Ella Langley, Cody Johnson & Miranda Lambert to Rock 2026 CMA Awards

The Country Music Association has announced the first round of performers for the 60th annual CMA Awards.

The ceremony takes place Wednesday, Nov. 18 inside Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The show airs live from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.

It will be available for on-demand streaming the next day on Hulu.

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 press release.

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

The eight performers announced in the first wave include Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert and Ella Langley.

Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore round out the initial lineup.

More performers are expected to be announced in the weeks leading up to the event.

Langley enters the night as the top contender with nine nominations.

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

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

The track spent 23 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That run 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.

West is Langley's co-producer on the album.

Cody Johnson enters with four nominations.

Chris Stapleton and Stephen Wilson Jr. also have four nominations each.

Wilson, Luke Combs and Dave Clauss — Langley's mix engineer — have three nominations each.

Zach Top is up for two awards.

Tucker Wetmore is contending for new artist of the year.

The Red Clay Strays will defend the vocal group of the year title they won last year.

Tim McGraw was announced as a performer in celebration of his recent induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

He has 40 career CMA nominations, with a current nod for Musical Event of the Year.

A special tribute is planned for Dolly Parton, who died in August at age 80.

Her family described her passing as the result of a "brief battle with cancer."

Parton is widely regarded as the queen of country music, with a career spanning more than six decades.

Taylor Swift will also attend the awards show.

She made the announcement on her Instagram page after receiving a nomination for Single of the Year.

Her nominated song is "I Knew It, I Knew You," featured in the soundtrack for "Toy Story 5."

Swift's attendance adds a major pop-culture dimension to the evening.

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

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the ceremony.

Show veteran Robert Deaton returns as executive producer.

Alan Carter is back as director.

Jon Macks serves as the telecast's head writer.

The red carpet coverage will begin before the main broadcast.

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

The full list of performers announced so far includes Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore.

Langley's nine nominations make her the most-nominated artist this year.

Her record-breaking run with "Choosin Texas" has drawn national attention.

The song spent more than five months at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That achievement is unprecedented in modern country music.

Lambert's seven nominations reflect her continued influence as both a performer and producer.

Her role in shaping Langley's sound has been widely noted in the industry.

Musgraves brings five nominations and a reputation for genre-blending artistry.

Johnson's four nominations include recognition across multiple categories.

The Red Clay Strays are defending their vocal group of the year title.

Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore represent the rising generation of country artists.

Tim McGraw's Hall of Fame induction adds a historic element to the evening.

His 40 career nominations place him among the most honored artists in CMA history.

The broadcast will be available live on ABC and Disney+.

Next-day streaming is available on Hulu.

This marks the third year Lainey Wilson has hosted the ceremony.

Wilson is a 12-time CMA Awards winner.

The show runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Bridgestone Arena in Nashville will host the event.

The venue seats approximately 20,000 people.

Nashville serves as the home of the Country Music Association.

The CMA Awards have been broadcast annually since 1968.

The 60th anniversary is expected to draw a large audience.

Additional performers and presenters are expected to be announced soon.

The nominations list includes a mix of established stars and emerging talent.

Langley's nine nominations place her in elite company.

Only a handful of female artists have reached that number in a single year.

Her success with "Choosin Texas" has been a defining story of 2026 in country music.

The song's 23-week run at No. 1 broke a record set by Mariah Carey in 1994.

Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You" held the record for 32 years.

Lambert's seven nominations include producer of the year.

That category recognizes her work behind the board on Langley's album.

"Dandelion" has been praised for its cohesive sound and songwriting.

The album features contributions from multiple Nashville songwriters.

Ben West, Langley's co-producer, received five nominations.

Dave Clauss, her mix engineer, received three nominations.

The technical and production teams behind Langley's work are being recognized alongside the artists.