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The Academy of Country Music has started rolling out performers for the 61st annual ceremony, confirming that Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson and Riley Green will appear at the live telecast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. These first names set the tone for a show that is returning to its familiar Nevada home after recent years being based elsewhere, and promise a mix of premieres and crowd favorites as the ceremony is staged for a global audience.
Each artist arrives with momentum: Lainey Wilson, who holds the title of reigning entertainer of the year, will deliver the live debut of her new single “Can’t Sit Still,” a track featured in her upcoming Netflix documentary; Cody Johnson, the 2026 ACM song of the year winner, is slated to perform an as-yet-unannounced number; and Riley Green will sing his crossover hit “Change My Mind,” a track that has drawn attention on both country and pop charts.
Artists and what they’ll perform
The initial lineup highlights both established and rising country acts. Wilson is scheduled to introduce “Can’t Sit Still” in its world premiere at the ceremony, a moment tied to her larger multimedia presence. Meanwhile, Johnson returns following his high-profile success with “Dirt Cheap” in 2026 and recent releases, and Green will bring the singalong energy of “Change My Mind.” Together these bookings underscore the show’s blend of award-focused recognition and chart-driven appeal, with producers indicating more performers will be revealed as the event approaches on May 17.
By announcing these acts early, the Academy sets expectations for a program that favors both spectacle and songs that have connected with fans. The selection also feeds into weekend events around the broadcast, offering multiple opportunities for live performances and fan-facing moments during the ACM Awards week in Las Vegas.
Acm lifting lives events and fan programming
In tandem with the awards telecast, the Academy is staging benefit and fan-oriented shows during awards week. Notably, Riley Green will headline ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green at Topgolf Las Vegas on May 15, a charity concert tied to the Academy’s philanthropic arm. Organizers have also scheduled the ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash at Mandalay Bay Beach on May 16 as a reimagined outdoor fan event. Tickets for the awards and surrounding events are available through AXS, giving fans multiple ways to experience the weekend beyond the streamed ceremony.
How and when to watch
The 61st Academy of Country music awards will stream live on Prime Video on Sunday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT, and will also be accessible via the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and within the Amazon Music app. The Academy has emphasized the global reach of the broadcast, noting streaming availability across more than 240 countries and territories, and reinforcing its ongoing partnership with Amazon to deliver an exclusive livestream experience for viewers around the world.
Production team and leadership changes
On the production side, the show is being produced by Dick Clark Productions, with longtime showrunner Raj Kapoor partnering with Patrick Menton, who has been promoted to executive producer. Menton’s growing responsibilities follow his previous roles as talent producer and co-producer across earlier editions of the awards. Other producers include Damon Whiteside as executive producer for the Academy, and Jay Penske and Barry Adelman as executive producers for DCP, with John Saade serving as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.
The Academy has also signaled impending leadership transitions: Damon Whiteside announced on March 3 that he plans to step down as head of the Academy of Country Music in June, but that he intends to remain through the completion of this year’s show. With the ceremony returning to Las Vegas and a multi-platform streaming plan in place, the producing team is positioning the 61st ACM Awards as both a homecoming and a widely accessible event for country music audiences.