What To Know About The 2026 ACM Awards
The 61st ACM Awards are right around the corner, so if you love watching one of country music’s biggest nights celebrating your favorite artists, here’s what you need to know so you don’t miss a second:
The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards will take place Sunday, May 17, at 8 PM EST, broadcasting live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It’s a shift from recent years, as the show spent the past three years in Frisco, Texas.
At last year’s ceremony, Reba McEntire returned for her 18th time as host, which is a record no one else has come close to. Unfortunately, though, she won’t be back in that role this time around.
While her replacement hasn’t been revealed, the ACMs have a strong history of bringing in country icons to lead the night, so fans can surely expect a pretty solid choice.
Past hosts include Blake Shelton, George Strait, Dolly Parton, Luke Bryan, and more.
As for nominations, that announcement is still to come as well. Usually, we see that news shared in April, so the wait shouldn’t be much longer!
Only music released between January 1 and December 31, 2025, will be eligible for consideration.
At the 2025 ACM Awards, women of country absolutely stole the spotlight. Ella Langley led the night with five wins, including New Female Artist of the Year. Lainey Wilson also made history when she won Entertainer of the Year for the second year in a row.
First Three Performers For The 2026 ACM Awards Revealed
On Thursday, March 19, the Academy of Country Music announced the first round of performers during the event.
Get excited, because Lainey Wilson, Riley Green, and Cody Johnson are all confirmed in the lineup.
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Wilson will give the world premiere of her new single “Can’t Sit Still.” Green will take the stage with his hit “Change My Mind.”
As for Johnson, the song he is singing has not been announced. But, this is his first award show performance since the singer took time off to recover from eardrum surgery at the end of 2025, so there’s no doubt he’s planning something very special.
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Stay tuned for more details on this year’s host and nominees!
Remember, the ACM Awards will be a livestream-only event. On May 17, you can catch the celebration on Prime Video worldwide or on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch.
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