When the Academy of Country Music celebrated the 50th anniversary of its annual awards, it went to the place that does everything big and held the event at the then-new AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This year, the annual event will be back in the greater Dallas area, but this time on the grounds where the Cowboys do their between-games work. In addition to the location change, this year’s show gets a little update in the sense that last year’s host Dolly Parton will now have a co-host who’s almost as famous as she is in the form of a Nineties icon. Like last year, CBS has still declined to renew its contract to broadcast the ACM Awards, with ceremonies again being a streaming-only event in conjunction with Amazon Prime.
Here’s all you need to know to watch the 2023 ACM Awards.
When Are the ACM Awards?
The 58th ACM Awards are Thursday, May 11. The long-running event has had a recent theme of movement, shifting east to Nashville for two years during the worst of the early COVID era, then back to its home in Las Vegas for the 2022 edition. This year marks yet another move, as the event will be held at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, just outside Dallas.
How Can I Watch the ACM Awards?
The ACMs will stream live exclusively on Prime Video at at 8 p.m. ET on May 11 and on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. Pre-show coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with co-hosts Dolly Parton and Nineties icon Garth Brooks.
Amazon Prime members can watch the ACM Awards online free by logging in here. Don’t have an Amazon Prime account? Get a 30-day free trial here and use it to live stream the ACM Awards online for free.
Will the ACM Awards Be Available on Network Television?
No. As of 2022, the ACM Awards is a streaming-only format, so make sure you have a trusty internet connection and a device such as an Apple TV, Roku, or Amazon Fire Stick to watch. But hey, its two-hour runtime also means you won’t be up too late.
Who’s Hosting the ACM Awards?
Dolly Parton, who’s busy doing all kinds of Dolly Parton things like announcing a rock album with 40 famous guests, will be flanked by Nineties icon Garth Brooks for co-hosting duties this year.
Who’s Nominated at the ACM Awards?
Lainey Wilson and Hardy picked up the most nominations this year, thanks in part to their collaboration “Wait in the Truck,” which is nominated for Song of the Year and Music Event of the Year. Wilson is also up for Album of the Year for Bell Bottom Country and Female Artist of the Year. Others artists with multiple nominations include Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, and Ashley McBryde. Indie-folk star Zach Bryan also earned his first ACM nomination in the New Male Artist of the Year category.
Who Are the Entertainer of the Year nominees?
Seven artists are up for the night’s top prize: Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, and Morgan Wallen.
Who’s Performing at the ACM Awards?
As usual, it’ll be a mix of solo spots and collaborations. Ed Sheeran will make his ACM Awards performance debut, while others to hit the stage include Hardy, Jordan Davis, Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, the War and Treaty, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman. Ashley McBryde will convene her Welcome to Lindeville collaborators Pillbox Patti, Caylee Hammack, and Brandy Clark for a rendition of “Bonfire at Tina’s,” and Carly Pearce will duet with Trisha Yearwood on a special medley.
Will Morgan Wallen Perform at the ACM Awards?
Country superstar Morgan Wallen is up for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, along with Song of the Year for “Sand in My Boots.” But Wallen just announced he’s suffering from “vocal fold trauma” and has postponed his tour for six weeks for vocal rest. He’s also canceled his ACM Awards performance; it’s unclear if Wallen will still attend the awards.
Who Are the Presenters at the ACM Awards?
Those introducing performances and handing out trophies this year include Gabby Barrett, Breland, Brandy Clark, Jordan Davis, Mickey Guyton, Tyler Hubbard, Dustin Lynch, TJ Osborne, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, MacKenzie Porter, Tanya Tucker, Keith Urban, and Trisha Yearwood. Plus, because the Star is where the Dallas Cowboys practice, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and all-time legend Emmitt Smith will also make an appearance.
ACM Awards vs. CMA Awards: What’s the Difference?
The ACM Awards are the centerpiece ceremony of the Academy of Country Music, a country music organization established in 1964. The ACMs were traditionally held every spring in Las Vegas, but were previously held in Los Angeles and, for their 50th anniversary, in Arlington, Texas. The pandemic caused the ACM Awards to move to Nashville for 2020 and 2021. The CMA Awards are the flagship of the Country Music Association, a Nashville-based country org founded in 1958. The top prize for both the ACMs and the CMAs is Entertainer of the Year. The CMAs are traditionally held in Nashville in November. (Rolling Stone’s parent company, Penske Media, recently acquired Dick Clark Productions, which produces the ACM Awards.)
Watch the ACM Awards online on Prime Video here.