CMT Awards 2024: Date, Venue, Host, Performances And Everything You Need To Know

The CMT Music Awards are back this Sunday, for their 23rd iteration, with a star-studded list of nominees and performers. Let's take a minute and explore all the details about it.

By Sweta Choudhury

Published on Apr 07, 2024 | 06:24 PM IST | 86.9K

CMT Awards- Getty Images

Award shows are a reason for the whole Hollywood industry to come together, and yet again, the biggest stars in country music will be stepping out this Sunday! The 2024 CMT Music Awards are back on Sunday, April 7 for their 23rd iteration, with a star-studded list of nominees and performers.

This year's award show held at Austin, Texas' Moody Center is set to see Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, and several others take the stage for performances, while the legendary Trisha Yearwood receives a special honor. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming star-studded night this month.

Who is hosting the CMT Awards this year?

Kelsea Ballerini will be hosting this year's awards show. The singer isn't new to hosting the CMT Awards, but this will be her first time doing it solo.
She shared, "It's my fourth year hosting, so I feel like I've learned a lot. And the good thing about CMTs is that there's such a light energy, so there's not a pressure that I feel to be perfect. I just want to be fun, honor the night, and help people have a good time."

Ballerini also described the night as feeling like "a big reunion" with her friends in the country music community and even teased that she may have some surprises in store. "I might just ask for some help where I can get it," the "Half of My Hometown," the singer noted.

Above all, the superstar said that she hopes she can capture how the event "feels like a summer party" to her. She said, "Everyone backstage is 'cheers'-ing each other and running into each other's dressing rooms. That's the energy that I want to bring on screen and into the room."

Who will be performing at the CMT Awards this year?

Both country music icons and the new breakout artists will be taking to the stage at Austin's Moody Center. In addition to her hosting duties, Ballerini will also be breaking out a song. She'll be joined by an impressive entertainment slate featuring Bailey Zimmerman, Brittney Spencer, Brooks & Dunn, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Megan Moroney, NEEDTOBREATHE, Old Dominion, Parker McCollum, Sam Hunt, Sammy Hagar, Sugarland and Trisha Yearwood.

Apart from this, a number of artists are supposedly also coming together to do joint performances, including Davis with NEEDTOBREATHE, Little Big Town with Sugarland, McCollum with Spencer, and Moroney with Old Dominion. Furthermore, The night's tribute in honor of the late Toby Keith will feature Brooks & Dunn, Wilson, and Hagar joining forces.

Who is nominated for the CMT Awards this year?

Dozens of upcoming stars have been recognized for their visuals and music over the past year at the fan-voted event. Alongside that, several musicians are also nominated for the most-nominated, including Johnson, Jelly Roll, Wilson, Moroney, and the show's host, Ballerini, as they are all up for three belt buckles. Many artists also secured their first-ever CMT Music Award nominations this year, including Amber Riley, Ashley Cooke, Bret Michaels, Chayce Beckham, Hozier, Koe Wetzel, Stephen Wilson Jr., Tyler Childers, Warren Zeiders, and Zach Bryan, all of whom received nods for the first time. Other nominees include fan-favorite hitmakers like Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, HARDY, Kacey Musgraves, Reba McEntire, and more. The biggest trophy of the night is for video of the year, which originally saw 16 shows up for the coveted belt buckle. On April 1, that number was whittled down to the top six, based on fan votes, and the final three nominees will be announced the day of the show.

Who is being honored for the CMT Awards this year?

The CMT Awards will honor, country icon Trisha Yearwood, who will receive the first-ever June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award in celebration of the impact she's made in both country music and her community.

The all-new award is inspired by the late June Carter Cash, who devoted much of her life to working with charities, such as SOS Children's Villages in Austria, in addition to her music career.

According to a press release, Yearwood was chosen as the first artist to receive the honorary award because she "represents the bold force of June, who tirelessly devoted herself to service and community, and the namesake for this award.In a remark, the award show's producers said the She's in Love with the Boy singer has a unique ability to rally a community, whether that be families in need with Habitat for Humanity or uplifting her fellow artists and entertainers trying to carve a path in the industry."

They added that both multi-hyphenate trailblazers eloquently crafted a script for others to model, letting their hearts and authenticity guide their personal, professional, and public lives. To coincide with the honor, Yearwood will also deliver the debut performance of her new single, Put It in a Song.

Lastly, the CMT Music Awards will also be celebrating the life and career of Toby Keith, who died at age 62 from stomach cancer in February.

Where can we watch the CMT Awards this year?

Well, mark the date as the 2024 CMT Music Awards will air live from The Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, April 7, from 8:00 p.m. ET to 11:00 p.m. ET on CBS and be available to be streamed live or on-demand on Paramount+. A pre-show will air from 7:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. on CMT.