Choosin' Ella: Langley Leads CMAs Field With Record-Tying Nine Nominations
The CMA Awards will turn 60 this year with a field led by SAWGOD/Columbia’s Ella Langley, who racked up nine nominations.
She now ties Miranda Lambert for most nods for a female artist. Langley’s record-setting “Choosin’ Texas” and “Be Her,” both from her nominated album Dandelion, will compete with each other for Single of the Year and Song of the Year.
MCA’s Lambert, Langley’s main collaborator on Dandelion, was the second-most-nominated artist, with seven acknowledgments. Lost Highway’s Kacey Musgraves and Dandelion producer Ben West each scored five.
Chris Stapleton (Mercury Nashville), Cody Johnson (Warner Nashville) and Stephen Wilson Jr. (Big Loud) earned four noms apiece, while show host Lainey Wilson (Broken Bow), Luke Combs (Sony Nashville) and mix engineer Dave Clauss collected three each.
The always closely watched Entertainer of the Year race will be run by Langley, Stapleton, Johnson, Combs and Wilson, who will host for a third consecutive year.
Taylor Swift (Republic) is nominated for Single of the Year for her Toy Story 5 song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” which recently topped country radio charts.
The CMAs will be held Nov. 18 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and broadcast live on ABC. See the full list of the nominations here.
2026 CMA AWARD NOMINEES
Album of the Year
Ain’t in It for My Health, Zach Top
Dandelion, Ella Langley
Middle of Nowhere, Kacey Musgraves
Parker McCollum, Parker McCollum
The Way I Am, Luke Combs
Single of the Year
“Be Her,” Ella Langley
“Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley
“I Knew It, I Knew You,” Taylor Swift
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson
“The Fall,” Cody Johnson
Song of the Year
“Be Her,” songwriters: Smith Ahnquist, Michael Hardy, Ella Langley, Jordan Schmidt
“Beautiful Things,” songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon, Connie Harrington, Megan Moroney
“Choosin’ Texas,” songwriters: Luke Dick, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor
“Dry Spell,” songwriters: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne
“Gary,” songwriter: Stephen Wilson Jr.
Female Vocalist
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
Stephen Wilson Jr.
Vocal Group
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
The Red Clay Strays
Vocal Duo
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
Thelma & James
Musical Event
“A Song To Sing,” Miranda Lambert (with Chris Stapleton)
“Horses and Divorces,” Kacey Musgraves (featuring Miranda Lambert)
“I Can’t Love You Anymore,” Ella Langley & Morgan Wallen
“If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” Carly Pearce & Riley Green
“McArthur,” HARDY, Eric Church, Morgan Wallen & Tim McGraw
New Artist
Avery Anna
Carter Faith
Emily Ann Roberts
Tucker Wetmore
Stephen Wilson Jr.