The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 with a mission to support, promote, and enhance the advancement of the country music industry worldwide. The Academy, which is comprised of 3,000+ professional members and a newly established Associate Membership (a premium online fan club), is headquartered in Burbank, California.
Every year since 1965, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS has honored the industry's most notable talent. In 1972, the awards show was broadcast for the first time on national television. Since then, the gala ACM AWARDS broadcast has been one of the highest-rated network television music specials in primetime. Tens of millions of people in over 175 countries watch the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS each year.
2004 was a momentous year for the Academy of Country Music as the ACMAs became the first major televised network awards show to offer online voting to all of its members in all categories. (This year, all voting was done online.) It was also the first year that Associate Members of the Academy of Country Music could vote for their favorite video in the category of Video of the Year. In addition, the Academy of Country Music Charitable Foundation was established in 2004. The Foundation supports programs dedicated to the awareness, growth and education of music. It also hosts the Annual Celebrity Golf Classic, Motorcycle Ride and Silent Auction to raise funds for important causes.
