CULVER CITY, California—August 19, 2021—Amazon Prime Video today announced that they will be the home of the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will livestream on the platform in 2022. The 2022 ACM Awards, produced by MRC’s dick clark productions, marks the first time a major awards show has livestreamed exclusively.
First held in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards has honored and showcased the biggest names and emerging talent in the industry, and is the longest-running country music awards show in history. The 2022 live show will bring together iconic artists for exciting collaborations, surprising moments, and an unprecedented number of world television-premiere performances, all of which will be announced in the coming months. The date and location will be confirmed at a later time.
“We’re excited to continue to expand our content offerings for Prime Video customers by being the exclusive home for the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2022 and honoring the best in country music,” said Vernon Sanders, co-head of television, Amazon Studios. “Reaching this milestone with our partners at the Academy of Country Music and MRC as the first major awards show to be livestreamed speaks to our dedication and commitment to continue to both entertain and innovate for our audience.”
“We are thrilled that the Academy of Country Music Awards are first to take this giant step toward the future of awards shows with Amazon Prime Video. This partnership, which reinforces our position as an innovative, progressive awards show, will deliver the broadest possible audience and, simultaneously, deliver massive value to our artists whose music lives inside this ecosystem, enabling fans to discover and stream music as they watch,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music.
“We congratulate our partners at the Academy and Amazon for blazing a path for the future of live awards shows,” said MRC co-CEO Modi Wiczyk. “Our team is excited to be part of the creative and entrepreneurial innovations that streaming technology will unleash.”
“This historic partnership with ACM, MRC, and Amazon Prime Video meets the industry’s need to bring awards shows to the forefront of the streaming world—exactly where fans are consuming and demanding content. It will also deliver invaluable new opportunities for country artists, enabling them to reach larger audiences and presenting them the Academy’s exceptionally entertaining and compelling show,” said outgoing ACM Board of Directors Chair Ed Warm.
About Prime Video
Prime Video offers customers a vast collection of movies, series, and sports—all available to watch on hundreds of compatible devices.
- Included with Prime Video: Watch movies, series, and sports, including Thursday Night Football. Enjoy series and films including the Emmy Award-nominated satirical superhero drama The Boys, limited series The Underground Railroad, and the films Sylvie’s Love and Uncle Frank; and the smash hits Coming 2 America, Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse, The Tomorrow War, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Upload, and My Spy, as well as Emmy- and Golden Globe-winners Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Golden Globe-winner Small Axe, Academy Award-winner Sound of Metal, Golden Globe-winner and Academy Award-nominee Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, and Academy Award-nominees One Night in Miami... and Time. Prime members also get access to licensed content.
- Prime Video Channels: Prime members can add channels like Paramount+, BET+, EPIX, Noggin, NBA League Pass, MLB.TV, STARZ, and SHOWTIME—no extra apps to download, and no cable required. Only pay for the ones you want, and cancel anytime. View the full list of channels available at amazon.com/channels.
- Rent or Buy: Enjoy new-release movies to rent or buy, entire seasons of current TV shows available to buy, and special deals just for Prime members.
- Instant access: Watch at home or on the go with your choice of hundreds of compatible devices. Stream from the web or using the Prime Video app on your smartphone, tablet, set-top box, game console, or select smart TV.
- Enhanced experiences: Make the most of every viewing with 4K Ultra HD- and High Dynamic Range (HDR)-compatible content. Go behind the scenes of your favorite movies and TV shows with exclusive X-Ray access, powered by IMDb. Save it for later with select mobile downloads for offline viewing.
Prime Video is just one of many shopping and entertainment benefits included with a Prime membership, along with fast, free shipping on millions of Prime-eligible items at Amazon.com, unlimited photo storage, exclusive deals and discounts, and access to ad-free music and Kindle eBooks. To sign up or start a 30-day free trial of Prime, visit: amazon.com/prime.
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.
You can also like Academy of Country Music on Facebook, follow the Academy on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, all at @ACMawards, and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for the latest news and updates in your email inbox.
About MRC
MRC is a diversified global entertainment company with divisions including Television, Live & Alternative, Film, and Non-Fiction, as well as joint ventures in data and publishing. MRC Television is the largest and most award-winning independent TV studio in North America. MRC Live & Alternative is the largest producer and proprietor of live-event entertainment programming broadcasts worldwide. MRC Film and Non-Fiction source, develop, finance, and produce critically-acclaimed films, docuseries and feature documentaries. MRC and PMC have formed a publishing joint venture and a strategic content partnership with brands The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Vibe and Music Business Worldwide. MRC and PMC’s data venture brings together MRC Data, Alpha Data and Variety Business Intelligence. MRC owns a majority stake in Civic Center Media, A-Major Media and has minority investments in A24, Fulwell 73, Sugar23 and T-Street. For more information please visit: www.mrcentertainment.com.
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