The 2021 ACM Awards take place tonight at 8pm ET on CBS, hosted by Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton.  As we’ve done in the past, here is our play-by-play recap for those that couldn’t watch it!  Check back often and refresh this post as we will be updating it throughout the night!

• The show started with an introduction by the announcer, pointing out that tonight’s show will feature performances from six stages throughout Nashville.  She then listed off a long list of tonight’s performers and hosts.
• The first performance of the night looks like a pre-recorded intro, then a live performance by Miranda Lambert and Elle King of their new duet “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”
• Miranda and Elle then introduced Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton, who took the Grand Ole Opry stage together where Keith Urban declared that “Nashville is back!”
• Keith Urban declared that we are going to see the progress that Nashville has made as well as around the country (no context as to what that was referring to – Pandemic?  Race relations?)  He then gave kudos to Mickey Guyton for her great year – Grammy nominations, new baby, etc.
• They then threw it over to the Ryman Auditorium for a performance of “Famous Friends” by Chris Young and Kane Brown
• Keith Urban announced that Blanco Brown has indeed had a speedy recovery from his life-threatening accident a few months ago, followed by Blanco coming out to announce the award for Group of the Year

Group of the Year

• • Lady A
  • Little Big Town
  • Old Dominion – WINNER
  • The Cadillac Three
  • The Highwomen

• We return from our first commercial break to Keith Urban introducing Thomas Rhett, who performed his great new single “Country Again” acoustically before the band kicked in and he switched to playing his last single, “What’s Your Country Song”
• The announcer then introduced Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert from the Bluebird where they performed an acoustic version of Stapleton’s “Maggie’s Song”
• Mickey Guyton showed up at the Ryman Auditorium to introduce Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd, who performed their duet “Chasing After You”
• The announcer threw it down to the riverfront stage where Lady A performed their new single “Like a Lady”
• The announcer introduced Gabby Barrett at the Bluebird Cafe, where she performed her latest #1 smash hit “One of the Good Ones” with her husband backing her on guitar and vocals
• Gabby then threw it over to Darius Rucker at the Opry House to announce the Song of the Year

Song of the Year

• • “Bluebird” by Miranda Lambert
  • “One Night Standards” by Ashley McBryde
  • “Some People Do” by Old Dominion
  • “Starting Over” by Chris Stapleton
  • “The Bones” by Maren Morris – WINNER

• Dierks Bentley was introduced next as he performed a Bluegrass version of U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love)” from The Station Inn, a venue that recently lost it’s owner (we didn’t catch his name).  He was backed by a band called War and Treaty
• Dolly Parton introduced Carrie Underwood, who performed a medley of songs from her new My Savior album, including a duet with CeCe Winans.  This was the performance of the night, as Carrie steals the show once again.  Outstanding.
• Keith Urban was also blown away, then regained his composure to introduce Eric Church from the Ryman where he performed a new song called “A Bunch of Nothing”
• The announcer than introduced Dan + Shay from the Bluebird, who performed their new single “Glad You Exist”
• Luke Combs did a feature on his participation with the “Guitars for Vets” charitable organization before they cut back live to an unusually hat-less Combs for a performance of “Forever After All”
• Mickey Guyton pointed that Miranda Lambert is the most awarded artist in ACM Awards history.  She then introduced the live performance of “In His Arms” by Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram, and Jon Randall from the Ryman Auditorium
• We come back from commercial to Brad Paisley saying he’s about to surprise Jimmie Allen inside the Bluebird, who is set to perform their new duet “Freedom Was a Highway” solo, thinking that Paisley was out of town
• Paisley then kicked it to Martina McBride at the Opry House, who presented the award for Single of the Year

Single of the Year

• • “Bluebird” by Miranda Lambert
  • “I Hope” by Gabby Barrett
  • “I Hope You’re Happy Now” by Carly Pearce & Lee Brice – WINNER
  • “More Hearts Than Mine” by Ingrid Andress
  • “The Bones” by Maren Morris

• The announcer introduced Kenny Chesney, who performed his latest single “Knowing You” – towards the end of the performance, they showed a montage of some of the artists we’ve lost in the past year
• We return from commercial with the announcer introducing Ashley McBryde, who performed “Martha Divide” from the Riverfront Stage
• McBryde then kicked it to the Ryman Auditorium where Alan Jackson performed his hit “Drive (for Daddy Gene)” and a new song called “You’ll Always Be My Baby”
• Another commercial break ends with the announcer introducing Blake Shelton, who performed his first ever single “Austin” which was released 20 years ago this week as well as his new single, “Minimum Wage”
• Blake then introduced Dolly Parton, who was brought on screen to introduced Leslie Jordan, who was there to present the award for Duo of the Year

Duo of the Year

• • Brooks & Dunn
  • Brothers Osborne
  • Dan + Shay – WINNER
  • Florida Georgia Line
  • Maddie & Tae

• The announcer introduced Carly Pearce and Lee Brice, who performed their award winning single “I Hope You’re Happy Now
• Mickey Guyton introduced a feature on the ACM Lifting Lives charity organization
• Mickey Guyton then performed her great song “Hold On”
• Ingrid Andress came out to present the award for Male Artist of the Year

Male Artist of the Year

• • Dierks Bentley
  • Eric Church
  • Luke Combs
  • Thomas Rhett – WINNER
  • Chris Stapleton

• Mickey Guyton introduced her co-host Keith Urban who performed his song “Tumbleweed”
• Urban then kicked it over to the Ryman where Brothers Osborne performed “I’m Not For Everyone”
• We came back from another commercial with the announcer introducing Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney who performed their duet “Half of My Hometown”
• Kelsea then introduced Clay Walker, who presented Album of the Year

Album of the Year

• • Born Here, Live Here, Die Here by Luke Bryan
  • Mixtape Volume 1 by Kane Brown
  • Never Will by Ashley McBryde
  • Skeletons by Brothers Osborne
  • Starting Over by Chris Stapleton – WINNER

• Amy Grant came out to present the award for Female Artist of the Year.  She started by quoting Lauren Alaina’s “Road Less Traveled”

Female Artist of the Year

• • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Ashley McBryde
  • Maren Morris – WINNER
  • Carly Pearce

• Editor’s note:  How the hell was Carrie Underwood not a nominee??
• Philip Sweet of Little Big Town came on screen to say he won’t be there due to being positive for COVID-19, then introduced his band mates who performed their latest single “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” from downtown Nashville
• Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton presented the final award, Entertainer of the Year

Entertainer of the Year

• • Luke Bryan – WINNER
  • Chris Stapleton
  • Eric Church
  • Luke Combs
  • Thomas Rhett

• The show ended with Brothers Osborne at the Ryman Auditorium performing “Dead Man’s Curve”