60th Annual Country Music Association Awards
| 60th Annual Country Music Association Awards | |
|---|---|
| Date | November 18, 2026 |
| Location | Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Hosted by | Lainey Wilson |
| Most nominations | Ella Langley (9) |
| Television/radio coverage | |
| Network | ABC, Disney+ |
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The 60th Annual Country Music Association Awards will be held on November 18, 2026, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC, Disney+ and streamed the next day on Hulu.[1] Lainey Wilson will return as host for the third consecutive year.[2][3]
Ella Langley leads nominations, with nine, which ties Miranda Lambert and Wilson's record for most nominations gained by a female artist in a single year.[citation needed]
Background
[edit]In May 2026, the Country Music Association announced that its broadcast contract with ABC and Disney would be extended through 2032. They also announced the ceremony would be simulcast live from ABC and Disney+.[4]
On August 25, 2026, the family and estate of Dolly Parton announced that she had died after a "brief battle with cancer".[5][6] Dubbed the "Queen of Country Music", Parton was the 1978 recipient of Entertainer of the Year, she had forty-four CMA award nominations and won nine CMA awards. She also hosted the ceremony twice and was the recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. Parton's profound influence[7][8][9] on popular culture, country music, and the Country Music Association[10] are expected to impact the production of the 60th ceremony; although no dedications or special performances have been announced as of September 2026.
Following her first nomination for Single of the Year in thirteen years, and her first nomination as the main artist, Taylor Swift took to social media stating “Looks like I haven’t yee’d my last haw thank you CMA…See you there Nov 18”, seemingly confirming that the global icon will be attending the ceremony for the first time in ten years.[11]
On September 14, the association announced that Brooks & Dunn, would receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first duo to receive the honor. Composed of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, it is the best selling country duo of all time, 1996 recipients of the Entertainer of the Year award, and currently hold the record for most wins in CMA Awards history, at twenty, including sixteen wins for Vocal Duo of the Year. The duo also hosted the ceremony three times. [12] A statement by the CMA chief executive officer Sarah Trahern accompanying the announcement read, "few artists have left a mark on Country Music quite like Brooks & Dunn. As the most awarded duo in our genre’s history, Kix and Ronnie have spent more than three decades shaping the sound of Country Music. Their music has set a standard that still resonates with new generations of artists, while continuing to win over new generations of fans. We are proud to celebrate everything they’ve given to this genre and the mark they continue to leave on its future".[13]
Nominees
[edit]Nominations were announced on September 10, 2026 on Good Morning America by Lee Ann Womack and Hannah Harper, and were also broadcast on the CMA's official YouTube channel.[14][15] The eligibility period for nominees is from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.[16]
International Awards
[edit]The international nominees were announced on September 3, 2026.[17]
| International Artist Achievement Award | Global Country Artist Award | International Country Broadcaster Award |
|---|---|---|
|
Milestones and achievements
[edit]Some, as reported by Billboard.[18]
- Women account for four of the five nominees in the Single of the Year category for the first time ever.
- Ella Langley's dual nominations for "Choosin' Texas" and "Be Her" make her only the fifth artist in CMA history to ever be nominated twice in the same year for Single of the Year, for two works as the main artist; joining Miranda Lambert (2010), Alan Jackson (2002), Merle Haggard (1970), Johnny Cash (1969).
- Jay Joyce's nomination as a producer on Wilson's "Somewhere Over Laredo" is his fourteenth Single of the Year nomination, putting him second to Tony Brown for most nods in the category as a producer.
- Miranda Lambert surpasses Reba McEntire as the most nominated woman in the Female Vocalist of the Year category, with nineteen. McEntire scored eighteen nods between 1983 and 2017.
- Shane McAnally becomes the most nominated person in the Song of the Year category after earning his eleventh nod for "Dry Spell", breaking a tie with Alan Jackson, who has ten nominations.
- Little Big Town earn their twenty-first consecutive nomination for Vocal Group of the Year, extending the longest consecutive nomination streak in CMA history.
- Brooks & Dunn currently is the most-winning CMA Awards act of all time with twenty wins. They have an opportunity to extend that lead this year.
- Lainey Wilson could become just the second woman to win Female Vocalist of the Year five years in a row. Only Miranda Lambert has accomplished the feat.
- Lainey Wilson could become the first woman to win three Entertainer of the Year trophies.
- Chris Stapleton could extend his Male Vocalist of the Year win count to nine. He currently holds the record in this category with eight wins.
- Ella Langley could win the top five awards in a single ceremony, only accomplished by Alan Jackson (2002).
References
[edit]- ↑ "CMA Awards Nominees To Be Revealed Thursday, September 10".
- ↑ Kreps, Daniel (2026-09-05). "Lainey Wilson to Return as Host of 2026 CMA Awards". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2026-09-05.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (2026-09-05). "Lainey Wilson To Return As Host Of 2026 CMA Awards". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-09-05.
- ↑ Stace, Madi (2026-05-12). "CMA And Disney Extend Relationship Through 2032 -". CMA World. Retrieved 2026-05-23.
- ↑ "Dolly Parton's cause of death is revealed". Los Angeles Times. 2026-08-26. Retrieved 2026-09-01.
- ↑ "Official Announcement: Dolly Parton Passes Away at 80 | Dolly Parton News & Updates". www.dollyparton.com. Retrieved 2026-09-01.
- ↑ "'Music is a great connector': How Dolly Parton became one of the world's best-loved stars". www.bbc.com. 2026-08-25. Retrieved 2026-09-01.
- ↑ Ruggieri, Melissa. "Dolly Parton's death marks the end of an extraordinary era". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2026-09-01.
- ↑ Cochrane, Emily (2026-08-26). "'She Was One of Us': To Tennesseans, Dolly Parton's Death Hits Home". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-09-01.
- ↑ Stace, Madi (2026-08-25). "Country Music Icon And Global Superstar, Dolly Parton, Passes Away At 80 -". CMA World. Retrieved 2026-09-01.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift Confirms She'll Be Attending the CMA Awards 2026 After 10-Year Absence: 'I HAVEN'T YEE'D MY LAST HAW'". People Magazine. September 10, 2026. Retrieved September 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Brooks & Dunn". Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ Stace, Madi (2026-09-14). "Legendary Country Music Duo Brooks & Dunn to Receive The 2026 CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award At "The 60th Annual CMA Awards"". CMA Awards. Retrieved 2026-09-14.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (2026-09-01). "Country Music Association Reveals 2026 CMA Broadcast Awards Finalists". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-09-01.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (September 10, 2026). "Ella Langley Leads Nominations for 2026 CMA Awards: Full List". Billboard.
- ↑ "About". CMA Awards. Retrieved 2026-09-10.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (September 3, 2026). "Lainey Wilson, Tucker Wetmore & More Nominated for 2026 CMA International Awards: Full List of Nominees". Billboard.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (2026-09-01). "Ella Langley Leads Nominations for 2026 CMA Awards: Full List". Billboard.