ACM Awards 2026 Winners List: Every Major Category (Full Results)

ACM Awards 2026 winners list — every major Academy of Country Music category in one scrollable hub after the 61st annual ACM Awards crowned honorees Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, streamed exclusively on Prime Video and hosted by Shania Twain. Cody Johnson claimed Entertainer of the Year — his first ACM crown — while Ella Langley led the night with seven trophies, setting the ACM record for most wins in a single year by one artist. This page lists all 14 competitive categories with verified winners sourced from ACMCountry.com, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter. Cross-link our CMA Awards 2026 winners list (#115), CMA vs ACM Awards difference (#116), and CMA Entertainer of the Year winners by year (#117) for Nashville sibling context.

Editor note: USA Celebs published this ACM Awards 2026 winners list within days of the May 17 ceremony with verified honorees from the Academy of Country Music and trade reporting. We cover category results and records — not red-carpet outfit breakdowns (Pillar F owns fashion analysis). Bookmark our upcoming most CMA awards won by an artist (#118) and CMA Awards most memorable moments (#119) guides, plus Grammy winners complete list 2026 and our Awards archive for full Pillar G awards-season context.

ACM Awards 2026 Winners List: Ceremony, Venue, and How to Watch

The 61st Academy of Country Music Awards returned to Las Vegas after three successful years in Texas, per the ACM’s official announcement. Shania Twain hosted from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 17, 2026, with the livestream beginning at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT exclusively on Prime Video across 240+ countries. A rebroadcast was available on Prime Video starting Monday, May 18. The 62nd ACM Awards will return to Las Vegas in 2027.

How to rewatch: Prime Video carries the full ceremony replay. The ACM Awards remain the longest-running country music awards show (established 1966) and made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to livestream exclusively.

Key 2026 ceremony facts:

• Eligibility period: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
• Nominations revealed: April 9, 2026
• Pre-telecast winners: Several categories announced in weeks before May 17
• 61st ACM Awards: May 17, 2026 — when this ACM Awards 2026 winners list went from projections to verified
• Performances: 17 show-stopping sets from 19 artists including Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, Parker McCollum, and Dan + Shay

How to Read This ACM Awards 2026 Winners List

Every category below lists the verified winner from the May 17 ceremony or pre-telecast announcements, plus context on why the result matters. The ACM votes across 14 competitive categories through Academy member ballots — a peer-driven process that contrasts with the CMA’s separate Nashville ballot detailed in our CMA vs ACM Awards difference guide (#116).

Unlike fan-voted shows, ACM upsets still happen — Parker McCollum’s Album of the Year win surprised many observers, and Ella Langley’s seven-trophy sweep rewrote single-night records on the ACM Awards 2026 winners list.

Entertainer of the Year

Winner: Cody Johnson

Nominees: Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson

Why it matters: Entertainer of the Year is the ACM’s highest honor. Johnson claimed his first Entertainer crown after also winning Male Artist of the Year the same night — a double victory that anchors the top of the ACM Awards 2026 winners list. In his acceptance speech, Johnson reflected on childhood dreams of being an entertainer and dedicated the trophy to fellow nominee Luke Combs. For how CMA’s Entertainer crown compares across decades, see CMA Entertainer of the Year winners by year (#117).

Female Artist of the Year and Male Artist of the Year

Female Artist of the Year — Winner: Ella Langley

Nominees: Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson

Male Artist of the Year — Winner: Cody Johnson

Nominees: Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top

Langley tearfully thanked the women in the room during her Female Artist acceptance speech, name-checking Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, and Kelsea Ballerini. Johnson’s Male Artist win paired with Entertainer of the Year — a rare same-night double that reshaped the ACM Awards 2026 winners list narrative.

