After three years in the Lone Star State, the Academy of Country Music Awards will officially return to Las Vegas this year. The 61st edition of the awards show will take place May 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Today (Thursday, March 19), the ACM Awards announced the first round of performers for this year’s show. Riley Green, Cody Johnson, and Lainey Wilson will all take the stage.
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Catch This Year’s ACM Awards on Prime
Reigning Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson will bring her new single “Can’t Sit Still” to the ACM Awards stage. The song is also included in her upcoming Netflix documentary Keepin’ Country Cool, which airs April 22.
This will mark the live debut of “Can’t Still Still”, released March 13.
Additionally, four-time ACM Award winner Riley Green will perform his hit “Change My Mind.” He released the song in January as the third single from his top 10 country album Don’t Mind If I Do.
Last year, Green picked up three trophies for his viral Ella Langley duet “You Look Like You Love Me.” Those included Single of the Year, Visual Media of the Year, and Music Event of the Year.
Johnson’s 2026 number has yet to be announced. He became a first-time ACM Award winner last year when he picked up the Song of the Year trophy for “Dirt Cheap”, off his 2023 album Leather.
[RELATED: Lainey Wilson Pens Message to Country Music Community After Big Night at ACM Awards]
This year’s ceremony will air exclusively on Prime Video at 8 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, May 17. The Academy of Country Music has not yet announced a host, nominees, presenters, or any other details outside of these three performers.
Riley Green Will Lead a Special Concert That Same Week
In addition to his 2026 ACM Awards performance, Riley Green will headline the charity event ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends at Topgolf Las Vegas on Friday, May 15. Other performers have yet to be announced.
The show’s producers will also hold ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash, described as a “reimagined fan-favorite outdoor concert experience,” at Mandalay Bay Beach on May 16. They have not yet announced performers.
The show is produced by Dick Clark Productions.
Featured image by John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM
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