What to Know Before Watching the 2018 ACM Awards
Get ready: The most exciting night in country music, a.k.a. the Academy of Country Music (ACM) awards show, is coming your way this weekend.
Last year's event, which was costed by Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley, was one heck of a memorable night with duets from Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris, and more. (The Backstreet Boys even made a surprise appearance with Florida Georgia Line.)
This year promises to be just as fun. Here's everything you need to know about the 53rd annual award show.
When and where is the show?
The event will once again take place in the MGM Grand's Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the Academy announced in December. The 2018 show will air live on Sunday, April 15 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on CBS.
Of course, the location of the show will be even more meaningful this year, following the deadly shooting at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest Festival this past October, as this will be the first large-scale country music event to take place in the city since the tragedy.
Who's hosting?
Country music legend and sixteen-time ACM award winner Reba McEntire will be the emcee this year-her 15th time hosting! The singer is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year (she's now been nominated in this category 16 times). You can learn more about this year's host (and this year's performers, nominees, and winners) on the newly launched ACM App for the iPhone and Android.
Who's performing?
The show will be packed with performances from your favorite country chart toppers including Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Kelly Clarkson, Little Big Town, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris, Dan + Shay, Chris Young, Jon Pardi, and Kane Brown.
Fans can also look forward to several more exciting duets including "What Ifs" performed by Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina, in addition to "Coming Home," sung by Keith Urban and Julia Michaels. Pop singer Bebe Rexha will also be there to sing "Meant to Be" with Florida Georgia Line.
The Academy also revealed this year's event will include a series of special "ACM Flashbacks," which will feature country icons performing their classic songs alongside the next generation of singers, and the special moment is set to honor three standout songs from 1993. Toby Keith and Blake Shelton will take the stage to perform "Should've Been a Cowboy," Alan Jackson and Jon Pardi will team up to sing "Chattahoochee," and Reba will partner with Kelly Clarkson for a rendition of her hit "Does He Love You."
Who's presenting?
There will be plenty of familiar faces handing out awards this year including Cam, Dustin Lynch, Kiefer Sutherland, The Ranch stars Sam Elliott and Ashton Kutcher, SEAL Team stars David Boreanaz, AJ Buckley, and Max Thieriot, The Talk host Eve, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Olympic Alpine Skier Lindsey Vonn, actress Rebecca Romijn, and Entertainment Tonight host Nancy O'Dell.
How can I watch or live-stream the show?
You can watch the show live on CBS or stream it live on your devices by signing up for a free trial of CBS All Access.
Can I buy tickets?
ACM Awards tickets opened to the public on December 14th-you can still buy yours through AXS or the brand new ACM app.
Who's nominated?
The Academy will bestow awards to winners in 24 categories (all of which Reba announced on CBS; watch in the clip above), but here are some of the big awards and the nominees fans will care about most:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Garth Brooks
Luke Bryan
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Keith Urban
Chris Young
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
LOCASH
Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
LANCO
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Lauren Alaina
Danielle Bradbery
Carly Pearce
RaeLynn
NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Devin Dawson
Russell Dickerson
WINNER: Brett Young
NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
High Valley
Lanco
LOCASH
WINNER: Midland
Runaway June
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Breaker - Little Big Town
California Sunrise - Jon Pardi
From A Room Vol. 1 - Chris Stapleton
Happy Endings - Old Dominion
Life Changes - Thomas Rhett
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
"Better Man" - Little Big Town
"Body Like a Back Road" - Sam Hunt
"Broken Halos" - Chris Stapleton
"Drinkin’ Problem" - Midland
"I’ll Name The Dogs" - Blake Shelton
SONG OF THE YEAR
"Body Like a Back Road" - Sam Hunt
"Female" - Keith Urban
"Tin Man" - Miranda Lambert
"Whiskey and You" - Chris Stapleton
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
"Black" - Dierks Bentley
"It Ain’t My Fault" - Brothers Osborne
"Legends" - Kelsea Ballerini
"Marry Me" - Thomas Rhett
"We Should Be Friends" - Miranda Lambert
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