This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: ACM CEO Damon Whiteside joins Billy Dukes for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2021 Awards (April 18 on CBS) and the future of awards shows. Are these pandemic changes permanent? Did CBS hesitate on booking Mickey Guyton as host? Is Carrie Underwood mad about her snub? 

1:45 | The hard part about the 2021 ACM Awards
5:00 | Why Mickey Guyton and was CBS hard to convince?
9:00 | What will hosting look like this year?
10:45 | Why is diversity important at the ACM Awards?
15:45 | What will the audience look like?
19:00 | Are any of these changes permanent?
23:00 | Digesting fan furor and if snubbed artists, snub back.
28:00 | Does he find out who took second place?
28:40 | Is there bad blood between Carrie Underwood and the ACM Awards?
31:00 | How the ACM Awards are planning for a streaming-dominant future. 
33:00 | What's the 2021 ACM Awards alcohol policy?

More: The official ACM Awards website

Read: 2021 ACM Nominations at Billboard

Tweet: Billy Dukes on Twitter