The American Country Countdown Awards returned in 2016, and relied on big name stars performing their most recent hits.

Kelsea Ballerini, Sam Hunt, Cam, Martina McBride, Cole Swindell and Dan + Shay joined Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett as ACCAs performers. The show aired live from Los Angeles on May 1 — the first time a country awards show has done so in over a decade.

The ACCAs were birthed out of America’s longest-running country radio show, now titled American Country Countdown With Kix Brooks, which has been on the air for 43 years. Brooks took over the hosting position in 2006, succeeding Bob Kingsley, who took over for original host Don Bowman.

The ceremony honored country’s biggest stars based on album sales and radio airplay.

Bryan is currently on his 2016 leg of the recently-extended Kill the Lights Tour, which has him performing around the country — some cities with more than one show — all the way through October. He recently hosted the ACM Awards with Dierks Bentley.

Florida Georgia Line performed at the ACMs and are preparing to launch their Dig Your Roots headlining tour April 8, bringing with them Swindell, the Cadillac Three and Kane Brown. They debuted their song "H.O.L.Y." at the 2016 ACCAs.

Rhett recently booked his first European tour after performing at the C2C Festival in the UK. This summer he will hit the stage in a unique episode of CMT’s Crossroads with pop star Nick Jonas.

2016 American Country Countdown Awards Performances:

Brooks & Dunn, "Red Dirt Road"
Cam, "Mayday"
Carrie Underwood, "Church Bells"
Chris Janson, "Buy Me a Boat"
Cole Swindell, "You Should Be Here"
Dan + Shay, "From the Ground Up"
Florida Georgia Line, "H.O.L.Y."
Kelsea Ballerini, "Dibs"
Luke Bryan, "Huntin' and Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day"
Martina McBride Jennifer Nettles and Cam Singing "This One’s for the Girls"
Sam Hunt, "Make You Miss Me"
Thomas Rhett, "Die a Happy Man"
Toby Keith and the Strangers Performing a Merle Haggard Tribute

See Red Carpet Pics From the 2016 ACCAs

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