Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 ACM Awards: Nominations and More
The biggest stars in country music are preparing for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.
This year’s awards show will take place on Sunday, May 17, as it shifts from Texas to Las Vegas.
“We are incredibly excited to return to MGM Grand for the 61st ACM Awards next May, a venue filled with rich history and special moments for the Academy. It genuinely feels like a homecoming for us,” expressed Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside in a statement from December 2025. “There’s no better setting for a thrilling, global celebration of Country Music than fabulous Las Vegas!”
Jay Penske, CEO of Dick Clark Productions, mentioned in his statement that 2026 will mark “a special year for the ACMs.”
Continue reading for more information regarding the 2026 ACMs:
Who Will Perform at the 2026 ACMs?
The Academy of Country Music Awards will showcase performances by artists such as Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Riley Green, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves.
2026 ACM Nominations Announced
The nominations for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards were revealed on April 9, with Megan Moroney leading the pack with nine nominations. Following her are Miranda Lambert with eight nods, and both Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson with seven each.
“Nine seems to be a lucky number,” Moroney wrote on her Instagram Stories. “Thank yooouuuuuuu sm @acmawards.”
Moroney is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (as both artist and songwriter), Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, Visual Media of the Year (as both artist and director), and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.
She competes for Entertainer of the Year against Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Wilson, who took home the award in 2025.
“Well good mornin’ @acmawards, nice to see ya?” Wilson commented on her Instagram Stories.
Wilson is also nominated for Song of the Year (as both artist and songwriter), Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, Visual Media of the Year and Female Artist of the Year. Both Moroney and Wilson are contenders for Female Artist of the Year alongside Kelsea Ballerini, Langley, and Lambert. In the Male Artist of the Year category, nominees include Riley Green, Zach Top, Combs, Johnson, and Stapleton.
Additional ACM nominees include Reba McEntire, Shaboozey, 49 Winchester, Gavin Adcock, Avery Anna, Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Mackenzie Carpenter, Kenny Chesney, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Carter Faith, Flatland Cavalry, Caroline Jones, Vincent Mason, Parker McCollum, Muscadine Bloodline, Old Dominion, Rascal Flatts, the Red Clay Strays, Emily Ann Roberts, Thelma & James, Hudson Westbrook, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr.
Who Will Host the 2026 ACMs?
The host for the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards has yet to be announced. Last year, the show was led by Reba McEntire.
How to Watch the 2026 ACMs
The 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17, and will stream simultaneously on Prime Video starting at 8 p.m. ET. Additionally, the show will be available on Amazon Music’s Twitch channel and their independent app.
