The 2026 CMA Awards nominations are set to be revealed Thursday, Sept. 10, as the Country Music Association prepares to announce the nominees for the 60th annual ceremony. The announcement will begin on ABC’s Good Morning America with Lara Spencer revealing selected categories before the remaining nominations are unveiled during a livestream hosted by Lee Ann Womack and American Idol Season 24 winner Hannah Harper.
Ahead of the announcement, Billboard has released its predictions for several of the ceremony’s major categories. Ella Langley is projected to emerge as one of the biggest nomination leaders after a year that included major chart success and the continued momentum of her breakout single “Choosin’ Texas.” Billboard predicts Langley will receive nominations in entertainer of the year, female vocalist of the year, single of the year, album of the year and song of the year, among other categories.
The entertainer of the year field is predicted to include Luke Combs, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Morgan Wallen and reigning winner Lainey Wilson. Langley’s prediction comes after “Choosin’ Texas” spent 21 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while Moroney is coming off an arena tour and a Billboard 200-topping album. Wilson, who is also returning as host of this year’s ceremony, remains in contention after another year of releases and touring.
In the male vocalist of the year category, Billboard predicts nominations for Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Zach Top. Green is expected to make his first appearance in the category following a significant rise in his profile, while Stapleton and Combs continue lengthy nomination streaks. Morgan Wallen, despite another successful year, is predicted to miss the category after five consecutive years of nominations.
The female vocalist of the year predictions include Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson. Lambert is projected to receive her 19th nomination in the category, where she has already won seven times. Langley, Moroney and Wilson are also expected to return to the field, while Ballerini is predicted to remain among the nominees.
The new artist of the year category is expected to be particularly competitive. Billboard’s predictions include Carter Faith, Stella Lefty, Hudson Westbrook, Tucker Wetmore and Stephen Wilson Jr. Wetmore is entering the CMA nomination conversation after winning the comparable new artist honor at the ACM Awards earlier this year.
For single of the year, Billboard predicts nominations for Luke Combs’ “Be By You,” Cody Johnson’s “The Fall,” Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You, I Loved You” and Lainey Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo.” A nomination for Swift would mark her return to the CMA nominations after her most recent nomination came in 2022.
The album of the year predictions include Luke Combs’ The Way I Am, Cody Johnson’s Banks of the Trinity, Ella Langley’s Dandelion, Megan Moroney’s Cloud 9 and Kacey Musgraves’ Middle of Nowhere. Langley and Moroney both reached No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 with their 2026 albums, while Combs and Johnson have previously won the CMA album prize.
Billboard’s song of the year predictions include “Choosin’ Texas” by Langley, “The Fall” by Johnson, “Beautiful Things” by Moroney, “Dry Spell” by Musgraves and “Be Her,” another Langley song. The predictions also point to a potentially strong showing for Langley across several major categories when the official nominations are announced.
The 2026 CMA Awards eligibility period covers music and related work released or reaching peak national prominence between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Nominees are selected by CMA professional voting members, with the final ballot scheduled for October before winners are announced during the ceremony on Nov. 18 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
The 60th annual CMA Awards will air live on ABC and stream on Disney+ on Nov. 18, with next-day streaming available on Hulu. Lainey Wilson will host the ceremony for the third consecutive year and the second time as a solo host.
