Sunday's ACM Awards: What to Expect and Who You'll See

Country music will award its favorites at Sunday’s 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards. 

After five years away, Reba McEntire will host the event, often called “Country Music’s Party of the Year,” and superstars such as Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, and McEntire herself will perform.

McEntire hosted several times between 1986 and 1999, then hosted every year from 2001-2012, sometimes with a co-host.

The event, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, will recognize the Las Vegas shooting that took place Oct. 1st  at a music festival near the Mandalay Bay resort while Jason Aldean was on stage. It is the first large gathering of country music stars and fans in Las Vegas since that attack.

The awards will be broadcast at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. Celebrity presenters will include David Boreanaz, Sam Elliot, Ashton Kutcher, Rebecca Romijn, and Lindsey Vonn.

A new part of the broadcast will be “ACM Flashbacks” of classic country hits or artists and their impact on the country music of today. This year’s flashbacks are from 1993 and will feature each star performing their hit from that year as a duo with a younger star.

Chris Stapleton leads this year’s nominations with eight, including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. Thomas Rhett is next with six nominations, including Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have their first nomination together as Vocal Duo of the year.

• Carrie Underwood ACM Award Performance Her First Since Injury
• Loretta Lynn Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Exhibit Planned