Cody Johnson claimed the entertainer of the year award, but the spotlight was squarely on Ella Langley from the outset at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The event, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, began with Langley receiving the song of the year accolade for her popular crossover hit ‘Choosin’ Texas’, presented by Michael Bublé.
Langley remarked, ‘I’m not at a loss for words very often,’ expressing gratitude to fans for their appreciation of the song.
Her success continued as Langley won the single of the year award for the same song. The momentum kept building when she joined Riley Green for the music event of the year award with their duet “Don’t Mind if I Do.” Langley then celebrated her fourth award as female artist of the year, acknowledging the support from fellow women in the industry.
Johnson, while speaking after his entertainer of the year win, highlighted the emotional power of music, attributing his abilities to divine inspiration. He also won the male artist of the year award, dedicating his top prize to Luke Combs.
The ceremony promised appearances from top country music stars and delivered, opening with Lainey Wilson’s energetic performance of ‘Can’t Sit Still’. Wilson has previously won entertainer of the year for two consecutive years.
Performances filled the night with energy. Miranda Lambert, the most decorated artist in ACM history, performed ‘Crisco’, with Thomas Rhett and Jordan Davis teaming up for ‘Ain’t A Bad Life’. Avery Anna offered a new take on ‘Bang Bang’, and Zach Top performed ‘Honky Tonk Till It Hurts’. The stage saw varied acts including Little Big Town, The Red Clay Strays, and host Shania Twain, who reflected on her own industry milestones.
Twain cheered on women, saying, ‘Make it loud for all our sheroes,’ as she hosted the awards show for the first time.
The Red Clay Strays took home the group of the year award, while Brooks & Dunn received the duo of the year honor, with Kix Brooks expressing appreciation to fans.
Ahead of the Sunday event, certain awards were pre-announced. Langley was named artist-songwriter of the year. Jessie Jo Dillon earned songwriter of the year for the third time consecutively. Stephen Wilson Jr. secured visual media of the year for ‘Cuckoo’.
Outstanding performances continued, with new talents like Tucker Wetmore taking the stage alongside established names like Parker McCollum and Lee Ann Womack. Notable moments included a performance by Kacey Musgraves, who brought humor and flair with ‘Dry Spell’, and Carter Faith’s standout vocal performance of ‘If I Had Never Lost My Mind’.
Johnson delivered an emotive rendition of ‘Travelin’ Soldier’, while Kane Brown captivated the audience with ‘Woman’.
McCollum’s self-titled album triumphed as album of the year, beating competitors like Morgan Wallen and Zach Top. The night concluded with Dan + Shay dedicating ‘Say So’ to Ben Vaughn and Blake Shelton delivering a moving cover of ‘The Gambler’, honoring the late songwriter Don Schlitz.
The 2026 ACM Awards streamed on various platforms, including Prime Video and Amazon Music, offering access to music fans worldwide.