Women Lead as Moroney, Lambert, Wilson Shine

Nominations for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards are led by Megan Moroney with nine, followed by Miranda Lambert with eight, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each earn seven. Chris Stapleton follows with six nominations, Zach Top secures five, and Cody Johnson receives four.

The 61st ACM Awards will return to Las Vegas on May 17, 2026, broadcasting live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The ceremony will stream exclusively on Prime Video and Amazon Music.

Tickets for the 61st ACM Awards and ACM Awards Week events are currently available at AXS.com. Media and social assets are available HERE.

The Academy of Country Music (ACM), in partnership with Prime Video and Dick Clark Productions (DCP), has officially announced the nominations for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards. Megan Moroney, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, and Lainey Wilson lead this year’s nominations.

The awards ceremony will stream live to a global audience in more than 240 countries and territories on Prime Video on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Viewers will also have access via the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and within the Amazon Music app.

Returning to its Sunday night slot, the Emmy-nominated ACM Awards will once again deliver a high-profile production featuring performances, collaborations, and appearances from major country music artists. Confirmed performers include Cody Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, and Riley Green, with additional acts expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

In the lead-up to the ceremony, the Academy of Country Music will host a series of events throughout Las Vegas as part of ACM Awards Week. These include “ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends” at Topgolf Las Vegas on Friday, May 15, featuring Lauren Alaina, Randy Houser, and Rodney Atkins alongside headliner Riley Green.

Another key event, “ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash,” will take place at Mandalay Bay Beach on Saturday, May 16, featuring performances from Ashley Cooke, Braxton Keith, Dasha, Flatland Cavalry, Tucker Wetmore, and others.

Tickets for both the awards show and associated events are available on AXS.com, offering fans access to a weekend filled with live performances and fan experiences.

Fans can also stream the official ACM Awards playlist on Amazon Music, featuring this year’s nominees, including Megan Moroney, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, and Lainey Wilson.

Nominee Highlights for the 61st ACM Awards

Female artists dominate this year’s nominations. Megan Moroney leads with nine total nominations, including her first nominations for Entertainer of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

She also earns her third consecutive nomination for Female Artist of the Year and Visual Media of the Year (“6 Months Later”) as an artist, along with her first nomination as a director. Additional nominations include Song of the Year (“Am I Ok?”), Single of the Year (“6 Months Later”), and Music Event of the Year (“You Had To Be There”) with Kenny Chesney.

Miranda Lambert, the most decorated artist in ACM Awards history, receives eight nominations, marking her highest total in a single year since 2016. She earns her 17th nomination for Female Artist of the Year and her ninth nomination for Song of the Year, bringing her total nominations in that category to 16 when including both artist and songwriter credits.

Ella Langley, the reigning ACM New Female Artist of the Year, receives seven nominations. These include her first nomination for Artist-Songwriter of the Year and her first recognition as a producer for Single of the Year (“Choosin’ Texas”).

Lainey Wilson, the current ACM Entertainer of the Year, also receives seven nominations. This marks her fourth consecutive nomination for Female Artist of the Year and her third straight nomination for Entertainer of the Year, both categories she has won each time she has been nominated. Her Song of the Year nomination for “Somewhere Over Laredo” represents her fifth consecutive nomination in that category and her ninth overall.

Chris Stapleton leads all male artists with six nominations, including his fifth consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year and his 11th consecutive nomination for Male Artist of the Year, an award he has won five times.

Zach Top, the reigning New Male Artist of the Year, receives five nominations, including his first nomination for Male Artist of the Year, along with Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “I Never Lie,” both as an artist and songwriter.

Cody Johnson earns his third consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year and his fourth consecutive nomination for Visual Media of the Year (“The Fall”).

Riley Green receives four nominations, including his third consecutive nomination for Music Event of the Year, as well as his first nominations for Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe)), and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

Morgan Wallen receives his fourth consecutive nominations for Entertainer of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year, along with his third nomination for Album of the Year (I’m The Problem).

Luke Combs earns his seventh consecutive nomination for both Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year. A win in Entertainer of the Year would secure him the ACM Triple Crown Award, joining past recipients such as Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, and Kenny Chesney. Combs also receives his third nomination for Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

Jelly Roll earns his third consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year. Parker McCollum receives his first nomination for Album of the Year (Parker McCollum).

Old Dominion secures its 11th consecutive nomination for Group of the Year, having won the category for eight straight years. Brothers Osborne earns its 19th overall nomination and 12th consecutive nomination for Duo of the Year, a category they have won four times.

Kelsea Ballerini receives her ninth nomination for Female Artist of the Year, while Rascal Flatts earns its 14th nomination for Group of the Year. Reba McEntire returns with her first nomination since 2020, marking her seventh nomination for Music Event of the Year (“Trailblazer”).

Every nominee in the Song of the Year category is credited as a songwriter on their respective track, with Miranda Lambert earning two separate nominations in the category.

Main Awards Categories

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 [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

Ain’t In It For My Health – Zach Top
Cherry Valley – Carter Faith
Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe) – Riley Green
I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
Parker McCollum – Parker McCollum

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
Choosin’ Texas – Ella Langley
I Never Lie – Zach Top
Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

6 Months Later – Megan Moroney
Choosin’ Texas – Ella Langley
I Never Lie – Zach Top
Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
The Fall – Cody Johnson

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Amen – Shaboozey & Jelly Roll
Don’t Mind If I Do – Riley Green feat. Ella Langley
Trailblazer – Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
You Had To Be There – Megan Moroney & Kenny Chesney

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

6 Months Later – Megan Moroney
A Song To Sing – Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
Cuckoo – Stephen Wilson Jr.
Somewhere Over Laredo – Lainey Wilson
The Fall – Cody Johnson

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

The eligibility period for submissions for the 61st ACM Awards runs from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025. Nomination counts reflect recognition across all eligible categories, including roles as artists, songwriters, producers, or directors.

Winners are selected by voting members of the Academy of Country Music, which now includes more than 5,000 members. The ACM Awards, established in 1966, remain the longest-running country music awards show and became the first major awards program to move exclusively to livestream in 2022 through its partnership with Prime Video.

The 61st ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions. Raj Kapoor and Patrick Menton serve as executive producers, with Kapoor also acting as showrunner. Damon Whiteside represents the Academy of Country Music as executive producer, while Jay Penske and Barry Adelman serve as executive producers for DCP. John Saade continues in his role as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.

Additional performers, presenters, and event details, including the host, will be announced in the coming weeks. The media credential application for on-site coverage in Las Vegas is currently available HERE.