Cody Johnson secured the entertainer of the year award, but Ella Langley dominated the spotlight from the outset. The evening began with Langley receiving the prestigious song of the year award for her crossover hit “Choosin’ Texas,” presented by Michael Bublé. In her acceptance speech, Langley expressed gratitude, saying, “I’m not at a loss for words very often. Thank you to the fans. I don’t know why you latched on to this song but thank you for doing it.”
Shortly after, Langley returned to the stage to receive the single of the year award for the same hit. Her success continued as she and Riley Green won the music event of the year for their duet “Don’t Mind if I Do.” Langley also took home the award for female artist of the year, an emotional moment where she credited the encouragement of many women in her life.
Despite Langley’s achievements, the night’s top honor, entertainer of the year, went to Johnson, who noted, “They say that music is the sound of emotion. I get to convey that through this thing that God gave me called music.” Johnson was also honored as the male artist of the year and dedicated his entertainer award to Luke Combs.
The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards promised appearances by top country music acts and delivered. The ceremony commenced with Lainey Wilson, a two-time entertainer of the year winner, performing “Can’t Sit Still.” This marked a change from previous events held at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, moving instead to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The evening featured notable performances. Miranda Lambert, ACM Awards’ most-decorated artist, sang “Crisco.” Thomas Rhett and Jordan Davis collaborated on “Ain’t A Bad Life.” Avery Anna performed her new song “Bang Bang,” a reimagined cover of Nancy Sinatra’s classic. Riley Green covered “Change My Mind” and Zach Top performed his hit “Honky Tonk Till It Hurts.”
Little Big Town delivered “Hey There Sunshine,” while The Red Clay Strays performed “Demons in Your Choir.” Hosting the event for the first time, Shania Twain opened to her 1997 hit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and reflected on her journey since winning her first ACM Award 30 years ago. She acknowledged country music’s women, stating, “Make it loud for all our sheroes.”
The Red Clay Strays won group of the year, and Brooks & Dunn were named duo of the year. Kix Brooks quipped about their enduring popularity, “I don’t know why y’all aren’t getting sick of us, but we love y’all.”
The celebrations began before Sunday’s live event, with several awards already presented. Langley was named artist-songwriter of the year. Jessie Jo Dillon became the first three-time winner of songwriter of the year, and Stephen Wilson Jr. received the visual media of the year award for “Cuckoo.” Tucker Wetmore and Avery Anna were recognized as new male and female artists of the year, respectively.
During the ceremony, Tucker Wetmore performed “Brunette,” and Parker McCollum joined Lee Ann Womack for “Killin’ Me” from McCollum’s upcoming album. Kacey Musgraves brought humor with her performance of “Dry Spell,” and Langley delivered an acoustic version of “Be Her.” Carter Faith’s “If I Had Never Lost My Mind” showcased her vocal talent, followed by performances from Johnson and Kane Brown.
Album of the year, a highly competitive category, went to Parker McCollum for his self-titled release, surpassing nominees like Morgan Wallen, Zach Top, Riley Green, and Carter Faith. The event concluded with Dan + Shay’s “Say So” as a tribute to the late Ben Vaughn and Blake Shelton’s rendition of “The Gambler” in honor of Kenny Rogers and songwriter Don Schlitz.
The 2026 ACM Awards aired on Prime Video, Twitch’s Amazon Music channel, and the Amazon Music app.
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