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Academy Of Country Music Awards 2014: Top Performances

Mara Hyman |
April 7, 2014 | 11:45 a.m. PDT

Associate Entertainment Editor

The Academy of Country Music Awards, or the ACMs, is known as one of the biggest nights in country. Held in Las Vegas, Nevada, last night's show brought together some of the best in country music, hosted by "The Voice" judge Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan. With over 15 performances, the award show was filled with amazing live acts. Here are our top five performances from the night:

Blake Shelton and Shakira - "Medicine"

Did you ever think you'd see Sharkia at the ACMs, let alone performing?! It surprisingly worked, as she teamed up with fellow "Voice" coach Blake to perform a duet recorded for Shakira's latest album. The song has a strong country flair and really allowed Blake's vocals to shine. This performance proved that the two of them are great performers in their own right, but the blend of their voices was very unique and interesting. Not to mention, Shakira's entire outfit was flawless.

Lady Antebellum and Stevie Nicks - "Rihannon"

This was another unusual but dynamic pairing from last night. I'm a huge fan of this song, so it was refreshing to see this Fleetwood Mac classic breathe new life. The harmonies were on point, and Hilary Scott sounded great as usual - those high notes are hard to hit! All four of them sang their hearts out, and the crowd was loving it. I'm holding out for them to sing more music together, including their new single "Golden."

Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker - "Wagon Wheel"

Lady Antebellum strikes again! This performance was definitely a crowd favorite of the night. Darius' song has quickly become a country classic. He started out singing the song with Lady Antebellum harmonizing in the background, but eventually they came forward to join him. Darius even held the mic to the audience towards the end, and they knew every word. This was the type of performance where you couldn't help but smile the entire time.

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - "Meanwhile Back At Mama's"

While upbeat classics seemed to dominate the show, there were a few slowed-down, more tender moments that took our hearts. Most notably was the duet with country royalty Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The huband and wife had great chemistry on stage and sounded great when they harmonized together. Sure, Tim was a little off key in some parts, but the performance as a whole felt authentic. Hopefully they perform more duets together in the future.

The Band Perry - "Chainsaw"

This group never ceases to amaze me, putting on a dynamic show every time they perform. Their song "Chainsaw" showed off Kimberly's sassy side, and the trio looked like they were having a lot of fun. It probably had the strongest rock edge of the country songs performed that night, which was fun to watch. They opened the entire show, covering the audience in white confetti that appeared like dandruff (which Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton joked about in the monologue).

Reach Associate Entertainment Editor Mara Hyman here. Follow her on Twitter here.




 

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