The nominees for the 2026 ACM Awards have been announced, and as is typical, there are a few surprises and snubs. Keep reading to find out who has a welcome appearance on this year’s list, and who should have been nominated, but was not.
Surprise: Emily Ann Roberts
Emily Ann Roberts is celebrating her first ACM Awards nomination, and with good reason. The former contestant on The Voice in 2015, Roberts has been releasing music and honing her craft since then. In 2025, she released her Memory Lane project, on Sony Music Nashville. This summer, she is serving as the opening act on Thomas Rhett‘s tour. Roberts is also part of the Opry NextStage Class of 2026. It’s about time she is recognized for her hard work.
Snub: Chris Young
Not only did Chris Young not receive any ACM Awards nominations, but he hasn’t received one since 2022. He’s also never won an ACM Award. His I Didn’t Come Here To Leave record could have been included in the Album of the Year category. And his Top 20 “‘Til the Last One Dies,” certainly could have received a little love. Also, with a voice like his, Male Artist of the Year shouldn’t have been out of the question either.
Surprise: Females Lead the List of Nominees
It seems the era of bro-country is officially over, fortunately. Women lead the list of nominees this year, with Megan Moroney having the most nominations, with a total of nine. She is followed by Miranda Lambert, with eight nods. Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson have seven each.
Snub: Scotty McCreery
This certainly seemed like it would have been Scotty McCreery‘s year to finally be nominated. He had a massive hit with “Bottle Rockets,” his collaboration with Hootie & the Blowfish. At best, the song, his seventh No. 1 single, should have at least been nominated for Music Event of the Year, if not Song of the Year or Single of the Year.
Even more frustrating, McCreery has only received one ACM Awards nomination in his entire career, and it was for New Artist of the Year, in 2011.
Surprise: Carter Faith
It was a welcome surprise to see Carter Faith’s debut studio album, Cherry Valley, nominated for Album of the Year, especially since Faith hasn’t had a huge radio hit yet. But with streaming numbers, radio airplay is having less and less impact on the success of an album. Even more impressive, Faith wrote or co-wrote all 15 tracks on Cherry Valley, teaming up with writers like Shane McAnally, Tofer Brown, Ashley Monroe, and more.
Snub: Blake Shelton
It’s truly shocking that Blake Shelton didn’t get one single nomination. His For Recreational Use Only album came out in 2025, a record that includes two No.1 hits, with “Texas” and “Stay Country or Die Tryin’.” While Album of the Year, Song of the Year, or Single of the Year would have all been reasonable nominations, the video for “Stay Country or Die Tryin'” should have at least received a nomination in the Visual Media of the Year category.
Surprise: Riley Green
We aren’t at all surprised that Riley Green received four ACM Awards nominations. But the fact that his Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe) is nominated for Album of the Year is a bit surprising, albeit a happy one.
Don’t Mind If I Do originally came out in 2024. The deluxe version was released in August of 2025, adding six new songs to the 18-track record, although none of them were singles. Green and Langley are also nominated for Music Event of the Year, for the album’s title track.
Snub: Jordan Davis
If there is a male artist who should have been nominated for something, it’s Jordan Davis. His third studio album, Learn The Hard Way, came out in 2025. The record includes three hit singles, with “I Ain’t Sayin’,” “Bar None,” and “Turn This Truck Around.” His omission is glaring, and not at all reflective of his work as an artist.
Surprise: Miranda Lambert
We all know Miranda Lambert‘s talent as a songwriter, singer, and performer. But her inclusion in Female Artist of the Year is a bit surprising, considering her work in 2025. Lambert didn’t release an album, and only released two singles. “Run,” although a masterclass in songwriting, didn’t hit the Top 30. Her current single, “A Song to Sing,” a collaboration with Chris Stapleton, is still climbing the charts. ” A Song to Sing” is also nominated for three trophies, including Song of the Year.
Snub: Alexandra Kay
We were pretty sure this was going to be Alexandra Kay‘s year to be nominated for New Female Artist of the Year. Her breathtaking Second Wind album came out in the fall, a record that includes her hit single, “Straight For The Heart.” She also tours more than almost any artist around, and actively engages with her fans. All of the female artists in the category are deserving, but so is Kay.
Like Roberts, Kay is also part of this year’s Opry’s NextStage Class of 2026.
Surprise: Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire‘s reign as country music royalty continues. McEntire is nominated for Music Event of the Year, both as an artist and producer, for “Trailblazer,” her collaboration with Wilson and Lambert.
McEntire, who has hosted the ACM Awards multiple times, including in 2025, received her first ACM Award in 1984, for Top Female Vocalist.