CMT

Keith Urban will play his recent single and Sam Hunt will debut a brand new song Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, and more will hit the stage at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, which will take place April 7 at the Moody Center in Austin, and air live on CBS and Paramount+. Wilson is set to play her new single, “Country’s Cool Again,” while Urban will deliver a world premiere performance of “Straight Line,” a new single from his next album, which is set to arrive later this year (a release date…

The Canadian hard-rockers and the country hard-rocker team up for 'Save Me,' 'Truck Bed,' and more on the CMT performance series There may be no more natural pairing for CMT Crossroads than Nickelback and Hardy. Both appeal to country and rock audiences, both worked with producer Joey Moi, and both have a song called “Rockstar.” On April 6, they’ll mash up their respective styles — and their “Rockstar” singles — for an episode of CMT’s crossover performance series. Recorded in Nashville earlier…

Kelsea Ballerini is set to return as host of the 2024 CMT Music Awards, which will air live April 7 on CBS. The four-time Grammy nominee also will perform during the show, taking place at Austin’s Moody Center. This will mark the fourth consecutive year Ballerini has hosted the show. In 2021 and 2023, Ballerini hosted alongside Kane Brown; she hosted the 2022 show remotely. “I couldn’t be more excited to be back for my fourth year with my CMT family to host this year’s CMT Music awards in…

The country star will also perform as she returns to anchor the show for the fourth year in a row — this time, solo Kelsea Ballerini will return as host of the CMT Music Awards for the fourth year running. The show will take place April 7 at the Moody Center in Austin, and air live on CBS. Ballerini was also named one of the night’s performers, on top of her hosting duties. Nominees, additional performers, and presenters for the 2024 CMT Awards will be announced in the coming weeks.…

CMT introduced the 14 up-and-coming artists named this year’s Next Women of Country during a showcase event at City Winery Nashville. For more than a decade, the program has been spotlighting and supporting developing female talent. The 2024 class of rising stars is: Anne Wilson, Denitia, Ella Langley, Emily Ann Roberts, HunterGirl, Karley Scott Collins, Kylie Frey, Lauren Watkins, Madeline Merlo, Mae Estes, Tanner Adell, The Castellows, Tigirlily Gold and Twinnie. This year’s lineup was…

Jason Aldean is defending his new controversial song and music video that was pulled by CMT, calling claims made against the track “not only meritless, but dangerous.” After Aldean released “Try That in a Small Town” in May and its accompanying music video on Friday, it was criticized for promoting gun violence and taking aim at the Black Lives Matter movement. The track features the lyrics: “Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you’re tough /…

Kelsea Ballerini drew heat and praise Sunday night after featuring all-star drag queens from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” during a colorful performance at the 2023 CMT Music Awards.The “Peter Pan” and “This Feeling” singer, who also co-hosted the fan-voted country-music awards show, sang her new ride-or-die best friend anthem “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” backed by a quartet of “Drag Race” stars — Manila Luzon, Kennedy Davenport, Jan Sport and Olivia Lux — dressed as glam midcentury housewives lounging on a lawn in front…

“Heart Like a Truck” singer Lainey Wilson led Wednesday’s 2023 CMT Music Awards nominees with four nominations, including twice in the marquee video of the year category.The fan favorite will face off with 15 other music videos in the top category during the annual fan-voted awards show, which will be broadcast live on CBS on April 2. Other nominees for video of the year include Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Carrie Underwood and the “Bonfire at Tina’s” collaborators…

Naomi Judd was celebrated with words and soaring music at a public memorial service Sunday that ended with her daughter Wynonna announcing that a tour planned for later this year would go on. “Tonight is a celebration, and at the same time I can’t put into words how devastated I am,” Wynonna Judd said. “I miss her so much. “After a lot of thought, I’m going to have to honor her and do this tour. I’m just going to have to,” she said to applause and cheers at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. “Tonight, as we close,…