Photos: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images/CMT.com

Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan won two belt buckles each at last night’s (June 4) fan-voted CMT Music Awards, held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The entertaining show was packed with performances, thrilling fans on stages inside the arena and outside on Broadway. Carrie Underwood received the top prize, Video of the Year.

Kristen Bell was an engaging host, pulling off stunts including dressing up like Alan Jackson, and starring in funny pre-taped videos. (Forget Tinder, in one video she used the fictitious app Hollr to search for a co-host.) Having Bell return as host is a big win for CMT; she is one of the hottest entertainers right now, thanks to her work on blockbuster Frozen.
Lee Ann Womack and Kacey Musgraves honored Jackson for his 25 years of making music videos with a performance of his classic “Livin’ on Love.” Underwood presented the icon with the first-ever CMT Impact Award.
John Legend and Jason Derulo glided in from the pop/R&B world and fit in nicely. Legend performed “All of Me” with Jennifer Nettles and Hunter Hayes.
Inside, the Nationwide stage gave up-and-comers a chance to play a verse/chorus, with highlights including Dan + Shay and Brett Eldredge. (Some of the rising males seem to be mimicking Luke Bryan’s dance moves.) See a complete winners list.
Top 10 highlights:
10. Dierks Bentley appeared in character on the red carpet, showing up as Riser Air’s Captain Johnson. Later onstage, he brought out dancing stewardesses to help with “Drunk On A Plane,” but a more elaborate set would have pushed the performance to the next level.
9. Brantley Gilbert’s too-cool swagger during “Bottom’s Up” made his backflip off the riser even more unexpected.
8. Outside the arena, Jake Owen sent warm, happy vibes to the crowd with his sunset performance of “Beachin.’”
7. Eric Church and Lzzy Hale scorched the stage with a guitar-heavy take on “That’s Damn Rock and Roll.”
6. Keith Urban played inside the “Bluebird Cafe.” Accompanied only by his electric guitar, Urban was on a set made to look like Nashville’s famed venue, but was actually inside the arena.

5. The Real Big Pepsi Block Party shut down Broadway, where Blake Shelton thrilled a mass of fans with “Boys ‘Round Here.”
4. Lady Antebellum’s “Bartender” offered a fresh groovy sound from one of Country’s favorite bands. The female-driven song is a perfect showcase for Hillary Scott, who looked gorgeous during the outdoor set.
3. The show opened with a rowdy rendition of “This Is How We Roll/Talk Dirty” with the quadruple star power of Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Jason Derulo and ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill. FGL, Bryan and Derulo blasted up on to the stage seemingly out of nowhere and the bros even had a (loosely coordinated) dance routine. It was the energetic start the show needed to capture fans’ attention from the get-go.
2. Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert gave a damn good take on “Somethin’ Bad.” The Platinum-haired divas brought loads of personality and avoided the performance pitfall of trying to out-do one another. Adding to the effect was Lambert’s new look, Underwood’s big hair and powerful wind machines. (Wonder what happened after they got to New Orleans?)
1. Little Big Town played new single “Day Drinking,” starting off with an all-white set and wardrobe and ending in a splatter paint bonanza of color.

More than 60 charted singles, 35 No. 1 hits, 55 music videos, 16 CMA Awards, 18 ACM awards, three CMA Entertainer of the Year awards.
These are just a sampling of the accolades Alan Jackson has amassed during his 25 years in the spotlight since the release of his first single, “Blue Blooded Woman,” in 1989, and his first No. 1 song, “Here In The Real World,” in 1990.
On Thursday, June 5, radio personality Gerry House hosted Jackson’s performance, along with Universal Music Nashville CEO Mike Dungan, CAA booking agent John Huie, and Country Music Hall of Fame’s Kyle Young at the CMHoF’s Ford Theater to announce a string of events commemorating Jackson’s 25-year career. Dungan credited “Here In The Real World” with bringing him into the world of Country music. “I could not stop playing this song. I was working around these pop music people, and I’m playing ‘Here In The Real World’ over and over. It was that song that made me feel like I want a career in Country music and in Nashville. I attribute that song to the reason I came here.”
In 2015, Jackson will launch a 25-year anniversary tour, with dates to be announced soon. On Aug. 29, 2014, the Country Music Hall of Fame will open an exhibit dedicated to Jackson’s illustrious career as a singer, songwriter and entertainer. Among the memorabilia will be the Harley Davidson bike featured on the cover of his 1992 album, A Lot About Livin’ (And A Little ‘Bout Love), as well as the red leather jacket featured in his “Mercury Blues” video.
Jackson has made his 1955 Thunderbird available for display during the exhibition’s opening weekend.
In addition, Jackson will become the Country Music Hall of Fame’s 12th Artist-in-Residence for two concerts on Oct. 8, 2014 and Oct. 22, 2014. The artist-in-residence program will take place in the 800-seat CMA Theater.
“To have all this happen and get to where I am today, it’s the American dream,” Jackson said. “People don’t realize that we had nothing and I didn’t know anything about music when I started. Some guy said, ‘You sound as good as those people on the radio, you should move to Nashville.’ So I did. So much has happened.
Jackson said, of opening his collection of memorabilia to the museum, “It’s so many awards from so many places—radio stations give me things, mayors give me keys to the city, it’s crazy. I can’t believe it when we walk through our house, it makes my head spin. I always try to take it back to the music. I came here to sing Country music, and if you keep having a song every now and then that means something, it will keep your career going for a while. I’m still a fan. I hope it all goes back to the music, ‘cause all the other stuff in the spotlight doesn’t mean anything without the music. Thanks Country Music Hall of Fame for all of this attention.”
He was quick to confirm that he doesn’t plan on retiring anytime soon. “A lot of people were asking if this was a retirement announcement. I tell people, ‘I don’t know what I will retire from, I don’t work that much now,” he quipped. “A lot of my heroes just kept working. I’ll probably do the same thing as long as I’m enjoying it and the fans enjoy it.”