Five artists. One of Country Music 's biggest breakout honors.

The 2026 CMA New Artist of the Year field brings together five very different voices: Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr.

Emily Ann Roberts

The Knoxville, Tennessee native first reached a wide audience as a runner-up on The Voice. Since then, Emily Ann Roberts has built a career rooted in traditional country and bluegrass influences, accumulated more than 146 million global streams, released Can't Hide Country and continued expanding her touring footprint.

CRE angle: Her vocals, personality and highly engaged fanbase make Roberts one of the most immediately watchable artists in this year's field.

Tucker Wetmore

Tucker Wetmore enters the race with major momentum. His debut album What Not To includes the Platinum-certified singles “Wine Into Whiskey” and “Wind Up Missin' You,” the latter a No. 1 hit.

Longtime Country Road Entertainment followers also know another part of his story: Wetmore is a CRE Rising 25 graduate.

CRE angle: From Rising 25 graduate to CMA nominee, Tucker's trajectory is exactly the kind of artist-development story CRE was built to follow.

Stephen Wilson Jr.

Stephen Wilson Jr. brings one of the category's most distinctive backgrounds. The southern Indiana native has been a Golden Gloves boxing finalist, a scientist, a guitarist and a songwriter. His acclaimed double album søn of dad established his genre-bending country and roots sound.

For the 2026 CMA Awards, Wilson Jr. is nominated for New Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year for “Gary” and Music Video of the Year for “Gary.”

CRE angle: His songwriter credibility and unmistakable sound give this year's New Artist field a completely different dimension.

Avery Anna

Avery Anna has grown from online discovery into a major streaming and touring presence, building an audience around emotionally honest songwriting and a modern country sound. Songs including “Narcissist” helped introduce her to a much larger audience, while continued releases and live performances have pushed her career well beyond the viral moment that first brought widespread attention.

Her ability to turn vulnerable, real-life experiences into songs that connect with listeners has become one of the defining pieces of her artistry. Her career has now surpassed 1.7 billion global streams, and that momentum has carried her into the 2026 CMA New Artist of the Year field.

CRE angle: Avery represents a new generation of country singer-songwriters who have successfully turned digital discovery into a growing national fanbase and an increasingly important live career.

Carter Faith

Carter Faith has steadily built one of the more distinctive identities among Country Music 's emerging artists. The North Carolina native moved to Nashville after beginning to write songs as a teenager, developing a style that blends classic country storytelling with folk, rock and a cinematic modern edge.

Her rise has included hundreds of millions of global streams and opportunities alongside artists including Little Big Town, Shaboozey, Ella Langley, Keith Urban and Willie Nelson. Her debut album Cherry Valley further established the personal, atmospheric songwriting that has become central to her sound.

CRE angle: Carter may still be a discovery for some casual country listeners, but that is exactly what makes her one of the most interesting names in this year's New Artist race. Her CMA nomination puts a much larger spotlight on an artist who has been building steadily underneath the surface.

Who gets your vote?

Country Road Entertainment will be spotlighting all five nominees individually as CMA night gets closer.

Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts, Tucker Wetmore or Stephen Wilson Jr. — who should take home CMA New Artist of the Year?