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When the 57th annual Country Music Association Awards kick off in Music City this week, the genre’s biggest stars (and even Post Malone) will head to Bridgestone Arena once again for country music’s biggest night of the year. Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson are among the artists that will grace the stage (Stapleton and Wilson also vie for the 2023 CMA Awards‘ top prize), while Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan return to co-host the show. Here’s how to watch the CMAs on TV, plus how fans can livestream the ceremony if you’ve already cut the cord.
Quick Answer: Watch the CMA Awards on ABC with DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV.
When Are the CMA Awards 2023?
The 57th annual CMA Awards take place live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 8/7 CT on ABC. You can livestream the show on DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV. Hulu subscribers can also watch their favorite artists arrive ahead of the CMAs during the “On the Red Carpet” segment, hosted by George Pennacchio, from 5-7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.
How to Watch the CMA Awards Without Cable
Country music fans can tune into the awards show on ABC, but if you don’t have traditional cable, you’re not completely out of luck. Here’s everywhere to stream the CMAs online.
Watch the CMA Awards Free with DirecTV Stream
If you want to watch the CMA Awards live but you’ve cut the cord, DirecTV Stream includes streaming access to ABC. DirecTV Stream offers a five-day free trial for all of its plans, then starts at $69.99 a month for its base package after that.
Watch the CMA Awards with Hulu + Live TV
Hulu will air the CMA Awards the next day for subscribers, but you can also tune into the ceremony on ABC with Hulu + Live TV. The ad-supported live package also includes access to Disney+ and ESPN+ for $76.99 a month.
Watch the CMA Awards Free with fuboTV
Another free way to watch the CMA Awards is with fuboTV. The streaming service offers a one-day free trial, then costs $74.99 a month after that. The fuboTV Pro plan also includes access to 172 channels, plus 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage to boot so you can record the CMAs to watch at a later time.
Watch the CMA Awards with Sling TV
While it’s great for streaming sports, Sling TV’s Blue package also includes access to ABC to watch the CMA Awards. A subscription starts at $22.50 for your first month, then $45 a month after that. The plan includes 42 channels and 50 hours of DVR storage.
Who’s Hosting the 2023 CMA Awards?
Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan will once again host this year’s CMA Awards.
Who’s Performing at the CMA Awards?
A better question might be who isn’t performing this year. Wednesday night’s livestream will see performances from Stapleton, Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini, and CMA co-host Luke Bryan, who’s scheduled to play a medley of his hits. Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, and the War and Treaty are also slated to hit the stage for the CMAs. Jelly Roll, meanwhile, will open the show with his Single of the Year nominee “Need a Favor.”
This being the CMAs, country music fans will also get treated to a handful of collabs during the show’s livestream, like Jelly Roll and K. Michelle, Old Dominion and Megan Moroney, and Stapleton and Carly Pearce. Little Big Town will share the stage with Tanya Tucker, while Post Malone will make his CMAs performance debut to play a country classics medley with Morgan Wallen and Hardy. Wallen, who’s nominated for Album of the Year, will return to the stage a second time to play with a surprise guest.
Among the other announced performances at the CMAs, Kenny Chesney, Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson, and Mac McAnally will pay tribute to the late Jimmy Buffet, who died in September.
CMA Awards 2023 Presenters
On top of the night’s stacked performers list, this year’s CMA Awards feature a slew of presenters, from country royalty to Oscar nominees alike. The CMA presenters include Paula Abdul, Bill Anderson, Kevin Cahoon, Jordan Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Sara Evans, Brian Kelley, Lady A, Martina McBride, Parker McCollum, Craig Morgan, Darius Rucker, Corey Seager, and comedian Nate Bargatze, fresh off his SNL hosting gig. The night will also include appearances by Chris Young, Keith Urban, and Hailey Whitters, as well as the Golden Bachelor himself, Gerry Turner.
CMA Awards 2023 Nominees
The 2023 CMA Awards nominations were announced in September, with Wilson leading the pack with nine total nods, including Entertainer of the Year with Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Wallen, and last year’s winner Combs. Jelly Roll also scored five nods, including in the Best New Artist, Single of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year categories. See the full list of nominees — and find out who takes home the night’s biggest awards on ABC or with Hulu + Live TV.
Where to Buy Last-Minute Tickets to the CMA Awards
Country fans who are in the Nashville area and want to watch the awards in person this week can still score last-minute tickets online. Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, StubHub, and SeatGeek all currently offer CMA tickets.
Rolling Stone readers can use the promo code RS2023 to take $20 off orders of $200 on Vivid Seats, and ROLLINGSTONE10 to save $10 on eligible first orders over $250 on SeatGeek.
