How to watch Country Music Awards 2021: live stream ACM Awards from anywhere

(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/ACMA2020/Getty Images for ACM)

Crack open a beer, caress your six-string and think over the good times and the bad, because it's time for the 2021 Country Music Awards. Mickey Guyton joins Keith Urban on hosting duties from the country music capital of the world, the one and only Nashville, Tennessee. Follow our guide below as we explain how to watch the Country Music Awards 2021 online and live stream the ACM Awards ceremony from anywhere.

How to watch Country Music Awards: live stream

Date: Sunday, April 18

Time: 8pm ET/PT / 7pm CT

FREE live stream: FREE Paramount Plus trial / FREE FuboTV trial

TV channel: CBS (US) | Global TV (CAN)

Watch anywhere: try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30-days

Featuring live performances at three legendary Music City venues in the Grand Ole Opry House, Ryman Auditorium and Bluebird Café, the show will celebrate the biggest names and the freshest talent country music has to offer.

Both Urban and Guyton will be performing, sharing the bill with a who's who of stars, including recently crowned new male artist of the year Jimmie Allen, new female artist of the year Gabby Barrett, and Maren Morris, who leads the way with five nominations.

There are more than 20 performances listed, including solos, collaborations and covers, and we've also been promised a surprise or two.

As ever though, the night's biggest honor is the entertainer of the year award, this year's nominees being Chris Stapleton, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett, who tied with Carrie Underwood in 2020.

Read on as we explain how to watch ACM Awards 2021 action online - live stream the Country Music Awards from anywhere.

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How to watch the 2021 Country Music Awards: live stream FREE in the US

In the US, CBS is the official broadcaster of the Country Music Awards, and the network will show the entire awards show live on linear TV at 8pm ET / 7pm CT.

It's also being televised at 8pm PT, which means folks on the west coast will be watching a delayed broadcast on TV.

How to watch Country Music Awards 2021 live without cable

However, you can also watch a free Country Music Awards live stream via the new Paramount Plus streaming service, formerly CBS All Access. Paramount Plus costs $9.99 a month for the ad-free version, or $5.99 a month with ads - and better still, you can get a FREE 7-day Paramount Plus trial right now.

The service features new originals and is home to TV shows from the Star Trek franchise, not to mention the obvious place to watch the Rugrats 2021 revival, Frasier's return, and the best of CBS's live sports action without having to splash out on pricey cable.

For cord-cutters, another option is FuboTV – which offers a FREE 7-day trial of its own. It carries CBS, as well as plenty of other national networks including Fox, NBC and ESPN. Pricing starts at $64.99 a month, which is great value for this fully featured cable replacement service with over 100 channels.

If you find yourself outside of America and want to know where to watch a Country Music Awards live stream tonight, don't worry – a good VPN is all you need to tune in just like you would at home.

How to watch a Country Music Awards live stream from outside your country

Unfortunately, if you try to watch your domestic coverage from somewhere outside your home country, you'll soon find a problem - geo-blocking. That's where the broadcaster prevents you from watching your usual feed from abroad. It's a common problem for streamers all over the world, but there's an easy solution.

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Once you've chosen and installed your VPN of choice, simply open the service's corresponding app, hit 'choose location', select the appropriate country and you'll be able to watch the broadcast as if you were back at home.

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watch country music awards live stream canada

How to watch the Country Music Awards: live stream in Canada

Canadians wanting to watch the 2021 Country Music Awards should find it pretty straightforward.

Canadian terrestrial TV network Global TV is showing the event live at 8pm ET / 7pm CT on Sunday evening. As in the US, the awards show is being televised on a delayed broadcast on the west coast, at 8pm PT.

Global also offers a slick online streaming platform. You have to verify your details to sign-up, but provided you can do that, you can watch the Country Music Awards absolutely free in Canada.

Can't watch Global TV as usual due to pesky geo-blocking restrictions? Watch just like you would at home by using a VPN.

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.