2026 CMA Awards Nominations Predictions: Our Picks for Top Prizes

Entertainer of the Year

Luke Combs

Ella Langley

Megan Moroney

Morgan Wallen

Lainey Wilson

With a Billboard 200 chart-topping album, a 21-week-at-No. 1 Hot 100 juggernaut with “Choosin’ Texas” and an in-demand headlining tour,  it’s hard to imagine that Langley wouldn’t secure a slot in this year’s top five. Moroney just concluded a titan of a headlining arena tour in the U.S. and will take the outing overseas this month. She also earned her first Billboard 200 chart-topping project, giving her a strong potential to earn her first CMA entertainer of the year nomination. Meanwhile, previous CMA entertainer of the year Morgan Wallen launched his stadium-headlining Still the Problem Tour and continued notching hits including the Langley collab “I Can’t Love You Anymore” and his own “Don’t We.” Former two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner Luke Combs recently concluded his stadium-headlining My Kinda Saturday Night Tour and has earned hits in the past year including “Sleepless in a Hotel Room.” Meanwhile, reigning CMA EOTY champ Wilson wrapped her headlining Whirlwind World Tour in November, but has continued releasing new music including the John Mayer collab “Phone, Keys, Wallet.” — J.N.

Luke Combs

Riley Green

Cody Johnson

Chris Stapleton

Zach Top

This is a tremendously competitive category this year. Combs, reigning winner Johnson and Stapleton are perennial nominees and remain deserving. (Stapleton has either won or been nominated for the past 11 years in a row and Combs the past eight.) Riley Green, whose career has taken off like a rocket the past two years, will likely get his first nomination in the category and Top, last year’s best new artist winner, will receive his second, which means Morgan Wallen, despite having another great year, will likely not get nominated for the first time in five years. – M.N.

Kelsea Ballerini

Miranda Lambert

Ella Langley

Megan Moroney

Lainey Wilson

Miranda Lambert has been nominated for this award 18 times and has won seven times, the most of any woman. She likely lands her 19th nomination here in part for her work with Langley. She co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas,” but the two also duet on Dandlion‘s beautiful “Butterfly Season.” Lambert also teamed with Chris Stapleton for “A Song to Sing.” In addition to Lambert and Langley, look for reigning winner Wilson to also land in the top five, as well as Moroney and Ballerini, making the nominations likely the same as last year. — J.N.

Carter Faith

Stella Lefty

Hudson Westbrook

Tucker Wetmore

Stephen Wilson Jr. 

There’s no shortage of hot new artists to choose from in the category, which is yielding one of the strongest slates in years. Wetmore, who won in this category at the ACMs in May, almost seems too experienced to get a nod, but his success shouldn’t count against him, and he feels like a shoo-in to get nominated after losing to Top last year (Artists can be nominated twice in this category; Wilson was also nominated last year). There’s a bit of controversy surrounding Lefty after she has had to add co-writers to three of her songs, but she has brought a real excitement to the genre. It would have been easy to go 10 deep here and have them all be legitimate contenders. – M.N.

Flatland Cavalry

Parmalee

Little Big Town

The Red Clay Strays

Old Dominion

Flatland Cavalry currently has a top 40 hit on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “Never Comin’ Back” and is headlining their Work of Heart Tour. Little Big Town has either been nominated or won in this category each year since 2006 and have recently been back in the spotlight with a new album (although it was released after the close of the eligibility period, making the work ineligible, but not the band). Last year’s winners The Red Clay Strays released the new album Grateful earlier this year, while Old Dominion (who won the category from 2018-2024) released the new album Barbara in 2025. Meanwhile, it is long overdue for Parmalee to earn awards nominations recognition, given how consistently they have notched radio hits over the past several years, including 2025 Country Airplay leader, “Cowgirl.” — J.N.

Brooks & Dunn

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

LOCASH

The War & Treaty

Brooks & Dunn, Dan + Shay and Brothers Osborne are automatic nods (you have to go back to 2018 to find a year all three weren’t nominated and it’s been since 2015 that one of the three didn’t win) After Florida Georgia Line went on hiatus, it’s been a struggle to round out the other two nominees with acts that have real traction and airplay.  FGL are back together but shouldn’t get nominated until they put out new music (though voters may disagree). It’s hard to pick a fifth nominee, but The War & Treaty are always deserving even though they are better received outside of country music than in. — M.N.

“Be By You,” Luke Combs

“The Fall,” Cody Johnson

“Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley

“I Knew You, I Loved You,” Taylor Swift

“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson

It’s weird to think that Swift isn’t the leader in any category she’s nominated in, but no one can—or should—beat “Choosin’ Texas” for single of the year (which won the honor at the ACM Awards). The song has singlehandedly upended the music world in 2026, introducing millions of new fans to country music and broken records almost weekly.  If Swift is nominated, it will be her first CMA nomination since “I Bet You Think About Me” for video of the year in 2022 –from Red (Taylor’s Version).   (Her last CMA win was for song of the year for writing “Better Man,” performed by Little Big Town). “The Fall” may be better suited for song of the year but should get a nod in both. – M.N.

Luke Combs, The Way I Am

Cody Johnson, Banks of the Trinity

Ella Langley, Dandelion

Megan Moroney, Cloud 9

Kacey Musgraves, Middle of Nowhere

Ella Langley and Megan Moroney both notched their first all-genre Billboard 200 chart-topping albums in 2026 with Dandelion and Cloud 9, respectively. Each contains some of the artist’s biggest hits to date, so it is hard to imagine either project not getting a nom. Meanwhile, Johnson released another solid album with Banks of the Trinity. He previously triumphed in this category with Leather. Luke Combs’s The Way I Am debuted atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, and houses hits including “Back In The Saddle” and “Be By You,” while he’s previously won in this category twice. Musgraves previously won in this category with Golden Hour, and her newest project marks some of her most traditionally country leaning material in the past few years. — J.N.

“Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley (written by Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert and Joybeth Taylor)

“The Fall,” Cody Johnson (written by Bobby Pinson, Jeremy Stover and Ray Fulcher)

“Beautiful Things,” Megan Moroney (written by Megan Moroney, Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon and Connie Harrington)

“Dry Spell,” Kacey Musgraves (written by Kacey Musgraves, Shane McAnally, Luke Laird and Josh Osborne)

“Be Her,” Ella Langley (written by Ella Langley, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Smith Ahnquist)

This year’s song of the year category has several elegantly written songs that could compete for the top prize. Ella Langley and her juggernaut “Choosin’ Texas” are likely to dominate this year’s nominations, but she could also score a nod for the catchy and resonant “Be Her.” The Cody Johnson-recorded “The Fall” is the kind of introspective, emotional ballad with a timeless, cinematic feel that seems to historically draw CMA voters. Meanwhile, Moroney’s “Beautiful Things” has become a strong fan favorite and chart hit, and could earn her a nomination. Kacey Musgraves is no stranger to this category, having most recently been nominated in the category in 2019 for “Rainbow.” Her bold, wry “Dry Spell” caught fans’ attention and could garner a nod. — J.N.