The 2026 ACM Awards are almost here. The show airs on Sunday, May. 17. Keep reading to find out everything there is to know about the star-studded ceremony.
When the ACM Awards Are On:
The ACM Awards will air live on Sunday, May 17 at 8:00 PM ET/7:00 PM CT.
Where the ACM Awards Are Taking Place:
The ACM Awards will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
How to Watch the ACM Awards:
The ACM Awards are airing exclusively on Prime Video and Amazon Music. A paid subscription is not required to watch. The ACM Awards will be available to watch for free on Twitch.
Who Is Hosting the ACM Awards:
Shania Twain is hosting the ACM Awards by herself, marking her first time to host the ceremony.
“My intentions are to be there to celebrate all of the fabulous artists out there and to welcome the fans,” Twain tells the Academy of Country Music. “That is hosting. So I’m going to be there with my own personality. I don’t plan on acting my way through it in any way. I’m not really great at being over-scripted because I’m just too spontaneous. And I always mess up when I’m too focused on the teleprompter and a script. So I think I will just have a lot of fun. making it up as I go along, going with the flow.
“That’s the kind of person I am,” she continues. “I am very much an interactive entertainer anyway, so I plan on pulling the audience in. And comedy maybe wouldn’t be the right word for when I’m funny. I think when I’m funny, it’s just very spontaneous and me just being lighthearted and having fun.”
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Who Is Presenting the ACM Awards:
An impressive list of guests will be handing out the ACM Awards this year. Artists presenting this year are Ashley McBryde, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Michael Bublé, Shaboozey, The War and Treaty, and Brothers Osborne’s TJ Osborne. Other presenters include football players Andrew Whitworth and Ryan Fitzpatrick, and NASCAR’s Carl Edwards and Corey LaJoie.
Who Is Performing:
The ACM Awards will have plenty of live music, in addition to giving out trophies. The list of performers 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 Is Nominated for an ACM Award:
This year’s list of ACM Awards nominees is led by women. Megan Moroney leads the list of nominees, with a total of nine nominations. She is followed by Lambert with eight nods; Langley and Wilson, with seven each; Chris Stapleton, with six; Top, with five, and Johnson and Riley Green, who have four nominations.
Anna has already won for New Female Artist of the Year, while Wetmore won New Male Artist of the Year, Stephen Wilson Jr. won for Visual Media of the Year, Langley won Artist-Songwriter of the Year, and Jessie Jo Dillon won the ACM Award for Songwriter of the Year.
See the list of nominees below.
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