Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert lead CMA Awards performer lineup

Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert are among the first round of performers announced for the 2026 CMA Awards.

The Country Music Association and ABC revealed the initial lineup Thursday.

The show airs live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 18 from 8-11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

It will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.

Langley leads this year’s nominations with nine.

That ties the record for the most nominations by a female artist in a single CMA Awards year.

Her nominations include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.

She also earned two nominations each for Single of the Year and Song of the Year.

Langley’s 2025 single “Choosin Texas” is nominated for three CMA awards, including Song of the Year.

The song surpassed 23 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That broke a record previously held by Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Lambert co-wrote and produced Langley’s hit single.

Lambert earned seven nominations this year.

Those nominations include Producer of the Year for her work on Langley’s 2025 album, “Dandelion.”

With 70 career CMA Awards nominations, Lambert remains the most-nominated female artist in the show’s history.

This year’s recognition includes her 19th Female Vocalist of the Year nomination.

Other performers announced include Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, Cody Johnson, The Red Clay Strays, Tucker Wetmore and Zach Top.

McGraw was announced as a performer in celebration of his being newly inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

He has 40 career CMA nominations.

His latest nod is for Musical Event of the Year.

Johnson is the reigning Male Vocalist of the Year with four nominations this year.

Those nominations are Entertainer, Male Vocalist, Single and Music Video of the Year.

Musgraves has five nominations.

The Red Clay Strays will be defending the title they picked up last year as Vocal Group of the Year.

Tucker Wetmore is contending for New Artist of the Year.

Zach Top enters the night up for two awards.

Lainey Wilson returns as host for the third consecutive year.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be hosting the CMA Awards again this year, especially with it being the 60th anniversary,” Wilson said in a Thursday press release.

“I’ve had so much fun hosting the last two years, and this one’s going to be extra special.”

This year’s show will include a special tribute to the late Dolly Parton.

Parton died in August at age 80 after what her family described as a “brief battle with cancer.”

She was widely known as the queen of country music.

The 2026 ceremony marks the 60th annual CMA Awards.

Show veteran Robert Deaton returns as executive producer.