Global music superstar Shania Twain is slated to host the 61st Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, marking her first time taking on hosting duties for this prestigious event. The ceremony is scheduled to stream live on Prime Video on Sunday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT, directly from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Twain expressed her enthusiasm for the role, stating her thrill to host in Las Vegas, a city she considers home. She emphasized the honor of celebrating Country Music’s biggest stars, particularly with many talented women leading nominations this year, and eagerly anticipates welcoming fans and artists to what promises to be an unforgettable night. ACM CEO Damon Whiteside echoed this sentiment, highlighting the honor of having Twain as host and noting her as the 'perfect icon' to follow previous iconic hosts such as Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, and Reba McEntire, blending the importance of Country Music with the excitement of Las Vegas.

While this marks Twain’s debut as an ACM Awards host, she previously hosted the People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2024. This past hosting experience demonstrates her capability to lead major awards ceremonies. Twain is also a decorated artist within the ACM community, boasting three past wins: Top New Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for The Woman in Me in 1996, and Entertainer of the Year four years later. In 2023, she received the honorary Poet’s Award, recognizing her significant contributions to songwriting. Her musical accomplishments also include six top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, with two No. 1 albums (Up! and Now), three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (“You’re Still the One,” “From This Moment On,” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much”), and five Grammy Awards.

Twain's selection as host was considered a surprise, especially given Reba McEntire's extensive history with the ACM Awards, having hosted or co-hosted 18 times—just one shy of tying Bob Hope’s record for the most-frequent host of any major awards show. This choice continues a trend for ACM Awards executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor, who also recently surprised audiences by announcing P!nk as the host for the 2026 Tony Awards, another major event under Kapoor's oversight.

The 61st ACM Awards will feature performances by notable artists including Cody Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, and Riley Green, with additional performers to be announced. Tickets for the awards ceremony and related ACM Awards week events are available for purchase via AXS.com.

Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards stands as the longest-running country music awards show. It made history in 2022 by becoming the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, a pioneering collaboration with Prime Video. This year's show will also be accessible to fans via the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and within the Amazon Music app.

The production of the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards is handled by Dick Clark Productions (DCP). Raj Kapoor and Patrick Menton serve as executive producers, with Kapoor also taking on the role of showrunner. Damon Whiteside is an executive producer for the Academy of Country Music, while Jay Penske and Barry Adelman contribute as executive producers for DCP. John Saade continues as a consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios. Dick Clark Productions, which produces the ACM Awards, is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.