2026 ACM Awards Performers: Shania Twain Hosts a Night of Country Music’s Biggest Stars

Country music’s biggest night is finally here. The 61st annual Academy of Country Music Awards descends upon the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas tonight, Sunday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET—streaming exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music app. With a powerhouse lineup of 19 performers, the ceremony promises a high-octane blend of chart-topping hits, emotional ballads, and career-defining moments. And for the first time in the show’s history, the iconic Shania Twain takes the reins as host, swapping her rhinestone-studded microphone for an emcee’s spotlight.

Twain—a five-time ACM Award winner and one of the genre’s most recognizable crossover stars—steps into a role long held by Reba McEntire, who hosted the show for 16 consecutive years. The shift signals a fresh creative direction for the academy, as it continues to embrace both legacy artists and the new wave of country talent. But the real fireworks will come from the stage, where a mix of heavyweights and rising stars will compete for the audience’s attention.

Nominations Heat Up: Megan Moroney Leads the Pack

Before the first note is played, the night’s competitive edge has already been sharpened. Megan Moroney tops the 2026 ACM nominations with nine nods, solidifying her breakout status after last year’s critical and commercial success. Not far behind, Miranda Lambert—a perennial ACM favorite—racked up eight nominations, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each earned seven. On the men’s side, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top, Cody Johnson, Riley Green, and Luke Combs lead the charge, creating one of the most competitive fields in recent memory.

This year’s ballot reflects a genre in transition. While veterans like Lambert and Stapleton remain dominant forces, the surge of newcomers—Moroney, Langley, Zach Top, and Carter Faith—indicates that country music’s future is being written by a diverse, hungry generation of storytellers. The ACM stage will be the perfect battleground to showcase that evolution.

Full List of 2026 ACM Awards Performers

The 19 scheduled artists represent a broad cross-section of modern country—from Nashville traditionalists to pop-country hybrids. Here is the complete lineup, in no particular order:

• Avery Anna
• Blake Shelton
• Carter Faith
• Cody Johnson
• Dan + Shay
• Ella Langley
• Jordan Davis
• Kacey Musgraves
• Kane Brown
• Lainey Wilson
• Lee Ann Womack
• Little Big Town
• Miranda Lambert
• Parker McCollum
• Riley Green
• The Red Clay Strays
• Thomas Rhett
• Tucker Wetmore
• Zach Top

Group performances from The Red Clay Strays, Little Big Town, and Dan + Shay will punctuate the evening, while the most recent additions to the lineup—Parker McCollum and Lee Ann Womack—add depth to an already stacked bill. Notably absent from the performer list is Morgan Wallen, whose Album of the Year-nominated project was passed over for a live slot, though he remains a nominee.

Kacey Musgraves Makes Her ACM Performance Debut

One of the most anticipated moments of the night belongs to Kacey Musgraves. Despite winning six ACM Awards over the course of her career—including Album of the Year for Golden Hour—the Texas-born singer has never performed on the ACM stage. That changes tonight. She will debut a new song from her latest studio album, Middle of Nowhere, which she performed earlier this year at Coachella to glowing reviews. Musgraves’ presence at the ACMs signals a welcome embrace of an artist who has often blurred the lines between country, pop, and psychedelia, and her performance could be one of the night’s most talked-about moments.

Why This Year’s ACMs Matter to the Industry

The ACM Awards have long been a barometer for country music’s health and direction. This year, the choice to stream exclusively on Prime Video—now in its second year of the partnership—allows for a global reach that traditional broadcast television cannot match. The platform’s data-driven approach to programming has already given rise to more interactive fan engagement, including real-time voting for certain categories. For the artists, a standout performance on a streamer can translate directly into playlist placements and streaming spikes.

The presence of Shania Twain as host also carries symbolic weight. The “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” singer represents a bridge between the 1990s country boom and the genre’s current pop-inflected evolution. Her hosting duties may also hint at a larger role in the academy’s future—perhaps a return to performing or a creative advisory position.

Beyond the star power, the 2026 ACM Awards underscore a deeper narrative: country music is experiencing a golden era of storytelling diversity. From the blue-collar grit of Cody Johnson to the introspective songwriting of Kacey Musgraves, from the viral energy of Tucker Wetmore to the soulful harmonies of The Red Clay Strays, the genre is expanding its palette. The ACM stage is where that expansion is celebrated—and challenged.

As the lights dim over the MGM Grand and the first chords ring out, one thing is certain: country music’s biggest night is also its most unpredictable. And that, for fans and industry insiders alike, is the best kind of show.

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