Album of the Year and Single of the Year

Album of the Year — Winner: Parker McCollum — Parker McCollum (producers Frank Liddell, Eric Masse)

Nominees included: Zach Top, Morgan Wallen, Riley Green, Carter Faith

Single of the Year — Winner: “Choosin’ Texas” — Ella Langley (producers Miranda Lambert, Ben West)

McCollum’s self-titled album win was a ceremony surprise — he dedicated a sweet moment to his pregnant wife, Hallie Ray Light, during his speech. Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” claimed Single of the Year, marking her second win in the category and the first back-to-back ACM Single winner since Miranda Lambert in 2012/2013. Both trophies sit at the center of the ACM Awards 2026 winners list craft-and-commerce conversation.

Song of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year

Song of the Year — Winner: “Choosin’ Texas” — Ella Langley (songwriters Ella Langley, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor)

Artist-Songwriter of the Year — Winner: Ella Langley

The ACM uniquely doubles honors when an artist is both performer and co-writer — which is why Langley’s seven announced wins reflect five category victories counted twice in Single and Song. Song of the Year honors songwriters, not just performers — a craft distinction parallel to CMA’s Song category covered in our CMA Awards 2026 winners list (#115).

Group of the Year, Duo of the Year, and New Artist Categories

Group of the Year — Winner: The Red Clay Strays

Nominees: 49 Winchester, Flatland Cavalry, Old Dominion, Rascal Flatts, The Red Clay Strays

Duo of the Year — Winner: Brooks & Dunn

Nominees: Brooks & Dunn, Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Muscadine Bloodline, Thelma & James

New Female Artist of the Year — Winner: Avery Anna

New Male Artist of the Year — Winner: Tucker Wetmore

The Red Clay Strays won Group of the Year for the first time after claiming New Group of the Year last cycle. Brooks & Dunn took Duo of the Year for the 18th time, extending their ACM record to 32 total trophies. Avery Anna and Tucker Wetmore — introduced by Wetmore’s mother alongside host Shania Twain — delivered standout performances after their pre-telecast New Artist wins.

Visual Media, Songwriter, and Music Event of the Year

Visual Media of the Year — Winner: “Cuckoo” — Stephen Wilson Jr. (director Tim Cofield)

Songwriter of the Year — Winner: Jessie Jo Dillon (third consecutive win — an ACM record)

Music Event of the Year — Winner: “Don’t Mind If I Do” — Riley Green, Ella Langley

Stephen Wilson Jr. claimed two trophies for “Cuckoo.” Jessie Jo Dillon’s third straight Songwriter of the Year win extends her dominance in the craft category. Green and Langley’s Music Event victory marks their second consecutive win in the category — a duet streak that ties the ACM Awards 2026 winners list back to Langley’s broader seven-win night.

ACM Awards 2026 Winners List: Records and Highlights

Key milestones from the 61st annual show:

• Ella Langley: Seven total wins — ACM record for most trophies in one year by a single artist
• Cody Johnson: First Entertainer of the Year; also Male Artist of the Year
• Brooks & Dunn: 18th Duo of the Year; 32 career ACM trophies
• Miranda Lambert: Most decorated artist in ACM history — extended her overall record during the telecast
• Jessie Jo Dillon: Third consecutive Songwriter of the Year
• Dan + Shay: Mental-health tribute performance of “Say So” earned a standing ovation
• Blake Shelton: Closed the show with a tribute to Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”

For how spring ACM results preview fall CMA math, pair this hub with CMA Awards 2026 winners list (#115) — Nashville’s November ceremony still has every major category TBD as of June 2026.

Full ACM Awards 2026 Winners List at a Glance

Explore More CMA and Awards Coverage

• CMA sibling: CMA Awards 2026 winners list (#115).
• Dual-ceremony explainer: CMA vs ACM Awards difference (#116).
• Entertainer history: CMA Entertainer of the Year winners by year (#117).
• Records archive: most CMA awards won by an artist (#118).
• Ceremony lore: CMA Awards most memorable moments (#119).
• Music peers: Grammy winners complete list 2026.
• Video peers: VMAs 2026 winners full list.
• Visit our Awards archive for Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, and ceremony history.