Country Music Industry: CMA Awards Lineup and Records

Ella Langley’s commercial dominance is set to intersect with the country music industry's primary awards ceremony this year. The 2026 CMA Awards will air on November 18, featuring a lineup that includes Langley, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, Cody Johnson, The Red Clay Strays, Tucker Wetmore, and Zach Top.

Langley leads the field with nine nominations, a total that ties the record for the most nominations by a female artist in a single year. Her 2025 single “Choosin’ Texas” holds three specific nominations, including song of the year. The track recently spent 23 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, a streak that broke the previous record held by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Miranda Lambert, who co-wrote and produced the Langley hit, secured seven nominations of her own. These include a bid for producer of the year for her work on the 2025 album “Dandelion.” Lainey Wilson, a twelve-time winner, will host the event from Nashville.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be hosting the CMA Awards again this year, especially with it being the 60th anniversary,” Wilson said in a Thursday press release. “I’ve had so much fun hosting the last two years, and this one’s going to be extra special.”

The program will feature a tribute to Dolly Parton, who died in August at age 80 following a brief battle with cancer. The ceremony runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. A Hulu stream becomes available the following day. Disney serves as the parent company for ABC News and Hulu.

The broadcast marks the 60th anniversary of the awards, with the full list of performers confirmed by the Country Music Association and ABC.