Ella Langley Tops CMA Nominations Ahead of 60th Anniversary Show
Lambert and Wilson anchor the lineup for the Nov. 18 broadcast, which includes a tribute to Dolly Parton.
By Andrew Hayes ·
Ella Langley leads the field with nine nominations for the 2026 CMA Awards.
ABC and the Country Music Association released the performer list for the ceremony scheduled for Nov. 18. The lineup features Langley, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Cody Johnson, The Red Clay Strays, Tucker Wetmore and Zach Top. Langley's tally ties the record for the most nominations in a single year by a female artist.
Her 2025 single "Choosin Texas" received three nods, including song of the year. The track spent 23 consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing the previous record held by Mariah Carey. Lambert, who co-wrote and produced the song, earned seven nominations. She is also up for producer of the year for her work on Langley's album Dandelion.
Lainey Wilson will host the event for the third time. The twelve-time CMA winner noted the occasion marks the 60th anniversary of the awards. "I couldn't be more excited to be hosting the CMA Awards again this year," Wilson said in a press release. "I've had so much fun hosting the last two years, and this one's going to be extra special."
The broadcast will include a tribute to Dolly Parton. Parton died in August at age 80 after what her family described as a brief battle with cancer.
The show airs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Hulu will stream the program the following day. Disney serves as the parent company for both ABC and Hulu.
