2021 CMT MUSIC AWARDS

Celebrated for its high-powered, world premiere and cross-genre performances, the 2021 CMT MUSIC AWARDS delivered Nashville’s biggest party to music fans across the globe. Hosted by superstars Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, this year’s event featured the most ever first-time collaborations and blended-genre pairings in show history. Standout performances included H.E.R. + Chris Stapleton, Gladys Knight, Mickey Guyton + BRELAND, and NEEDTOBREATHE + Carrie Underwood, who remains the most-awarded artist in CMT Awards history with 23 wins. 

The Change Agent·cy was heavily involved in creating and executing PR strategy, along with guiding and promoting CMT’s Equal Play initiative which played a prominent role in the show. Country music pioneer Linda Martell was named the recipient of the second annual Equal Play award, and performances with H.E.R. + Chris Stapleton, and Gladys Knight, Mickey Guyton + BRELAND, exemplified Equal Play’s mission of elevating underrepresented voices in country music. 

TOP QUOTES FROM THE EVENING INCLUDED:

“The CMT Music Awards made its mark as, perhaps, the most inclusive evening in the history of country music” - ABC News

”...female stars, some outside of country music, took over the awards show...The show felt dedicated to Black female voices thanks to the top notch performances by Knight, H.E.R. and Guyton” -AP

“The appearance of Knight, Guyton and rising male artist BRELAND in a single number might have represented a signal moment for a Nashville-based awards show.” -Variety

“The producers of the 2021 CMT Music Awards were clearly paying attention...Wednesday night’s CMT Awards made a clear attempt to be inclusive, devoting airtime to artists and personalities of color.” - Rolling Stone