Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton and more set to perform at 2021 ACM Awards

Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and more are set to perform at the 2021 ACM Awards.

The annual country music awards show will return to Nashville with performances from the iconic Grand Ole Opry House, Ryman Auditorium and Bluebird Café venues on April 18.

And the extensive line-up has been released, including the three megastars and the likes of Maren Morris, Kenny Chesney, Chris Stapleton and Eric Church.

Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett, Little Big Town, Kane Brown and Carly Pearce will also take to the stage, along with co-hosts Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton.

As for the nominations, Maren and Chris lead with six nods each.

Miranda is hot off their heels with five nominations and Ashley McBryde and Thomas Rhett have four apiece.

The Academy of Country Music Awards is continuing to work on diversifying, and this year marks the first time four Black artists are nominated, with Jimmie Allen, Kane Brown, Mickey Guyton and John Legend all up for prizes.

What's more, it's the first time each Single of the Year nomination features a female artist, with Miranda, Gabby Barrett, Carly, Ingrid Andress and Maren in contention for the prize.

ACM CEO Damon Whiteside commented: “We have come a long way when the five most focal singles of the year are female. When you figure there's been so much discussion about the lack of females at radio and just the lack of female content and presence in general in the country music industry.

“We've all been working really hard to combat that as an industry.

“And it's exciting to see that there's just so much great content coming from our really strong female artists out there. I think that's a major, major statement right there.”

The ACM Awards will air live on CBS on Sunday, April 18 from 8pm ET/PT.