Female artists rule the roster of 61st Academy of Country Music Awards nominees, taking the top four spots. Megan Moroney leads with nine nominations, Miranda Lambert scored eight, and Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson followed with seven each. Chris Stapleton’s the top male 2026 ACM Awards nominee, collecting six, followed by Zach Top with five and Cody Johnson with four.
Winners will be announced on Sunday, May 17, 2026 during the awards show airing live on Prime Video beginning at 8pm ET/5pm PT. This year’s ceremony will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Cody Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, and Riley Green are confirmed to perform. Tickets to the ACM Awards are on sale at AXS.com.
2026 ACM Main Awards Nominees:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• Luke Combs
• Jelly Roll
• Cody Johnson
• Megan Moroney
• Chris Stapleton
• Morgan Wallen
• Lainey Wilson
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Kelsea Ballerini
• Miranda Lambert
• Ella Langley
• Megan Moroney
• Lainey Wilson
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Luke Combs
• Riley Green
• Cody Johnson
• Chris Stapleton
• Zach Top
GROUP OF THE YEAR
• 49 Winchester
• Flatland Cavalry
• Old Dominion
• Rascal Flatts
• The Red Clay Strays
DUO OF THE YEAR
• Brooks & Dunn
• Brothers Osborne
• Dan + Shay
• Muscadine Bloodline
• Thelma & James
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Avery Anna
• Mackenzie Carpenter
• Dasha
• Caroline Jones
• Emily Ann Roberts
NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
• Gavin Adcock
• Vincent Mason
• Shaboozey
• Hudson Westbrook
• Tucker Wetmore
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
• Ain’t In It For My Health – Zach Top
Producer: Carson Chamberlain
Record Company-Label: Leo33
• Cherry Valley – Carter Faith
Producer: Tofer Brown
Record Company-Label: Gatsby Records / MCA
• Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe) – Riley Green
Producer: Dann Huff, Michael Knox
Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
• I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
Producers: Joey Moi, Charlie Handsome, Jacob Durrett
Record Company-Label: Big Loud Records
• Parker McCollum – Parker McCollum
Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse
Record Company-Label: MCA
SONG OF THE YEAR
• A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure
Publishers: I Wrote These Songs; Pink Dog Publishing; Songs for the Munch Music; Songs of Influence; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
• Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
Songwriters: Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon
Publishers: Big Ass Pile of Dimes Music; Big Music Machine
• Choosin’ Texas – Ella Langley
Songwriters: Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor
Publishers: Bada Bing & Bada Langley Publishing; Little Louder Songs; Sony Music Publishing
• I Never Lie – Zach Top
Songwriters: Zach Top, Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols
Publishers: Music and Magazine Publishing; Rio Bravo Music Inc; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; Too Broke to Quit Music; Zach Top Music
• Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
Songwriters: Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Andy Albert, Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg
Publishers: Concord Sounds; Dtown Boogie Music; Emi Feist Catalog Inc; Songs Of Riser House; Songs Of Wild Cat Well Music; Sony/ATV Countryside; Story Farmer; Tacklebox Music Publishing
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
• 6 Months Later – Megan Moroney
Producers: Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Sony Music Nashville / Columbia Records
• Choosin’ Texas – Ella Langley
Producers: Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Ben West
Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records
• I Never Lie – Zach Top
Producers: Carson Chamberlain
Record Company-Label: Leo33
• Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
Producers: Jay Joyce
Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Broken Bow Records
• The Fall – Cody Johnson
Producers: Trent Willmon
Record Company-Label: CoJo Music / Warner Records Nashville
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR
• A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb
Record Company-Label: Republic Records
• Amen – Shaboozey & Jelly Roll
Producers: Danny Majic, Nevin Sastry, Sean Cook
Record Company-Label: Empire
• Don’t Mind If I Do – Riley Green feat. Ella Langley
Producers: Dann Huff, Michael Knox
Record Company-Label: Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment
• Trailblazer – Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
Producers: Tony Brown, Reba McEntire
Record Company-Label: MCA
• You Had To Be There – Megan Moroney & Kenny Chesney
Producers: Kristian Bush
Record Company-Label: Sony Music Nashville / Columbia Records
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR
• 6 Months Later – Megan Moroney
Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: CeCe Dawson, Megan Moroney
• A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Producers: James Stratakis
Director: Alexa King Stone, Stephen Kinigopoulos
• Cuckoo -Stephen Wilson, Jr.
Producers: Tim Cofield
Director: Tim Cofield
• Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
Producers: Katie Babbage
Director: TK McKamy
• The Fall – Cody Johnson
Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry
Director: Dustin Haney
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
• Jessie Jo Dillon
• Ashley Gorley
• Charlie Handsome
• Chase McGill
• Blake Pendergrass
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
• Luke Combs
• Riley Green
• Ella Langley
• Megan Moroney
• Morgan Wallen
Megan Moroney’s 2026 ACM Awards nominations come in the Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (Artist and Songwriter nominations), Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, Visual Media of the Year (Artist and Director nominations), and Artist-Songwriter of the Year categories.
Miranda Lambert was nominated in the Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (“A Song To Sing” – Artist and Songwriter nominations), Song of the Year (“Choosin’ Texas” – Songwriter nomination), Single of the Year (Producer nomination), Music Event of the Year (“A Song To Sing” and “Trailblazer”), and Visual Media of the Year categories.
