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2026 ACM Awards Viewing Guide: When/Where to Watch, Nominees & More

With Country music icon Shania Twain set to host, here's our viewing guide for tonight's Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM Awards).

Tonight's the big night, Country music fans! Hosted by legendary songwriter and best-selling female country artist Shania Twain, the Academy of Country Music (ACM), Prime Video, and Dick Clark Productions present the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM Awards) for the first time. Stemming from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the ACM Awards are set to recognize some of the best and brightest that the genre has to offer – and roll out some pretty great performances along the way. To make sure you've got all of the info that you need, Bleeding Cool has put together a preview/viewing guide that includes when/where to watch, how to follow on social media, a look at the performers & presenters, a rundown of this year's nominees, and much more. But let's kick things off with the basics:

When & Where Can I Check out the 2026 ACM Awards? The 2026 ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories on Prime Video tonight at 8 pm ET / 7 pm CT / 5 pm PT. Fans will also be able to watch the broadcast on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch and in the Amazon Music app. You can follow the 2026 ACM Awards on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, and join the conversation with #ACMawards.

Who's Performing During the 2026 ACM Awards? As of this writing, the lineup of musical artists includes Avery Anna, Blake Shelton, Carter Faith, Cody Johnson, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Lee Ann Womack, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, The Red Clay Strays, Thomas Rhett, Tucker Wetmore, and Zach Top.

Who's Presenting During the 2026 ACM Awards? The lineup of presenters includes Andrew Whitworth (Super Bowl champion and Thursday Night Football analyst), Ashley McBryde (three-time ACM Award-winning artist), Carl Edwards (NASCAR Hall of Famer), Corey LaJoie (NASCAR driver and Stacking Pennies podcast co-host), Keith Urban (2025 ACM Triple Crown Award recipient and 14-time ACM Award-winning artist), Lauren Alaina (ACM Award-winning artist), Michael Bublé (five-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist), Ryan Fitzpatrick (former NFL quarterback and Thursday Night Football analyst), Shaboozey (four-time ACM Award-nominated artist), The War And Treaty (Emmy Award-winning and three-time ACM Award-nominated duo), and TJ Osborne (member of seven-time ACM Award-winning duo Brothers Osborne).

2026 ACM Awards Categories & Nominees

Here's a look at some of the highlights from this year's nominees, followed by a full rundown of the categories and nominees in play for the 2026 ACM Awards:

• Female artists lead with the most nominations, including Megan Moroney with nine nominations, followed by Miranda Lambert with eight nominations, and then followed by Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson, tied with seven nominations each.
• Megan Moroney leads with the most nominations, and the most nominations across categories, with nine total, including her first nomination for Entertainer of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year, and third consecutive nomination for Female Artist of the Year and Visual Media of the Year ("6 Months Later") as an Artist, and her first as Director. Moroney also receives nominations for Song of the Year ("Am I Ok?") as an Artist and Songwriter, 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, the most nominations she's received in a single year since 2016. She receives her 17th nomination for Female Artist of the Year and her ninth nomination for Song of the Year, and 16th total nomination (including Artist and Songwriter credits) in the category.
• Ella Langley, the reigning ACM New Female Artist of the Year, receives seven nominations. This is her first nomination in the Artist-Songwriter of the Year category, as well as her first nomination credited as a Producer for Single of the Year ("Choosin' Texas").
• Lainey Wilson, the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year, receives seven nominations. This marks her fourth consecutive nomination for Female Artist of the Year and third straight nod for Entertainer of the Year, categories she has won every year she's been nominated. Wilson's nomination for Song of the Year ("Somewhere Over Laredo"), marks her fifth consecutive in the category and ninth total nomination overall (including Artist and Songwriter credits) in the category.
• Chris Stapleton, the reigning Male Artist of the Year, receives the most nominations for a male artist with six total, including his fifth consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year and his 11th consecutive nomination for Male Artist of the Year (an award he's won five times).
• Zach Top, the reigning New Male Artist of the Year, receives five nominations, including his first for Male Artist of the Year, Song of the Year ("I Never Lie"), both as an Artist and Songwriter, and for Single of the Year ("I Never Lie").
• Cody Johnson receives his third consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year, as well as his fourth consecutive nomination for Visual Media of the Year ("The Fall").
• Riley Green receives four nominations, his third consecutive for Music Event of the Year, and his first-ever 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 nomination for Entertainer of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year, and his third nomination for Album of the Year (I'm The Problem).
• Luke Combs receives his seventh consecutive nomination for both Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year. A win for Combs in the Entertainer category will also clinch the coveted Triple Crown Award, which consists of an Entertainer of the Year win, plus wins in an act's respective New Artist (Male, Female, Duo or Group) and Artist (Male, Female, Duo or Group) categories. Combs earns his third nomination for Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
• Jelly Roll receives his third consecutive nomination for Entertainer of the Year.
• Parker McCollum receives his first-ever nomination for Album of the Year (Parker McCollum).
• Old Dominion receive their 11th consecutive nomination for Group of the Year. The group has taken home the title every year for the last eight years, passing Rascal Flatts for the most consecutive wins in the category.
• Brothers Osborne receive their 19th overall nomination. This is their 12th consecutive year being nominated for Duo of the Year, an award the pair has brought home four times.
• Kelsea Ballerini receives her ninth nomination for Female Artist of the Year.
• Rascal Flatts receive their 14th nomination for Group of the Year.
• Reba McEntire receives her first nomination since 2020, making this her seventh nomination for Music Event of the Year ("Trailblazer").
• Every Song of the Year nominee is also credited as a songwriter on their respective track, with Miranda Lambert earning two separate nominations in the category.

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

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 [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• 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 Boom Publishing; Little Louder Songs; Sony Music Publishing; Verse 2 Music

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

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

• 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

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 [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

• 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

What's the Fine Print on the 2026 ACM Awards? Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running Country Music awards show and made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, in collaboration with Prime Video. The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions (DCP). Raj Kapoor and Patrick Menton are executive producers, with Kapoor also serving as showrunner. Damon Whiteside serves as executive producer for the Academy of Country Music, and Jay Penske and Barry Adelman serve as executive producers for DCP. John Saade will also continue to serve as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.

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