live.
From who is performing to how you can watch, here's everything you need to know so far about this year's ACM Awards.
When are the ACMs?
Originally scheduled for April, the ceremony was pushed back to September on account of the pandemic. The 55th ACM Awards will now be broadcast on Wednesday, Sept. 16 (live 8-11 p.m. ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network, and will be available to stream on-demand on CBS All Access.
Who's performing?
For the first time in the show’s history, the awards will be broadcasting from three different iconic Nashville venues: Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium, and The Bluebird Cafe. Artists at the Ryman include Kelsea Ballerini performing “Hole in the Bottle,” Gabby Barrett performing her No. 1 hit “I Hope,” Maren Morris performing “To Hell & Back,” Old Dominion performing a special medley of their No. 1 hits, and Thomas Rhett featuring Jon Pardi, performing their No. 1 hit “Beer Can’t Fix.” Previously announced performers Riley Green and Tenille Townes will also perform at the Ryman.
Artists at The Bluebird Cafe include Jimmie Allen performing his No.1 hit “Make Me Want To,” Luke Combs performing “Better Together,” Miranda Lambert featuring songwriters Natalie Hemby and Luke Dick performing the smash hit “Bluebird,” and Tim McGraw performing his recently released single “I Called Mama.”
Performers at the Grand Ole Opry House include Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Dan + Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Mickey Guyton, and Morgan Wallen.
The evening will also feature special performances from Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood, and Trisha Yearwood. Shelton and Stefani will be singing their latest single "Happy Anywhere." Underwood will honor trailblazing female Opry members by performing a medley of songs by Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton. Yearwood will deliver a special performance of “I’ll Carry You Home” for the In Memoriam. Additionally, Keith Urban and Pink will also sing their single "One Too Many," Taylor Swift will sing her song "Betty" off of her new album Folklore, and all of the Entertainer of the Year nominees will kick off the show with a medley performance of their greatest hits.
Bout to show up at your party @ACMawards 😺 pic.twitter.com/ekNJfv4hci
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) September 13, 2020
Who's presenting?
Also joining the telecast’s all-star lineup are presenters Lauren Alaina, Lily Aldridge, Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black, Bobby Bones, Cam, Darius Rucker, CeCe Winans, and Runaway June.
Who's hosting?
Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year and 15-time ACM Award-winner Keith Urban will be hosting this year's show.
Who's nominated?
Morris is this year's most-nominated female artist with four nods, including her fourth Female Artist of the Year nomination and one for Album of the Year. As the most nominated male artist this year, Rhett also garnered nominations in four categories, including his first Entertainer of the Year nomination. And the most nominated group at this year's awards, Old Dominion, is up for five, including their fifth nod for Group of the Year.
And for the first time at the ACMs, Justin Bieber earned multiple nods for “10,000 Hours” (featuring Dan + Shay): Music Event of the Year, Video of the Year, and Song of the Year (as artist and songwriter). The full list of nominees can be found here.
Is there a red carpet show?
There's multiple days' worth of red carpet content! Circle TV, a joint venture with the Opry Entertainment Group that delivers original country music lifestyle programming, will be airing original content featuring past and current ACM nominees. It kicks off Saturday, Sept. 12 and leads up to the awards show on Sept. 16. Some of the week’s highlights include: The premiere of Coming Home featuring this year’s ACM New Male Artist winner Riley Green as he visits his hometown to retrace the early days of his career; Opry Live performances with Green and Tenille Townes; ACM-themed Circle Sessions with John Rich, Luke Bryan, Josh Turner and more; throwback episodes of country music and humor TV variety show Hee Haw with Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, and more, among other programming. Check CirclePlus.com for complete programming information for Circle’s ACM Awards Red Carpet Week.
You'll also want to be sure to join PeopleTV correspondent Jeremy Parsons starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT for PeopleTV Red Carpet Live: 55th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will feature interviews with nominees and performers backstage from the famous Grand Ole Opry, as well as an interview with host Keith Urban.
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