Country musicโs wildest party of the year turned it up a notch as hosts ErinAndrews and J.J. Watt led a star-studded event at the โ2016 CMT Music Awardsโ live from Nashvilleโs Bridgestone Arena. Carrie Underwood owned the night, winning โFemale Video of the Yearโ and โCMT Performance of the Yearโ for โSmoke Breakโ and surpassing her own record for the most wins in the showโs history with a grand total of 15. Tim McGraw scored his first-ever โVideo of the Yearโ win, the biggest award of the night, marking his first win since 2005. Blake Shelton nabbed the inaugural CMT #SocialSuperstar Award, honoring artists that are pioneering social media as a tool to regularly interact with fans through a multitude of platforms and apps.
It was a night of firsts as several artists walked away with their first ever โCMT Music Awardsโ including Chris Stapleton (โBreakthrough Video of the Yearโ), Little Big Town (โGroup/Duo Video of the Yearโ), and Thomas Rhett (โMale Video of the Year.โ)
The show kicked off with a triple shot of star power. Keith Urban and tour mates Brett Eldredge and Maren Morris performed โWasted Time,โ followed by Billy Ray Cyrus and Cheap Trick with a mash-up of โDonโt Be Cruel,โ a nod to his starring role on โStill The King,โ and โSurrenderโ right in the heart of Nashvilleโs downtown, overflowing with fans on the streets and rooftops. Pitbull then carried on the party inside the Bridgestone Arena with a one-time-only performance of his hit โMessinโ Aroundโ with female powerhouses Leona Lewis and Cassadee Pope.
The evening was dominated by killer collaborations, including Little Big Town and Pharrell Williams (โOne Danceโ), Blake Shelton and The Oak Ridge Boys (โDoing It To A Country Songโ/โElviraโ), Dierks Bentley and Elle King (โDifferent For Girlsโ), Fifth Harmony and Cam (โMaydayโ/โWork From Homeโ). Other must-see performances included Carrie Underwood (โChurch Bellsโ), Chris Stapleton (โParachuteโ), Florida Georgia Line (โH.O.L.Y.โ), Jason Aldean (โLights Come Onโ), Luke Bryan (โHuntinโ, Fishinโ and Lovinโ Every Dayโ) and Thomas Rhett (โT-Shirtโ). Go to CMT.com to watch and share performances.
Keeping with show tradition, the Awards featured a short film produced by CMT that spoofed the production with hosts Erin Andrews and J.J. Watt working in CMT offices and being interrupted by CMT โemployeesโ Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker and Billy Ray Cyrus, with special appearances by Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and former host Kristen Bell.
Fans also raised their glass to the real outlaw and king of Bakersfield Merle Haggard in a tribute eloquently delivered by Dierks Bentley.
This year, the โCMT Music Awardsโ featured a second concert stage sponsored by Firestone that included performances from some of country’s hottest new artists including Brothers Osborne, LOCASH, Maren Morris and Michael Ray.
Presenters included actors Vince Vaughn, Rob Riggle, Billy Gardell and Chad Michael Murray (both from CMTโs forthcoming โMillion Dollar Quartetโ), radio personality Bobby Bones, CMT personality Cody Alan, NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, country artists Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, Chris Janson, Cole Swindell, Dan + Shay, Kellie Pickler and Kelsea Ballerini; pop singer Leona Lewis as well as actors Joey Lauren Adams and Madison Iseman from the new CMT series โStill The King,โ which premieres June 12th.
The eveningโs winners are as follows:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration) and the video director. Final nominees announced during live telecast, with final voting held online at CMT.com during the show.
Tim McGraw โ โHumble and Kindโ
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist
Carrie Underwood โ โSmoke Breakโ
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist
Thomas Rhett โ โDie A Happy Man”
GROUP / DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group or duo; awarded to the artists
Little Big Town โ โGirl Crushโ
BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)
Chris Stapleton โ โFire Awayโ
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)
Carrie Underwood โ โSmoke Breakโ (From CMT Instant Jam)
CMTย #SOCIALSUPERSTAR AWARD
The award honors artists who are pioneering social media as a tool to regularly interact with fans through a multitude of platforms and apps.
Blake Shelton
Additional airings of the โCMT Music Awardsโ include the following: Thursday, June 9th at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.; Saturday, June 11th at 12 p.m.; Sunday June 12th at 6:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. All times are ET/PT.