Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, and more are among the first performers confirmed for the 60th Annual CMA Awards on November 18.
Written by Amanda Tempel
Published: November 5, 2026
The Country Music Association and ABC have revealed the first round of performers for the 2026 CMA Awards, with Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top, and Tucker Wetmore scheduled to take the stage.
The 60th Annual CMA Awards will air live Wednesday, November 18, from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Lainey Wilson returns as host for the third consecutive year as the ceremony celebrates six decades of country music.
The broadcast will also feature a special tribute to Dolly Parton, with additional performers and presenters expected to be announced ahead of the show.
Who Is Performing at the 2026 CMA Awards?
The first eight performers confirmed for the 2026 CMA Awards are:
Cody Johnson
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Tim McGraw
Kacey Musgraves
The Red Clay Strays
Zach Top
Tucker Wetmore
Additional performers, collaborations, and special appearances have not yet been announced. The CMA has also not revealed which songs the artists will perform during the broadcast.
What to Know About the 2026 CMA Awards Performers
Several of this year's confirmed performers are also competing for major CMA Awards.
Ella Langley leads the 2026 nominees with nine nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year. She also earned two nominations each for Single of the Year and Song of the Year. Langley won three CMA Awards in 2025.
Miranda Lambert has seven nominations this year, including Female Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year. With 70 career nominations, Lambert holds the record for the most CMA Awards nominations by a female artist.
Cody Johnson, the reigning Male Vocalist of the Year, has four nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, and Music Video of the Year.
Kacey Musgraves is nominated in five categories, including Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Song of the Year.
Tim McGraw, a newly inducted member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, will perform during the ceremony. McGraw has earned 40 career CMA Awards nominations and is nominated for Musical Event of the Year in 2026.
The Red Clay Strays, the reigning Vocal Group of the Year, return to the CMA Awards stage as nominees in the same category.
Zach Top, who won New Artist of the Year in 2025, has two nominations this year, including Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year.
Tucker Wetmore is among this year's New Artist of the Year nominees, marking his second career CMA Awards nomination.
For a complete breakdown of this year's categories and nominees, see the 2026 CMA Awards nominees.
Dolly Parton Tribute at the 2026 CMA Awards
The 60th Annual CMA Awards will also include a special tribute honoring Dolly Parton and her contributions to country music and entertainment.
The Country Music Association has confirmed the tribute but has not yet announced which artists will participate or what songs will be featured.
Additional details about the tribute are expected as the ceremony approaches.
When and Where to Watch the 2026 CMA Awards
The 60th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 8–11 p.m. ET.
The ceremony will broadcast live on ABC and stream simultaneously on Disney+. It will also be available to stream the following day on Hulu.
Lainey Wilson will host for the third consecutive year, marking her second consecutive year as solo host.
A limited number of tickets are available through the official CMA Awards website.
For more information about the ceremony, including the host, nominees, tickets, broadcast details, and other announcements, visit our complete 2026 CMA Awards guide.
Will More CMA Awards Performers Be Announced?
Yes. The Country Music Association has confirmed that additional performers and presenters will be revealed in the weeks leading up to the November 18 broadcast.
This article will be updated as new performers, collaborations, and special performances are confirmed for the 2026 CMA Awards.