It’s the 1st “Annual” (sure, let’s pretend this is going to last) American Country Countdown Awards, brought to you by Cumulus Media and the FOX Network, and hosted by Florida Georgia Line! If you are tired of country awards shows, don’t worry, so is the country world. But FOX wants in on the ratings that live country music shows bring, and is undeterred after the crapfest that was the American Country Awards, which lasted 4 years without being able to muster the ratings that the 2009 Carrie Underwood variety special got. So here we are, now with more cross-promotional synergy via major market powerhouse radio owner Cumulus, which has its own Nash brand that it is putting on just about everything.
Performance-wise, we actually have the chance at some good ones. The aforementioned Carrie Underwood will kick off the show with a greatest hits medley that celebrates 10 years since her audition for American Idol, while Kelly Clarkson will join Miranda Lambert and Reba to honor Reba as a Nash Icon. Also performing are Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Brett Eldredge, Lady Antebellum, Hank Williams, Jr., and your hosts for the evening. Scotty McCreery is among the presenters, along with a variety of others listed here.
To check out the finalists for the awards, which aside from the fan-voted Breakthrough Artist category are all determined by Mediabase airplay, Big Champagne digital data, and Pollstar tour numbers, see this post.
So join us, won’t you? If for no reason than because this is the night we’ll find out if the Florida Georgia Line dudebros can read! I mean, read teleprompters. Also!!! The red carpet show is being co-hosted by America’s Got Talent finalist Emily West plus Voice finalist RaeLynn. Hey, they can keep the women off country radio, but they can’t keep ’em from everything else! So feel free to weigh in with your snark and other thoughts as the night wears on. I’ll be back with a recap later!
- Jason Aldean
- Luke Bryan
- Miranda Lambert
- Florida Georgia Line
- “Beat of The Music” – Brett Eldredge; Songwriters: Brett Eldredge, Ross Copperman, Heather Morgan; Publishers: Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville
- Kip Moore
- “This Is How We Roll” – Florida Georgia Line ft. Luke Bryan
- “The Outsiders” – Eric Church; Producer: Jay Joyce; Record Label: EMI Nashville
- “This Is How We Roll” – Florida Georgia Line ft. Luke Bryan
- Kenny Chesney
- Reba
