CMT Music Awards moving to Austin's Moody Center in 2023

Next year, Nashville hosts one less awards show.

The annual fan-voted CMT Music Awards plans to migrate 850 miles southwest next year - to the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, show organizers confirmed late Wednesday.

Performing Wednesday inside the Moody Center, Carrie Underwood surprised onlookers by inviting Kelsea Ballerini on stage to announce the show's new home. Ballerini returns as co-host the CMT Music Awards for a third year, while Underwood — the winningest artist in CMT Music Awards history — plans to perform at next year's show.

The CMT Music Awards airs April 2 on CBS and online via Paramount+.

Moving to Austin marks the end of a long-running history of the ceremony in Nashville. Longtime locals may remember predecessor programs such as Music City News Awards or its rebranded effort, The Nashville Network Music City News Country Awards. CMT took over the program in 2001, launching the short-lived Flameworthy Video Music Awards before establishing the CMT Music Awards in 2005.

In recent years, CMT hosted the program at Bridgestone Arena, Municipal Auditorium, Music City Center, Lower Broadway and the downtown Riverfront Park, among additional locations. Next year marks the first time in its history with CMT that the show plans to leave Music City.

Earlier this year, the show upgraded from cable channel CMT to a network broadcast on CBS, bringing the CMT Music Awards to a larger television and streaming audience. With Ballerini and "Captain America" actor Anthony Mackie co-hosting, an audience of roughly 5.89 million tuned in, according to CMT parent company Viacom. Viewership increased more than 500% compared to 2021, bringing the CMT Music Awards to an audience size nearing ABC's CMA Music Awards, which logged 6.82 million viewers last year.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: CMT Music Awards relocating to Austin in 2023