Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley
Carrie Underwood (R) and Brad Paisley will host the 2016 Country Music Association awards for the ninth time in a row Getty

The Country Music Association Awards enters its 50th year in 2016 as the refreshing genre continues to make its presence felt in mainstream music – the latest being Lady Gaga's number one album Joanne. With big names lined up for Wednesday's CMA Awards, which airs live on ABC, the contenders will have to battle it out to win the coveted Entertainer Of The Year title.

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Click here to watch the 2016 CMA Awards live online on the official website of ABC on 2 November at 8pm EST. Alternatively, you can also watch it on the official website of the CMA Awards for live updates of the event or follow their Facebook page and Twitter account for more details.

The golden jubilee year of the CMA Awards is all the more special because of the tight line-up of nominees that includes two-time winner Luke Bryan and wild card entry Carrie Underwood along with Chris Stapleton, Garth Brooks and Keith Urban.

Speaking of Underwood, the American Idol breakthrough is set to take the CMA stage by storm as she returns as the host for the ninth time alongside Brad Paisley.

Apart from her strong presence in the music scene and at the award ceremony, Underwood has been identified for her country-inspired sartorial choices over the year. Speaking about her iconic red dress at the 2005 CMAs, she had said, "I picked a dress, and there wasn't anything crazy or flashy about it. It was just red and simple and elegant and beautiful, and that's how I felt."

Country Music Hall of Famers Charley Pride, Alabama and Alan Jackson are expected to perform on Wednesday along with contemporary acts by Bryan and Miranda Lambert as new faces Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris would also take the stage.

The event will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on ABC this Wednesday.