Ella Langley heads CMA Awards lineup
Langley leads this year's nominations with nine, matching the record for female artists.
By Hassan Lawson ·
ABC and the Country Music Association announced the performance roster for the 2026 CMA Awards on Wednesday. Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, and Miranda Lambert headline the list. Also appearing are Kacey Musgraves, Cody Johnson, The Red Clay Strays, Tucker Wetmore, and Zach Top.
Langley currently leads the field with nine nominations. That total ties the record for the most nominations by a female artist in a single year. Her 2025 single, “Choosin Texas,” holds three nominations, including song of the year. The track spent 23 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It broke a record previously held by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
Miranda Lambert co-wrote and produced Langley’s hit single. Lambert earned seven nominations this year. She is nominated for producer of the year for her work on Langley’s 2025 album, Dandelion.
Lainey Wilson, a twelve-time CMA Awards winner, will host the event for the third consecutive year. The show marks the 60th anniversary of the ceremony. Wilson said in a press release on Thursday that she is excited to host again. She noted that the milestone anniversary makes the night extra special.
The program will include a tribute to Dolly Parton. Parton died in August at age 80. Her family described her death as following a brief battle with cancer.
The 2026 CMA Awards air on ABC and Disney+ from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The broadcast will be available to stream on Hulu the following day.
Source: KSLX-FM
