Ella Langley earns nine nominations, while Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson and several of country music’s biggest names return to the CMA spotlight.
The nominations for the 2026 CMA Awards are officially out, and one thing is immediately clear: Ella Langley’s remarkable rise through Country Music isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Langley leads this year’s field with nine nominations, including a spot in the coveted Entertainer of the Year category. It’s another major milestone in what has become a breakout stretch for the Alabama native, whose Music has gone from rising-country favorite to mainstream success in a relatively short period of time.
She’ll have some serious competition.
Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and reigning winner Lainey Wilson round out the Entertainer of the Year field, creating an interesting mix of established heavyweights and one of the genre’s fastest-rising stars.
And Langley isn’t simply showing up in one or two categories.
Her name appears throughout the ballot.
“Be Her” and “Choosin’ Texas” are both nominated for Single of the Year. Both songs also landed in the Song of the Year category, while Dandelion is up for Album of the Year. Langley is also nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for “Choosin’ Texas.”
Her collaboration with Morgan Wallen, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” adds another nomination in the Musical Event of the Year category.
For anyone who has been watching Langley’s career over the past couple of years, the nominations feel like another sign that she has moved well beyond the “artist to watch” stage.
She’s now competing at the very top of Country Music .
Miranda Lambert Is All Over This Year’s Ballot
Miranda Lambert also has plenty to celebrate.
Lambert returns to the Female Vocalist of the Year category alongside Langley, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves and Lainey Wilson, but some of her biggest contributions this year can be found beyond her individual nomination.
She co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas” with Langley, Luke Dick and Joybeth Taylor. She also worked on Langley’s Dandelion album and appears twice in the Musical Event category.
“A Song To Sing,” Lambert’s collaboration with Chris Stapleton, earned a nomination, as did “Horses and Divorces” with Kacey Musgraves.
It makes Lambert one of the most visible names on the 2026 ballot, even as a younger generation of country artists continues moving into the spotlight.
That combination may be one of the most interesting things about this year’s nominations.
The ballot doesn’t represent a complete changing of the guard. Instead, artists such as Lambert, Stapleton, Combs and Brooks & Dunn are appearing alongside names like Langley, Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr.
A Very Interesting Entertainer of the Year Race
Entertainer of the Year may be especially difficult to predict this time around.
Lainey Wilson comes into the 2026 awards as the reigning winner and will also return as host of the ceremony.
Chris Stapleton and Luke Combs remain two of country music’s biggest touring and recording artists. Cody Johnson continues to build one of the strongest careers in modern traditional country.
Then there’s Ella Langley.
Putting Langley in that company would have sounded like a bold prediction not that long ago. In 2026, however, her place on the ballot doesn’t feel out of place at all.
That alone says a lot about how quickly things have changed.
New Names Continue to Break Through
The New Artist of the Year category is another one worth watching.
Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr. make up this year’s field.
There are also a few notable changes elsewhere on the ballot.
Muscadine Bloodline joins Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay and Thelma & James in Vocal Duo of the Year, while Midland joins Lady A, Little Big Town, Old Dominion and The Red Clay Strays for Vocal Group of the Year.
Traditional country fans will probably find plenty to like about several categories as well. Zach Top’s Ain’t In It For My Health earned an Album of the Year nomination, and Top is once again competing for Male Vocalist of the Year.
Taylor Swift Lands a CMA Nomination
One name that may catch some fans by surprise is Taylor Swift.
“I Knew It, I Knew You” earned a nomination for Single of the Year, placing Swift alongside two Ella Langley songs, Lainey Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo” and Cody Johnson’s “The Fall.”
Considering Swift’s long history with Country Music before becoming one of the biggest pop stars in the world, her return to a CMA category should give fans something else to talk about heading into November.
The Complete 2026 CMA Awards Nominees
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson.
Single of the Year
“Be Her” — Ella Langley
“Choosin’ Texas” — Ella Langley
“I Knew It, I Knew You” — Taylor Swift
“Somewhere Over Laredo” — Lainey Wilson
“The Fall” — Cody Johnson
Album of the Year
Ain’t In It For My Health — Zach Top
Dandelion — Ella Langley
Middle of Nowhere — Kacey Musgraves
Parker McCollum — Parker McCollum
The Way I Am — Luke Combs
Song of the Year
“Be Her” — Songwriters: Smith Ahnquist, Michael Hardy, Ella Langley and Jordan Schmidt
“Beautiful Things” — Songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon, Connie Harrington and Megan Moroney
“Choosin’ Texas” — Songwriters: Luke Dick, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert and Joybeth Taylor
“Dry Spell” — Songwriters: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves and Josh Osborne
“Gary” — Songwriter: Stephen Wilson Jr.
Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves and Lainey Wilson.
Male Vocalist of the Year
Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top and Stephen Wilson Jr.
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady A, Little Big Town, Midland, Old Dominion and The Red Clay Strays.
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Muscadine Bloodline and Thelma & James.
Musical Event of the Year
“A Song To Sing” — Miranda Lambert with Chris Stapleton
“Horses and Divorces” — Kacey Musgraves featuring Miranda Lambert
“I Can’t Love You Anymore” — Ella Langley & Morgan Wallen
“If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” — Carly Pearce & Riley Green
“McArthur” — HARDY, Eric Church, Morgan Wallen & Tim McGraw
Music Video of the Year
“Choosin’ Texas” — Ella Langley
“Dry Spell” — Kacey Musgraves
“Gary” — Stephen Wilson Jr.
“The Fall” — Cody Johnson
“White Horse” — Chris Stapleton
New Artist of the Year
Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr.
Musician of the Year
Tom Bukovac, Jenee Fleenor, Paul Franklin, Rob McNelley and Charlie Worsham.
CMA Awards Turn 60
This year’s ceremony will mark the 60th annual CMA Awards.
The show is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Lainey Wilson will return as host, and the ceremony will air live on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available on Hulu the following day.
With Ella Langley leading the nominations, several longtime CMA favorites returning to familiar categories and a growing group of newer artists making their way onto the ballot, the 60th anniversary show could end up being an interesting snapshot of where Country Music stands in 2026.
Some familiar names are still very much in the fight.
But there are definitely some new boots walking through the door.
Who do you think takes home Entertainer of the Year this year?
