ACM Awards 2026 Nominees and Early Winners Announced
The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will be held Sunday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Megan Moroney received nine nominations, the most of any artist. Several categories including New Female Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year were decided before the primetime broadcast on Amazon Prime Video.
ForbesThe 61st Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday evening at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. m. EST. Megan Moroney leads the field with nine nominations. Miranda Lambert received eight nominations, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each earned seven.
Women dominated this year's nominations according to the organizers. Wilson won the award in both 2024 and 2025. Other nominees include Zach Top, Red Clay Strays, Reba McEntire, Kelsea Ballerini and Shaboozey. The full list of categories covers artist, album, song, group, duo and newcomer honors.
Showrunners announced four winners ahead of the primetime broadcast. Avery Anna won New Female Artist of the Year. Tucker Wetmore won New Male Artist of the Year. Stephen Wilson Jr. received the Visual Media of the Year award for the “Cuckoo” music video. Jessie Jo Dillon won Songwriter of the Year for the third consecutive year.
Year nominees are Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson. Album of the Year nominees include works by Zach Top, Carter Faith, Riley Green, Morgan Wallen and Parker McCollum. Song of the Year contenders feature entries by Miranda Lambert with Chris Stapleton, Megan Moroney, Ella Langley, Zach Top and Lainey Wilson.
Performers scheduled for the ceremony include Ella Langley, Kacey Musgraves and Dan + Shay. The show will update winners throughout the broadcast.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
3 events- May 14, 2026
Forbes publishes the full list of 2026 ACM Awards nominees and pre-show winners.
1 sourceForbes - May 8, 2025
Ella Langley and Riley Green appear at the previous year's ACM Awards.
1 sourceForbes - May 14, 2026
The 61st ACM Awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday evening in Las Vegas.
1 sourceForbes
Potential Impact
- 01
The broadcast on Amazon Prime Video will reach a national audience with live updates on winners.
- 02
The ceremony will feature performances by several nominated artists including Ella Langley.
- 03
Artists with multiple nominations including Megan Moroney and Ella Langley may see increased streams and sales.
- 04
Pre-show awards provide early recognition for Avery Anna, Tucker Wetmore and Jessie Jo Dillon.
Transparency Panel
Related Stories
ibtimes.comSEC Chair Paul Atkins Says Congress Will Pass Crypto Legislation
SEC Chair Paul Atkins stated he is confident Congress will pass crypto market structure legislation. He added that President Trump will sign the bill into law.
asiaone.comIran Says Strait of Hormuz Management Belongs to Iran and Oman
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that control of the Strait of Hormuz must be decided solely by Iran and Oman. The spokesperson also said no agreement has been reached with the United States and that current focus remains on ending the war.
cnbc.comFed Official Highlights Regulatory Barriers to AI Productivity Gains
A Federal Reserve official stated that productivity growth remains key to economic expansion and that regulatory hurdles are the main obstacle to sustained gains from artificial intelligence.