Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert lead new CMA Awards lineup

ABC and the Country Music Association have announced the first round of performers for the 2026 CMA Awards.

The show airs live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

The program will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.

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

Lainey Wilson will host for the third consecutive year.

Wilson is a 12-time CMA Awards winner.

“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 marks the 60th annual CMA Awards.

The awards began in 1967 and stand as network television’s longest-running annual music awards show.

Ella Langley leads this year’s nominations with nine, tying the record for most nominations by a female artist in a single year.

Her 2025 single “Choosin Texas” is nominated for three CMA awards, including song of the year.

The song surpassed 23 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

That 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, including producer of the year for her work on Langley’s 2025 album, “Dandelion.”

Kacey Musgraves and Ben West each picked up five nominations.

Cody Johnson, another announced performer, also received multiple nominations.

The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore round out the first round of announced performers.

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

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

She was widely known as the queen of country music.

Taylor Swift will be attending the awards show.

She made the announcement on her Instagram page after receiving a nomination for Single of the Year for “I Knew It, I Knew You,” featured in “Toy Story 5.”

The CMA Awards have been broadcast on ABC for decades.

The 2026 show is the 60th edition of the ceremony.

Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena has hosted the event for multiple years.

The red carpet coverage will begin before the main broadcast.

FOX 17 News will be live at the red carpet, providing updates throughout the evening.

The full list of performers may expand in the coming weeks as the CMA announces additional acts.

Langley’s nine nominations place her at the center of attention for this year’s ceremony.

Her record-breaking chart run with “Choosin Texas” has drawn widespread attention to her career.

Lambert’s role as co-writer and producer on that song adds a layer of collaboration that the awards will recognize.

The producer of the year category includes Lambert for her work on “Dandelion.”

Wilson’s return as host for a third year signals the CMA’s confidence in her ability to lead the broadcast.

She has won 12 CMA Awards over her career.

The Dolly Parton tribute is expected to be a major emotional moment of the evening.

Parton’s death in August prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the music industry.

The CMA Awards have historically honored legends with special segments.

Swift’s attendance adds another high-profile element to the night.

She received a nomination for Single of the Year for a song featured in a Pixar film.

The 60th CMA Awards will air from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Viewers can watch on ABC or stream live on Disney+.

The show will be available on Hulu the following day.

The CMA has not yet announced additional performers beyond the first round.

More names are expected to be revealed in the weeks leading up to the ceremony.

The 60th anniversary adds historical weight to the event.

Country music fans are watching closely to see how Langley’s record-breaking year translates into awards.

The show will be produced by the Country Music Association in partnership with ABC.

Bridgestone Arena seats approximately 20,000 people for concerts.

The venue has hosted the CMA Awards since 2006.

Nashville serves as the home base for the country music industry.

The CMA Awards are considered the premier event in the genre.

Langley’s rise has been one of the fastest in recent country music history.

Her album “Dandelion” received critical acclaim and commercial success.

Lambert’s involvement in that album demonstrates her continued influence as a producer.

The 60th CMA Awards will likely draw one of the largest audiences in the show’s history.

ABC has broadcast the ceremony for decades.

The network also airs the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Disney+ has become a streaming home for live events in recent years.

Hulu’s next-day availability allows cord-cutters to watch the show.

The CMA has not released details about the Dolly Parton tribute performers.