The countdown to the biggest night in music starts on December 5, with The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! taking place in Nashville, Tennessee.

The concert, airing December 5 on CBS, officially kicks off the Grammy season by revealing the nominations for the upcoming show. This year, for the first time ever, the nominees concert is leaving its usual stomping grounds in Los Angeles to head down to the country music capital of the world.

“This announcement further validates that Nashville is a destination on the rise, and our rich musical heritage has once again put us on the national stage,” Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said in a statement. “This is tremendous news for Nashville, and we look forward to working with The Recording Academy to ensure the show’s success.”

President/CEO of The Recording Academy^® Neil Portnow agreed that the Tennessee city was the perfect choice for this year’s concert.

“Nashville’s rich musical and cultural history is so important and vital to our industry, and indeed the world… We look forward to celebrating the year in music in such a passionate, vibrant and flourishing city,” he said in a statement.

The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! airs Wednesday, December 5 on CBS at 10 pm EST.

The 55^th Annual Grammy Awards will take place at the Staples Center in L.A. on February 10, also airing on CBS.

-Shannon Carlin, CBS Local