61st ACM Awards Announce Nominations

61st ACM Awards Announce Nominations

Today, the Academy of Country Music® (ACM),  announced nominations for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards, with Megan Moroney, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, and Lainey Wilson receiving the most nominations. The 61st ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across 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 world-renowned MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fans will also be able to watch the broadcast on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, as well as in the Amazon Music app.

 

Returning to the Sunday night timeslot, the Emmy-nominated, star-powered ACM Awards experience will feature unprecedented performances, exclusive collaborations, and unexpected moments from the biggest Country Music stars, including performances by Cody Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, and Riley Green, with more to be announced in the coming weeks. Leading up to the big night, the Academy of Country Music will take over Las Vegas with previously announced ACM Awards week events including “ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends” at Topgolf Las Vegas Friday, May 15 with Lauren Alaina, Randy Houser, and Rodney Atkins, alongside headliner Riley Green, as well as “ACM Next Wave: Country’s Beach Bash” at Mandalay Bay Beach Saturday, May 16 with Ashley Cooke, Braxton Keith, Dasha, Flatland Cavalry, Tucker Wetmore, and more.

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 Langley Publishing; Little Louder Songs; Sony Music Publishing

 
  • 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, Michael Knox

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

About Jerry Holthouse

Music editor for Nashville.com. Jerry Holthouse is a content writer, songwriter and a graphic designer. He owns and runs Holthouse Creative, a full service creative agency. He is an avid outdoorsman and a lover of everything music. You can contact him at JerryHolthouse@Nashville.com

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