Megan Moroney Leads 2026 ACM Awards Nominations
Why it matters: Megan Moroney's nine nominations and the strong female presence set the tone for the 2026 ACM Awards.
- Megan Moroney secured nine nominations, including her first for Entertainer of the Year, leading all artists for the 2026 ACM Awards.
- Women artists dominated the nominations, with Miranda Lambert receiving eight nods, and Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each earning seven, significantly outpacing the closest male nominee, Chris Stapleton, who has six.
- Carter Faith earned her first-ever nomination for Album of the Year with "Cherry Valley," an album Rolling Stone named the Number Two best country album of 2025, despite her curious absence from the New Female Artist of the Year category.
- Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" is nominated for both Single of the Year and Song of the Year, following its five nonconsecutive weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot 100.
- The 61st ACM Awards will stream live on Prime Video from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17, at 8 p.m./ET.
Megan Moroney leads the 2026 ACM Awards nominations with nine nods, including her first for Entertainer of the Year, signaling a strong year for women in country music, with Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, and Lainey Wilson also receiving multiple nominations. The Album of the Year category features a competitive field of rising stars, notably Carter Faith's "Cherry Valley," which Rolling Stone previously lauded as a top country album of 2025. Ella Langley's pop-crossover hit "Choosin' Texas" is a strong contender for both Single and Song of the Year.
