Academy of Country Music Awards returning to Las Vegas

Las Vegas Review-Journal

3 years ago

This April 7, 2019 file photo shows host Reba McEntire on stage at the 54th annual Academy of C ... — This April 7, 2019 file photo shows host Reba McEntire on stage at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. The Academy of Country Music Awards is coming back to Nashville in April for a second time to hold its awards show at three different venues. The show will air on April 18 on CBS from the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe. The show is normally held in Las Vegas every April, but moved to Music City last year when the coronavirus pandemic delayed their show to last September. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Jason Aldean poses in the press room with the Dick Clark artist of the decade award at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Keith Urban performs "Burden" at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Kix Brooks, left, and Ronnie Dunn, right, of Brooks & Dunn, and Luke Combs perform “Brand New Man” at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Kix Brooks, right, of Brooks & Dunn, performs "Brand New Man" at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Dan Smyers, left, and Shay Mooney, right, of Dan + Shay, and Kelly Clarkson react after performing “Keeping Score” at the 54th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, April 7, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

The Strip is going country once more, big time.

The 57th Academy of Country Music Awards show is set for March 7 at Allegiant Stadium, as announced Thursday by Prime Video and international entertainment company MRC.

For the first time, the event will be live-streamed exclusively, on Prime Video, in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. This is the first awards show to be live-streamed exclusively. Information regarding tickets will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We are thrilled to return to Las Vegas to celebrate country music’s Party of the Year in this incredible brand new stadium and on the Prime Video streaming service for the first time ever,” Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside said in a statement. “We can’t thank the city of Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium enough for welcoming us for the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards — a party so big only a stadium can hold it!”

The event has previously been staged at Mandalay Bay Events Center (now Michelob Ultra Arena), MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena. The event honors the top performers and new artists in country music. The telecast has featured such unique collaborations as the Backstreet Boys with Florida Georgia Line, Lady A with Stevie Nicks, and Carrie Underwood with Steven Tyler.

The most recent show in April was recorded at several locations in Nashville, including the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird Cafe.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.