MCGRAW, UNDERWOOD WIN AT CMT AWARDS

“Humble and Kind” from Big Machine’s Tim McGraw was named Video of the Year at the CMT Awards, doled out Wednesday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Valory’s Thomas Rhett and Carrie Underwood won for male and female video, respectively, and Capitol Nashville’s Little Big Town added to their cache of awards for “Girl Crush.”

Fans immediately rewarded the show's performers and winners: Florida Georgia Line's "H.O.L.Y" shot to #2 on the iTunes songs chart today with hits by Underwood, Columbia Nashville’s Maren Morris and McGraw in the Top 20. Nine of the top 10 sellers in country were performed on the telecast.

19/Arista Nashville’s Underwood, who sang “Church Bells” at the ceremony, was the night’s lone multiple winner, taking home the belt buckle for CMT Performance Video for “Smoke Break” from CMT Instant Jam. Mercury Nashville’s Chris Stapleton, who sang a smoldering version of “Parachute” on the telecast, added the Breakthrough Video belt buckle to his collection of trophies for the “Fire Away” video.

Warner Bros.’ Blake Shelton, who would partner with the Oak Ridge Boys for “Doin’ it to Country Songs,” was named CMT Social Superstar.

After an opening with hosts J.J. Watt of the Houston Texans and sportscaster Erin Andrews, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Darius Rucker, Keith Urban started the night with the performance of his new single “Wasted Time” with Morris and Brett Eldredge. Cheap Trick and Billy Ray Cyrus followed the opener with an outdoors performance of “Surrender.” Intent on defying the categories the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees turned over the mic to Pitbull—inside the Bridgestone Arena—to perform “Messin’ Around.”

Little Big Town and Pharrell

Capitol Nashville’s Luke Bryan delivered his latest single, “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” starting solo and leading into a full band performance. BMLG’s Florida Georgia Line did “Holy” with a string sextet; Cam and Fifth Harmony joined forces on “Work From Home” and “Mayday”; and Dierks Bentley and Elle King partnered on “Different for Girls.” Rhett put on “T Shirt” and Michael Ray hooked up with “Kiss You in the Morning.”

Little Big Town closed out the night with a performance of their new single “One Dance” with Pharrell Williams and a dance entourage.