Megan Moroney landed her first ever nomination for Entertainer of the Year and led all nominees, with nine, when the nominations for the 2026 ACM Awards were announced on Thursday morning.
Moroney’s strong showing set the tone for this year’s nominations, which were dominated by women. Miranda Lambert scored eight nods, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each had seven: The closest male nominee was Chris Stapleton, with six.
Moroney and Stapleton both appear in the field for the top prize of Entertainer of the Year, along with Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen, and last year’s winner, Wilson.
The most interesting race looks to be for Album of the Year, a category that is stocked with rising stars, including Zach Top for Ain’t in It for My Health, Riley Green for the deluxe edition of Don’t Mind If I Do, Parker McCollum for his self-titled LP, and Carter Faith for her superb Cherry Valley, which Rolling Stone named the Number Two best country album of 2025. The nomination for Faith’s debut album makes her a first-time nominee. Curiously, the North Carolina native is not nominated in the New Female Artist of the Year category.
Langley, meanwhile, scored Single of the Year and Song of the Year nominations for “Choosin’ Texas,” her massive pop-crossover hit that has spent five nonconsecutive weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot 100. In the Song category, “Choosin’ Texas” will face off with Lambert and Stapleton’s “A Song to Sing,” Moroney’s “Am I Okay?”, Top’s “I Never Lie,” and Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo.”
The 61st ACM Awards return to Las Vegas and the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 17. The show streams live on Prime Video, beginning at 8 p.m./ET. A host announcement is expected soon.
61st annual ACM Awards nominations:
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Combs
Jelly Roll
Cody Johnson
Megan Moroney
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Female Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Lainey Wilson
Male Artist of the Year
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
Group of the Year
49 Winchester
Flatland Cavalry
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays
Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
Thelma & James
New Female Artist of the Year
Avery Anna
Mackenzie Carpenter
Dasha
Caroline Jones
Emily Ann Roberts
New Male Artist of the Year
Gavin Adcock
Vincent Mason
Shaboozey
Hudson Westbrook
Tucker Wetmore
Album of the Year
Ain’t in It for My Health, Zach Top
Cherry Valley, Carter Faith
Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe), Riley Green
I’m the Problem, Morgan Wallen
Parker McCollum, Parker McCollum
Song of the Year
“A Song to Sing,” Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton (Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Jenee Fleenor, Jesse Frasure)
“Am I Okay?,” Megan Moroney (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon)
“Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley (Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor)
“I Never Lie,” Zach Top (Zach Top, Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols)
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson (Lainey Wilson, Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Andy Albert, Harold Arlen & Yip Harburg)
Single of the Year
“6 Months Later,” Megan Moroney
“Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley
“I Never Lie,” Zach Top
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson
“The Fall,” Cody Johnson
Music Event of the Year
“A Song to Sing,” Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
“Amen,” Shaboozey & Jelly Roll
“Don’t Mind If I Do,” Riley Green feat. Ella Langley
“Trailblazer,” Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
“You Had to Be There,” Megan Moroney & Kenny Chesney”
Visual Media of the Year
“6 Months Later,” Megan Moroney
“A Song to Sing,” Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton
“Cuckoo,” Stephen Wilson Jr.
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson
“The Fall,” Cody Johnson
Songwriter of the Year
Jessie Jo Dillon
Ashley Gorley
Charlie Handsome
Chase McGill
Blake Pendergrass
Artist-Songwriter of the Year
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Morgan Wallen
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