The 2026 return for their 61st annual show Sunday night.
There鈥檚 a lot that’s noteworthy: Women lead the nominations for a second year in a row. will host for the first time, taking over for . The awards ceremony will also take place May 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, leaving the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas, after three years.
And the ACM festivities actually began ahead of Sunday’s event.
Before the show, a few trophies were handed out. Jessie Jo Dillon was named songwriter of the year, becoming the first artist to win three times in a row. Stephen Wilson Jr. was awarded visual media of the year for 鈥淐uckoo.鈥� And Avery Anna and Tucker Wetmore were presented with new female and new male artist of the year, respectively.
Here鈥檚 what you need to know before the main ACMs attraction begins.
How to watch the ACMs
The 2026 ACM Awards will stream on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, as well as the Amazon Music app, on May 17 at 8 p.m. EDT.
This year鈥檚 ACM Awards nominees
Women dominate the 2026 ACM Award nominations. First up: , who leads with nine nods.
She鈥檚 followed by , the most-decorated artist in ACM Awards history, with eight, as well as Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson with seven each.
Then there’s Chris Stapleton with six, Zach Top with five and Cody Johnson with four.
In addition to Moroney, those competing for entertainer of the year are Wilson, Stapleton, Johnson, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen.
In the album of the year category, faces off against Top鈥檚 鈥淎in鈥檛 in It for My Health,鈥� Riley Green鈥檚 鈥淒on鈥檛 Mind If I Do,鈥� and first-time nominee Carter Faith鈥檚 鈥淐herry Valley.鈥�
Who鈥檚 performing at the ACM Awards
Performers will include Lambert, Langley, Top, Wilson, Johnson, Green, Faith, Anna, Wetmore, McCollum, Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, The Red Clay Strays, Thomas Rhett and Lee Ann Womack.
McCollum and Womack will perform 鈥淜illin鈥� Me鈥� from . All the nominees in the album of the year category will perform, except for Wallen.
Who鈥檚 presenting at the ACM Awards
, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Michael Bubl茅, Shaboozey, The War and Treaty, and TJ Osborne are among this year’s presenters.
There will also be a few non-musician presenters: Super Bowl champion Andrew Whitworth, NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards, NASCAR driver and podcast host Corey LaJoie and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
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For more coverage of this year鈥檚 ACM Awards, visit .
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