Megan Moroney Leads 2026 ACM Awards with 9 Nominations as Women Dominate
Megan Moroney leads the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards with nine nominations, including her first nod for Entertainer of the Year. Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, and Lainey Wilson also scored more nominations than any male artist at the 61st ACM Awards.
Country music's biggest night will be all about the women in 2026. Megan Moroney leads the Academy of Country Music Awards with nine nominations, including her first-ever nomination for the top prize of Entertainer of the Year.
Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, and Lainey Wilson also racked up multiple nominations, each earning more nods than any male country artist this year. Chris Stapleton leads the men but still trails behind the top female nominees.
The 61st ACM Awards represent a historic moment for country music, an industry that has long struggled with gender equality. Women have often been underrepresented in country radio play and major award categories.
Moroney's rise has been particularly meteoric. The young artist has quickly become one of country music's most talked-about stars, and her nine nominations signal she's now considered among the genre's elite performers.
The dominance of female artists in this year's nominations suggests the country music industry may finally be shifting toward more equal representation.
This marks a major shift in country music's biggest awards show, which has historically been dominated by male artists. The nominations show women are gaining more recognition and power in the country music industry.
The 2026 ACM Awards ceremony date and location will be announced soon. Watch for the full nominations list release.
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