The 2021 CMT Music Awards will be handed out on Wednesday, June 9, during a ceremony that will be hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown and air across the Viacom family of networks including CMT, MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount, and TV Land. But who will perform during the two-and-a-half-hour music event? Scroll down for the complete list.
Collaborations will rule the night as a number of artists join forces to perform together. And that doesn’t just include country stars. Mickey Guyton will be joined by the legendary Gladys Knight for one performance, while Chris Stapleton will be joined by recent Grammy- and Oscar-winning R&B artist H.E.R. And Ingrid Andress will premiere a new duet with Grammy-nominated pop singer-songwriter JP Saxe.
Hosts Ballerini and Brown will be on the main stage as performers too. And some of this year’s fresh faces in country music will get to make an impression live from the Ram Trucks Side Stage, including Breakthrough Video of the Year nominees Dylan Scott, Hailey Whitters, Lainey Wilson, and Niko Moon.
The winners at these awards are decided entirely by fans voting online. That includes Video of the Year, which started with a whopping 14 contenders. That field was whittled down to six after an initial round of voting. And the final three will advance to the telecast and be decided by fans on social media. Carrie Underwood is a nominee for that top award (for “Hallelujah,” her collaboration with John Legend). She has already won the prize eight times, more than any other artist; she’s performing during the show too, but with the Christian rock band NEEDTOBREATHE.
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Lauren Alaina and Jon Pardi
Image Credit: Francis Specker/CBS Alaina has won two CMT Music Awards, while Jon Pardi is a past nominee.
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Ingrid Andress and JP Saxe
Image Credit: Jen Lowery / MEGA Andress was a Video of the Year nominee for “Lady Like” but was eliminated during the first round of voting. She’ll be performing a world premiere of a collaboration with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter JP Saxe.
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Tenille Arts
Image Credit: Brent Harrington/CBS The Canadian country singer will be performing from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
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Kelsea Ballerini and Paul Klein from LANY
Image Credit: Ben Ritter/Kelsea Ballerini Ballerini is co-hosting the event, and she’s also nominated for three CMT Awards including Video of the Year for “Hole in the Bottle.”
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Blanco Brown
Image Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS Brown is nominated for Duo/Group Video of the Year with Parmalee, and he’ll be performing from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
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Kane Brown and Chris Young
Image Credit: George Chinsee for WWD Brown will be co-hosting the event, and he’s also nominated for three CMT Awards including Video of the Year for “Worldwide Beautiful” and Collaborative Video of the Year for “Famous Friends” with Young.
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Brothers Osborne and Dierks Bentley
Image Credit: Robby Klein for Variety Brothers Osborne are nominated for Duo/Group Video of the Year for “All Night.” Dierks Bentley was one of the original nominees for Video of the Year for “Gone,” but he was knocked out in the first round of voting.
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Luke Bryan
Image Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Variety Bryan is nominated for Male Video of the Year for “Down to One.”
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Luke Combs
Image Credit: Brent Harrington/CBS Combs is nominated for two CMT Awards including Male Video of the Year for “Lovin’ on You.”
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Mickey Guyton and BRELAND
Image Credit: MBS/MEGA Guyton is nominated for Breakthrough Video of the Year for “Black Like Me” and Female Video of the Year for “Heaven Down Here.”
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Mickey Guyton and Gladys Knight
Image Credit: Gail Schulman/CBS Guyton is a two-time CMT nominee this year, while the legendary Knight is a seven-time Grammy winner.
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Lady A, Carly Pearce, and Lindsay Ell
Image Credit: Courtesy of Lady Antebellum Lady A are nominated for Duo/Group Video of the Year for “Like a Lady.” Pearce is up for Female Video of the Year for “Next Girl.”
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Miranda Lambert, Jack Ingram, and Jon Randall
Image Credit: Ellen Von Unwerth/Miranda Lambert These three artists released a collaborative album together, “The Marfa Tapes.” Lambert currently has three CMT nominations including Video of the Year for “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” with Elle King.
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Niko Moon
Image Credit: ABC He’s up for Breakthrough Video of the Year for “Good Time” and will be performing from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
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Thomas Rhett
Image Credit: Brent Harrington/CBS Rhett is up for Male Video of the Year for “What’s Your Country Song.”
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Dylan Scott
Image Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Hutchins Photo/Newscom/The Mega Agency Scott is nominated for Breakthrough Video of the Year for “Nobody,” and he’ll be performing from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
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Chris Stapleton and H.E.R.
Image Credit: ABC Stapleton is nominated for Male Video of the Year for “Starting Over,” and he’ll be performing alongside recent Grammy and Oscar winner H.E.R.
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Carrie Underwood and NEEDTOBREATHE
Image Credit: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS Underwood is nominated twice this year including Video of the Year for “Hallelujah,” her collaboration with John Legend. Underwood has won Video of the Year at these awards more than any other artist in history.
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Hailey Whitters
Image Credit: Tammie Arroyo / AFF-USA.COM / MEGA Whitters is nominated for Breakthrough Video of the Year for “Fillin’ My Cup” with Little Big Town. She’ll be performing from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
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Lainey Wilson
Image Credit: JOHN SOMMERS II/UPI/Newscom/The Mega Agency Wilson is nominated for Breakthrough Video of the Year for “Things a Man Oughta Know” and will be performing from the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
