NASHVILLE — The 56th Academy of Country Music Awards celebrated some of the genre’s best songs, most talented groups and most moving performances on Sunday night.

The telecast - which featured performances and presentations from three different iconic venues across Nashville, Tennessee: the Grand Ole Opry House, the Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Cafe - also welcomed several firsts, firsts, including Mickey Guyton being the first Black woman in the organization’s history to share hosting duties.

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“Representation matters so much to me because the country music genre is such a beautiful genre,” Guyton told Variety during a break from rehearsals for the telecast. “The people in the community are so inclusive, and it’s time that the award shows show that.”

“Me standing up there, hosting an awards show with another outsider — Keith Urban, who came from Australia; he was very different in his time as well — it’s two outsiders coming together and showing what country music is,” Guyton told the outlet.

Meanwhile, for the first time in ACM Awards history, four Black artists were nominated for awards in a single year including Jimmie Allen, Kane Brown, Guyton and John Legend.

With six nods each, Maren Morris and Chris Stapleton led the nominations. Miranda Lambert followed closely with five nominations, giving her a total of 68 career nominations, the most of any female in ACM Awards history, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

And although the Entertainer of the Year category was dominated by male artists – including Eric Church, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Stapleton and Luke Bryan – every song nominated for Single of the Year was by a female artist, THR reported.

See the complete list of winners (noted in bold and italics) below.

Entertainer of the Year

• Luke Bryan - WINNER

• Eric Church

• Luke Combs

• Thomas Rhett

• Chris Stapleton

Female Artist of the Year

• Kelsea Ballerini

• Miranda Lambert

• Ashley McBryde

• Maren Morris - WINNER

• Carly Pearce

Male Artist of the Year

• Dierks Bentley

• Luke Combs

• Eric Church

• Thomas Rhett - WINNER

• Chris Stapleton

Duo of the Year

• Brooks & Dunn

• Brothers Osborne

• Dan + Shay - WINNER

• Florida Georgia Line

• Maddie & Tae

Group of the Year

• Lady A

• Little Big Town

• Old Dominion - WINNER

• The Cadillac Three

• The Highwomen

New Female Artist of the Year

• Ingrid Andress

• Tenille Arts

• Gabby Barrett - WINNER

• Mickey Guyton

• Caylee Hammack

New Male Artist of the Year

• Jimmie Allen - WINNER

• Travis Denning

• HARDY

• Cody Johnson

• Parker McCollum

Album of the Year

• “Born Here Live Here Die Here” – Luke Bryan

• “Mixtape Vol. 1” – Kane Brown

• “Never Will” – Ashley McBryde

• “Skeletons” – Brothers Osborne

• “Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton - WINNER

Single of the Year

• “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert

• “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett

• “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice - WINNER

• “More Hearts Than Mine” – Ingrid Andress

• “The Bones” – Maren Morris

Song of the Year

• “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert

• “One Night Standards” – Ashley McBryde

• “Some People Do” – Old Dominion

• “Starting Over” – Chris Stapleton

• “The Bones” – Maren Morris - WINNER

Video of the Year

• “Better Than We Found It” – Maren Morris

• “Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert

• “Gone” - Dierks Bentley

• “Hallelujah” – Carrie Underwood and John Legend

• “Worldwide Beautiful” – Kane Brown - WINNER

Music Event of the Year

• “Be A Light” – Thomas Rhett featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, Keith Urban

• “Does To Me” – Luke Combs feat. Eric Church

• “I Hope You’re Happy Now” – Carly Pearce & Lee Brice - WINNER

• “Nobody But You” – Blake Shelton ft. Gwen Stefani

• “One Beer” – HARDY ft. Lauren Alaina & Devin Dawson

• “One Too Many” – Keith Urban, P!nk

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2021 ACM Awards - arrivals In this image released on April 18, 2021, pictured from left to right are Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount of The War and Treaty and Dierks Bentley attending the 56th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at The Grand Ole Opry on April 18, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/ACMA2021/Getty Images for ACM) (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for ACM)

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