LOS ANGELES, CA (July 22, 2020) – The Academy of Country Music® announced today the launch of ACM®: The Hub, now LIVE at TheHub.ACMcountry.com, featuring new series “The ACM Weekly” beginning Wednesday, July 29 and “ACM Wine Down Wednesday” with current episodes now live at The Hub. In addition, The Hub will include intimate artist conversations, at-home acoustic performances, unique artist & fan engagement opportunities, artist Marketplace and weekly ACM curated playlists. The Hub is a destination for artists of all levels in Country Music to reach fans with music, upcoming virtual livestream concerts and performances, and easy access to artist merchandise – a one-stop-shop for quality curated content for music fans, worldwide.
“The Academy’s goal is to help fans and artists connect during these quarantined times with no live shows.” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. “We want to provide fans with a dedicated place to see the best of Country Music content, including a comprehensive fan calendar featuring upcoming live streams, events, new music, merchandise and playlists. This will allow fans to easily follow all their favorite artists and discover live virtual and other opportunities. I want to thank our Board and industry members who provided valuable input to our Staff throughout the development of this initiative and will continue to be integral to its ongoing success.”
“The ACM Weekly” series will begin to stream Wednesday evenings with the first episode launching on Wednesday, July 29. The Weekly will feature several Country Music artist performances in each 20-40-minute episodes, highlighting artists with upcoming projects and new music.
The Academy’s first ever “ACM Wine Down Wednesday” weekly series kicked off earlier in July with Carly Pearce and Tenille Townes, both episodes now available to watch on The Hub. The series will continue through Wednesday, August 5, presented by 1000 Stories® Bourbon Barrel-Aged Wine. The five-week “happy hour” virtual series is the first to be highlighted on The Hub, featuring artist performances, conversations and stories highlighting rising female Country Music artists including Maddie & Tae, MacKenzie Porter and Lainey Wilson. Wilson, the third episode of the series will be available on The Hub following her episode tonight at 6:00PM CT via Wilson’s official Facebook page, as well as the Academy of Country Music® and 1000 Stories® Wine official Facebook pages. Additionally, 1000 Stories® Wine is donating $2,000 per artist participating towards the ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund to be disbursed to individuals in the Country Music community who are currently in need of pandemic relief assistance. To learn more about ACM Lifting Lives COVID-19 Response Fund, visit ACMLiftingLives.org.
The comprehensive fan Calendar includes details on artists livestreams, performances, new music and more – a one-stop shop, for fans navigating the new world of social distancing, who want to connect with their favorite artists – The Hub will feature Fresh Originals, new Academy content, artist offerings, an Awards lead-up series and more, alongside featured new artist merch and new music in The Marketplace!
ACM®: The Hub was developed in response to COVID-19 freezing the concert festival & touring world. When the Academy recognized in spring of 2020 that artists were turning to live performances via web streams to stay engaged and connected with their fan base, we developed The Hub to collect, curate and organize artist content all in one place. The platform is designed to spotlight the Country Music genre as a format for consumers to enjoy – whether familiar or new to Country. Access and viewership for all curated content is now available at the official ACM®: The Hub. For weekly updates on The Hub, fans can sign up for the FREE ACM A-List to receive weekly notification on new artist or music updates!
Fans have the opportunity to purchase an exclusive shirt featuring the Nashville skyline, commemorating the 55TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS™ historic show in Nashville on Wednesday, September 16 (live 8:00-11:00 PM ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. The exclusive shirt will be available for pre-sale through Monday, August 17 on The Hub and Richards and Southern. Proceeds from the pre-sale will go directly to the ACM Lifting Lives® COVID-19 Response Fund. ACM Lifting Lives® the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, created the ACM Lifting Lives® COVID-19 Response Fund to assist individuals working in the Country Music industry who are suffering a financial crisis as a result of the pandemic.
Additionally, the Academy of Country Music provides weekly playlists for the latest music from their favorite artists, including ACM: New Music Friday and ACM Country Backyard BBQ, available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Playlists are updated weekly on The Hub!
For more information about the Academy of Country Music visit ACMcountry.com or TheHub.ACMcountry.com. You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook or follow on Twitter at @ACMawards, follow on Instagram at @ACMawards and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for more immediate updates.
About the Academy of Country Music®
Founded in Southern California in 1964, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC® (ACM®) is a fan-focused artist and industry-driven organization, providing the financial resources to ensure the on-going philanthropic work of ACM LIFTING LIVES®, the charitable arm of the Academy, which works to improve lives through the power of music. The Academy has a rich history in the entertainment industry, having been founded when Southern California was a hotbed of emerging country music and when Westerns were a staple of television programing and film production. Comprised of more than 4,550 professional members nationwide, the ACM is headquartered in Encino, Calif. For more information, log onto www.ACMcountry.com or www.ACMLiftingLives.org.
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Academy of Country Music Contacts:
Brooke Primero / Melissa Moldovan
brooke@acmcountry.com / 818-788-8000
melissa@acmcountry.com / 818-788-8000