The Academy of Country Music (ACM), Prime Video, and Dick Clark Productions (DCP) have announced that entertainment icon Reba McEntire will host the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday, May 16 at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT/5 p.m. PDT, streaming live exclusively for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. A Prime membership will not be required to watch live, everyone is invited to the Party of the Year.
Returning as host for the 17th time, the most of any artist, Reba has a celebrated history with Country Music’s Party of the Year and will take the stage for a show stopping special performance featuring brand new music. The iconic entertainer boasts an impressive record of 16 ACM Award wins and nine nominations for the prestigious ACM Entertainer of the Year, including a win in 1994; she also holds the most nominations for Female Artist of the Year.
“I am tickled to pieces to get to host the ACM Awards for the 17th time!” Reba McEntire exclaimed. “What an honor to have been part of the past, present and now the future of the Academy of Country Music with Amazon Prime Video. I can’t wait to get to Texas and see everybody May 16th!”
“We are thrilled for the homecoming of Reba to the ACM Awards stage for the 17th time! There is simply no one better to continue to elevate this show in our new global streaming era with Amazon Prime Video,” ACM CEO Damon Whiteside said. “No one has a deeper and richer history with the Academy than Reba, from her many years hosting the ACM Awards, and from her 16 ACM Awards wins including Entertainer of the Year and two ACM anniversary Milestone Awards. With exciting new music coming, extensive television presence and a worldwide fanbase, Reba’s back and better than ever!”
“Reba McEntire is an icon. She is one of the most influential artists in the music industry and we are thrilled to welcome her back as host of the Academy of Country Music Awards,” said Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration with the ACM Awards along with harnessing the global strength of Amazon to offer country music’s longest running award show to our audience.”
Fans can also tune into the official ACM Red Carpet on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch, and Amazon Live, starting at 7 p.m. EDT/6 p.m. CDT/4 p.m. PDT. The Emmy-nominated, star-powered experience will celebrate Country Music’s biggest stars and emerging talent, and feature unforgettable performances, exclusive collaborations, and unexpected moments that will captivate fans worldwide. The full rebroadcast will be available directly following the stream on Prime Video and available the next day for free on Amazon Freevee and the Amazon Music app. Performers, presenters, and ACM Awards ancillary events will be announced in the coming weeks.
A limited number of tickets to the 59th ACM Awards are available for purchase on SeatGeek, offering fans exclusive entry into a nonstop party packed with their favorite Country stars performing the biggest hits from the last year and seats closer to the action than ever.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions. Raj Kapoor is Executive Producer and Showrunner, with Patrick Menton as Co-Executive Producer. Damon Whiteside serves as Executive Producer for the Academy of Country Music, and Barry Adelman serves as Executive Producer for DCP. John Saade continues to serve as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.
Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running Country Music awards show and made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, in partnership with Prime Video. This year’s show marks its return to Frisco, Texas for the second consecutive year after the 2023 show was one of the most watched awards shows of the year.
Fans can also stream the Official ACM Awards playlist available now on Amazon Music in celebration of this year’s nominees. Fans can listen to Country Music’s biggest stars, such as Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, and Jelly Roll, directly on the Amazon Music app HERE.
Follow the Academy of Country Music on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, join the conversation with #ACMawards, and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for the latest news + updates in your email inbox.
About the Academy of Country Music:
Founded in Southern California in 1964 as a regional trade organization, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) has grown in the almost-60 years since into a leading association for the Country Music industry. Now headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., and boasting record-high membership of more than 5,000 worldwide, the Academy serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business, as well as a supporter of philanthropic work through charitable partner ACM LIFTING LIVES, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music and providing aid in times of need, with a focus on health initiatives. Last year was another monumental moment for the Academy, with the 58th ACM Awards, hosted by global superstars Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, ranking as one of the most-watched awards shows of the year. 2024 will see the ACM Awards return in May to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys in Texas for a second consecutive year and stream live for a global audience on Prime Video. The Academy also remains relentlessly committed to creating a more inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in Country Music, from the boardroom to the stage, and proudly presents both ACM LEVel Up, a two-year professional development and enrichment curriculum for rising leaders, and OnRamp, a guaranteed income program for Black members of the Nashville music community, in partnership with the Black Music Action Coalition. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com or ACMLiftingLives.org.
Jason Price founded the mighty Icon Vs. Icon more than a decade ago. Along the way, he’s assembled an amazing group of like-minded individuals to spread the word on some of the most unique people and projects on the pop culture landscape.
