CMA Awards 2026 Nominees: Ella Langley's 9 Nods, Predictions & How to Watch
The 60th Annual CMA Awards air live on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, and country music's biggest night is shaping up to be a coronation — or an upset for the ages. Ella Langley leads all nominees with nine nominations, including her first-ever bid for Entertainer of the Year, and she'll be going head-to-head with the very woman hosting the show.
Here's everything you need to know: the full nominees list, the races too close to call, who's predicted to win, and exactly how to watch.
CMA Awards 2026: Date, Time, Venue and How to Watch
The 60th CMA Awards take place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 18, airing 8–11 p.m. ET / 7–10 p.m. CT on ABC, with a live simulcast on Disney+. If you miss it live, the full show streams on Hulu the next day.
Lainey Wilson returns as host for a third consecutive year — and she's pulling double duty, since the reigning Entertainer of the Year is also nominated in that category again. The nominees were revealed on September 10 by Lee Ann Womack and American Idol winner Hannah Harper, covering music released between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.
Ella Langley's Nine Nods: The Story of the Night
Numbers like this don't happen by accident. Langley's nine nominations span nearly every major category: Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Dandelion, and — remarkably — two separate entries in both Single of the Year and Song of the Year ("Be Her" and the record-breaking all-genre No. 1 "Choosin' Texas"). Add a Music Video nomination for "Choosin' Texas" and a Musical Event nod for "I Can't Love You Anymore" with Morgan Wallen, and you get the most dominant ballot performance of the year.
What makes it more interesting is the mentor behind it. Miranda Lambert co-wrote "Choosin' Texas," co-produced the Dandelion album, and produced both of Langley's nominated singles — which is a big reason Lambert herself sits at seven nominations, her biggest CMA showing in years. The student and the teacher could end up splitting votes — or sweeping together.
The Big Races: Entertainer, Vocalists, Album and Song
Entertainer of the Year is the five-way fight everyone will be watching: Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton, and Lainey Wilson. Wilson won it last year, and history says repeat winners are common here — but Langley's momentum is the kind that has ended reigns before.
Female Vocalist of the Year might be the deepest field on the entire ballot: Lambert, Langley, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, and Wilson. Any of the five could win without anyone calling it a shock, which is exactly what makes it must-see.
On the men's side, Male Vocalist pits Combs, Johnson and Stapleton against two fast risers, Zach Top and Stephen Wilson Jr. — the latter also nominated for New Artist of the Year alongside Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts and Tucker Wetmore.
Album of the Year gives us a genuine clash of eras and sounds: Zach Top's Ain't In It For My Health, Langley's Dandelion, Kacey Musgraves' Middle of Nowhere, Parker McCollum's self-titled record, and Luke Combs' The Way I Am. And Song of the Year — the songwriters' award — features Langley's two entries against Megan Moroney's "Beautiful Things," Musgraves' "Dry Spell," and Stephen Wilson Jr.'s deeply personal "Gary."
Taylor Swift Is Back on the Country Ballot
Here's the nomination that broke the internet: Taylor Swift is back at the CMAs for the first time since 2022. Her song "I Knew It, I Knew You" — written for Toy Story 5 — is nominated for Single of the Year, with Jack Antonoff earning a first-time CMA nomination as its co-producer.
Songwriter Liz Rose, a longtime Swift collaborator, told the Tennessean that Swift's return to her country roots was a welcome sight, noting the superstar had "never really left country behind." Whether Nashville's voters agree on November 18 is another question — Swift competing against two Ella Langley singles is about as tough a draw as it gets.
CMA Awards 2026 Predictions: Who Could Win Big
Final voting ran October 1–27 among the CMA's 7,083 voting members, so the winners are already decided — we just don't know them yet. Here's how the smart money reads the major categories:
Entertainer of the Year: Lainey Wilson defending her crown is the safe pick — she's hosting, she's the incumbent, and the industry loves her. But if there's ever been a "moment" candidate, it's Ella Langley with nine nominations. An upset here would define the night.
Female Vocalist: This is genuinely a coin flip between Langley, Lambert and Wilson. Langley's year was bigger; Lambert's legacy is deeper; Wilson's consistency is unmatched. Lean Langley, but don't bet the house.
Album of the Year: Dandelion has the narrative and the nominations behind it. Kacey Musgraves' Middle of Nowhere is the critics' darling that could spoil.
Single of the Year: "Choosin' Texas" was the biggest country song of the eligibility year — an all-genre No. 1. It's hard to see it losing. The only real threat is Langley's other nominee, "Be Her."
New Artist of the Year: Stephen Wilson Jr.'s four total nominations (including Male Vocalist) give him the strongest résumé in the field.
Full List: 2026 CMA Awards Nominees (Major Categories)
Entertainer of the Year: Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson
Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist of the Year: Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top, Stephen Wilson Jr.
Single of the Year: "Be Her" – Ella Langley; "Choosin' Texas" – Ella Langley; "I Knew It, I Knew You" – Taylor Swift; "Somewhere Over Laredo" – Lainey Wilson; "The Fall" – Cody Johnson
Album of the Year: Ain't In It For My Health – Zach Top; Dandelion – Ella Langley; Middle of Nowhere – Kacey Musgraves; Parker McCollum – Parker McCollum; The Way I Am – Luke Combs
Song of the Year: "Be Her"; "Beautiful Things" – Megan Moroney; "Choosin' Texas"; "Dry Spell" – Kacey Musgraves; "Gary" – Stephen Wilson Jr.
Vocal Group of the Year: Lady A, Little Big Town, Midland, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays
Vocal Duo of the Year: Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Muscadine Bloodline, Thelma & James
Musical Event of the Year: "A Song to Sing" – Miranda Lambert with Chris Stapleton; "Horses and Divorces" – Kacey Musgraves feat. Miranda Lambert; "I Can't Love You Anymore" – Ella Langley with Morgan Wallen
New Artist of the Year: Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts, Tucker Wetmore, Stephen Wilson Jr.
Why This 60th Anniversary Show Matters
Sixty years in, the CMAs have seen coronations and chaos in equal measure — and this year's ballot has the ingredients for both. A 27-year-old first-time Entertainer nominee with nine nods. A mentor with seven. A returning host defending her title. Taylor Swift back in the building. Thirteen first-time nominees crashing country's most exclusive party.
Whatever happens at Bridgestone Arena on November 18, it won't be boring. Set the reminder: ABC, 8 p.m. ET.
