The ‘CMT Music Awards’ Weren't Very Country

The 2016 CMT Music Awards were Wednesday evening, and it wasn’t your grandpappy’s country music awards show, as CMT hoped to lasso a much broader audience. The show was hosted by Erin Andrews and NFL Pro Bowler JJ Watt, who hail from the notably country-western states of Maine and Wisconsin, respectively.

Oddly, the first act on the outside stage was Cheap Trick and Billy Ray Cyrus performing the punk song “Surrender.” They then threw to country-western superstar … Pitbull???

The audience did not appreciate having so much “non-country” music featured at the top of the show. Many took to Twitter and wrote things like, “Why do you have to have pop at the country awards and vice versa?”

There was also a heavy amount of social media influence like mean tweets, memes, and Chewbacca mom. There was even an award for “Social Superstar,” which went to Blake Shelton, who didn’t think too highly of the achievement. “CMT’s Social Superstar? That’s not what I was going for, I mean what the hell?” said the country singer. “I didn’t know you could get paid for that but, damn. See that, kids — there’s something for you to strive for.”

There were a few brief country moments like a very short tribute to Merle Haggard and the Oak Ridge Boys performing “Elvira,” but for most country fans, that wasn’t enough.

Check out the best moments from the American Country Countdown Awards:

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