2026 CMA Awards Nominees: Full List by Category

The nominees for the 60th Annual CMA Awards have been announced. See the complete 2026 CMA Awards nominees for Entertainer, Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist, Album, Single, Song, New Artist, and every other category.

Written by Amanda Tempel

Date Published: August 31, 2026

Last Updated: September 10, 2026

The nominees for the 2026 CMA Awards have been announced, with Ella Langley leading all nominees with nine nominations. The 60th Annual CMA Awards will take place Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Langley is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Musical Event of the Year, and Music Video of the Year, among her nine total nominations.

Below is the complete list of 2026 CMA Awards nominees by category. For more information about the ceremony, host, tickets, performers, streaming, and other updates, visit our complete 2026 CMA Awards guide.

2026 CMA Awards Quick Details

Nominees Announced: September 10, 2026

CMA Awards Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026

Time: 8/7c

Location: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville

Host: Lainey Wilson

TV: ABC

Streaming: Disney+ live and Hulu the following day

2026 Eligibility Period: July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026

Final Voting: October 1–October 27, 2026

2026 CMA Awards Nominees

Entertainer of the Year

• Luke Combs  

• Cody Johnson  

• Ella Langley  

• Chris Stapleton  

• Lainey Wilson

See the complete history of CMA Entertainer of the Year winners and nominees.

Female Vocalist of the Year

• Miranda Lambert 

• Ella Langley 

• Megan Moroney 

• Kacey Musgraves 

• Lainey Wilson

See every CMA Female Vocalist of the Year winner and nominee.

Male Vocalist of the Year

• Luke Combs 

• Cody Johnson 

• Chris Stapleton 

• Zach Top  

• Stephen Wilson Jr.

Vocal Group of the Year

• Lady A 

• Little Big Town 

• Midland 

• Old Dominion 

• The Red Clay Strays

See every CMA Male Vocalist of the Year winner and nominee.

Vocal Duo of the Year

• Brooks & Dunn 

• Brothers Osborne 

• Dan + Shay 

• Muscadine Bloodline 

• Thelma & James 

See every CMA Vocal Duo of the Year winner and nominee.

New Artist of the Year

• Avery Anna 

• Carter Faith 

• Emily Ann Roberts 

• Tucker Wetmore 

• Stephen Wilson Jr. 

See the complete history of CMA New Artist of the Year winners and nominees.

Album of the Year

• Ain’t In It For My Health - Zach Top

• Dandelion - Ella Langley

• Middle of Nowhere - Kacey Musgraves

• Parker McCollum - Parker McCollum

• The Way I Am - Luke Combs

See the complete history of CMA Album of the Year winners and nominees.

Single of the Year

• “Be Her” - Ella Langley

• “Choosin’ Texas” - Ella Langley

• “I Knew It, I Knew You” - Taylor Swift

• “Somewhere Over Laredo” - Lainey Wilson

• “The Fall” - Cody Johnson

See every Single of the Year nominee in year’s past.

Song of the Year

• “Be Her”  

  • Songwriters: Smith Ahnquist, Michael Hardy, Ella Langley, Jordan Schmidt 

• “Beautiful Things” 

  • Songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon, Connie Harrington, Megan Moroney 

• “Choosin’ Texas”  

  • Songwriters: Luke Dick, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor 

• “Dry Spell” 

  • Songwriters: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne 

• “Gary” 

  • Songwriter: Stephen Wilson Jr.  

Musical Event of the Year

• “A Song To Sing” – Miranda Lambert (with Chris Stapleton) 

  • Producer: Dave Cobb 

• “Horses and Divorces” – Kacey Musgraves (feat. Miranda Lambert) 

  • Producers: Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian 

• “I Can’t Love You Anymore” – Ella Langley & Morgan Wallen 

  • Producers: Austin Goodloe, Ella Langley, Ben West 

• “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” – Carly Pearce & Riley Green 

  • Producers: Carly Pearce, Ben West 

• “McArthur” – HARDY, Eric Church, Morgan Wallen & Tim McGraw 

  • Producer: Jay Joyce 

Music Video of the Year

• “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley 

  • Directors: Ella Langley, Caylee Robillard, Wales Toney  

• “Dry Spell” – Kacey Musgraves 

  • Directors: Hannah Lux Davis, Kacey Musgraves 

• “Gary” – Stephen Wilson Jr.  

  • Directors: Tim Cofield, Stephen Wilson Jr. 

• “The Fall” – Cody Johnson 

  • Director: Dustin Haney 

• “White Horse” – Chris Stapleton 

  • Director: Running Bear 

See every CMA Music Video of the Year winner and nominee.

Musician of the Year

• Tom Bukovac – Guitar  

• Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle 

• Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar 

• Rob McNelley – Guitar 

• Charlie Worsham – Guitar 

How Are the CMA Awards Nominees Chosen?

CMA Awards nominations are determined through voting by eligible members of the Country Music Association's professional membership.

The awards recognize work by country artists as well as songwriters, producers, mix engineers, musicians, and music video directors.

Following the nomination process, CMA members will vote again to determine the winners of the 2026 CMA Awards.

When Are the 2026 CMA Awards?

The 60th Annual CMA Awards will take place Wednesday, November 18, 2026, live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

The show will air live on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available the following day on Hulu.

For additional information about the ceremony, including the date, time, host, performers, presenters, streaming options, and tickets, see our complete 2026 CMA Awards guide.

When Do 2026 CMA Awards Tickets Go on Sale?

Tickets for the 60th Annual CMA Awards are scheduled to go on sale Friday, September 18 at 10:00 AM CT.

The ceremony will be held November 18 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

2026 CMA Awards Nominees FAQ

When were the 2026 CMA Awards nominees announced?

The 2026 CMA Awards nominees were announced Thursday, September 10, 2026.

Who is nominated for 2026 CMA Entertainer of the Year?

Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton, and Lainey Wilson are nominated for 2026 CMA Entertainer of the Year.

Who is nominated for 2026 CMA New Artist of the Year?

Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts, Tucker Wetmore, and Stephen Wilson Jr. are nominated for 2026 CMA New Artist of the Year.

When are the 2026 CMA Awards?

The 60th Annual CMA Awards will take place Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

Who is hosting the 2026 CMA Awards?

Lainey Wilson will host the 60th Annual CMA Awards.

What channel are the 2026 CMA Awards on?

The 2026 CMA Awards will air live on ABC and Disney+ at 8/7c. The show will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.

When does voting for the 2026 CMA Awards end?

The CMA Awards Final Ballot opens October 1 and closes October 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CT. Eligible CMA Professional voting members determine the winners.