ACM Awards 2026 Predictions

The 61st ACM Awards return May 17th 8pm/e on Amazon Prime Video, Twitch, and national country radio simulcasts. Despite the 60th ceremony taking place last year, celebs and fans weren't pleased with the turnout. This caused ACM to make internal changes, and diversify 2026's ballot. Before its televised broadcast, I predict how 9 of the awards will result: Music Event of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year, Duo of the Year, Group of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. Follow our social media on the links below to comment your predictions, following along during and after the show. 

ACM Press Release

Taste of Country - Snubs & Surprises

Billboard - Snubs & Surprises

Amazon Music's ACMs Playlist

Lainey Wilson's wedding

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Theme Song: "Gym Track (2026 Remix)", composed by Jessica Ann Catena

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Welcome to Music Media Review, the weekly podcast discussing trends in modern music and media. I'm Jess. An old school part of me still enjoys watching award shows. You get to see popular artists appreciated for their work, learn new ones through performances, and nominations. I played along this year's Grammys in episode one. Now I'm gonna try analyzing the Academy of Country Music's 2026 ballot. Their committee evaluates country music release the previous calendar year, and critical changes were applied for the upcoming ceremony. Last year's thoughts processing was so severe, internal staff changes occurred, they diversified 2026 nominees and rescheduled back to its West Coast format. A Sunday since 2020 and held in Las Vegas since 2019. So here's how this interactive episode will work. I'll predict nine categories from ACM's ballot, post on Music Media Review social media an hour before the show, then the results score night after. You're welcome to participate in the comments. Early congratulations to new female artist of the year, Anna Avery, new male artist of the year, Tucker Webmore, and Steven Wilson Jr.'s Cuckoo winning Visual Media of the Year. Let's see if we can figure out who win these remainder televised honors. Music Event of the Year. A song to sing by Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton. Amen by Shabuzi and Jelly Roll. Don't Mind If I Do by Riley Green and Ella Langley. Trailblazer by Reba McIntyre, Miranda Lambert, and Laney Wilson. You had a Be There by Megan Moroney and Kenny Chesney. Marking ACM's 16th ceremony, Reba McIntyre sang Trailblazer as the host, invited Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson on stage to represent all three ladies' country hierarchy. Shabuzi and Jelly Roll also premiered a man's duet that night. They had to regard positive moments from last time, right? Megan Moroni's got a nice streak going for herself. I reviewed Clown Nine's album in episode six. However, You Had to Be There wasn't on it. It's a standalone single Kenny Chesney was flattered to be gifted by Megan and initiated the collaboration about seeing him live seven years ago. He's so considerate. I'm so glad his residency will be at the sphere this summer. Imagine how gorgeous the island visuals will look around him. I instantly love a song to sing. It's one of my favorite duets from Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert. The groovy arrangement over disco was a smooth blending choice. Miranda's new single Crisco came out May 15th, continuing the mood. Riley Green and Ella Langley dominated 2025's ACMs. 2024 duet You Look Like You Love Me won Single of the Year, Visual Media, and Music Event. That move boosted both artists. Don't mind if I do as a follow-up reuniting them. I'm narrowing potential winners between You Had to Be There or a Song to Sing. The majority could lean towards a song to sing. You had to be there's a spellbinding dream come true. I'm gonna predict a song to sing. Pairing these two legends is marketing gold. Megan Moroni's got the most nods on this ballot, nine, and may win elsewhere. For Song of the Year, here are the nominees title, artists, songwriters, and choruses. A song to sing by Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton, co-written by Jenny Fleenor and Jesse Frasier. You are a part of me. Baby, you're the heart of me. Together we can write a song to sing. And in that melody, baby, you're the harmony that you just can't find anywhere. Am I okay? By Megan Moroney, co-written by Jesse Joe Dillon and Luke Laird. Cause oh my god, he walked in like a 6'2 dream. Heaven sent. He says what he means. He means what he says, and he's funny, and he's smart, and he's good and maybe love ain't always what it was. Not crying and dying and messing me up. I think I'm really happy. I think I want to stay. Oh my god, am I okay? Choosin' Texas by Ella Langley, co-written by Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, and Joy Beth Taylor. She's from Texas. I can tell by the way he's two stepping round the room. And judging by the smile that's written on his face, there's nothing I can do. It doesn't take a crystal ball to see. A cowboy always finds a way to leave. Drinking Jackal by myself, he shoes in Texas. I can tell. I never lie by Zack Topp. Co-written by Carson Chamberlain and Tim Nichols. I sleep like a baby. I never show up late for work. I don't drink whiskey. I don't know how it feels to hurt. Oh, and I ain't been lonely since you said goodbye. I wish I could say I miss you, but you know I never lie. Somewhere over Loredo by Lainey Wilson, co written by Andy Albert, Tranny Anderson, and Dallas Wilson. Somewhere over Loredo, dreaming about those rodeo nights, laid there on the banks of the Rio, new silver buckle on your jeans next to mine. Couple wrong for each other, lone star cross lovers born to get gone from the get go. But you're on my mind every time I'm chasing this neon rainbow. Somewhere over Loreto. I think we all know the answer here, though to be fair, I've got commentary for each. Am I okay and I never lie were on CMA Awards Song of the Year last November. Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley had different submissions, four by four by you and you look like you love me. For traditional country demographics, I can understand I Never Lie and a song to sing entries here. I would have chosen You Had to Be There over Am I Okay? It's more special and recent. I see the lights, I hear the band, feels like the whole world's in our hands. Soaking it up, breathing it in. One day we'll say, Remember when we were so alive? I swear, that night there was magic in the air. You had to be there. I wouldn't be surprised if Country Music Association nominates You Had to Be There. Remember Music Media Review when those announcements come out in the fall. Resampling the Wizard of Oz's 1939 ballad Over the Rainbow, Lainey Wilson fantasizes looking in airplane windows when she's touring, attributing the original melody when the titles first sung in the chorus, somewhere over Laredo, fictionally sets in Laredo, Texas. Songwriters Harold Arlen and Yip Harberk posthumously have songwriting credit honoring Over the Rainbow's rights. Choose in Texas's infinite luck is big as Texas Expression. I'm speechless at this point. An important detail, the song came out October. Allegibility falls only on 2025's data. The Hop 100's number one streak won't count. The songwriting and Ladder Country charting does. Might be enough for the win and too long to wait per 2027's future ballot. Taking a risk, I'm betting Choose in Texas will be named Song of the Year. Single of the Year. Six months later by Megan Moroni. Choose in Texas by Ella Langley. I Never Lie by Zach Topp. Somewhere over Laredo by Lainey Wilson. The Fall by Cody Johnson. Ever since 2021's Till You Can't, Cody Johnson's an inspiring voice of reason. Whether it's loving his wife, valuing basics, acting on desire, sells every time. The fall dramatically narrates alcoholism's low points to be worth how to better oneself. Unrelated, it just hit number one country airplay this weekend. Keeping track, three Megan Moroni songs are on the ballot. You had it be there, Am I Okay? And six months later. Six months later defines Cloud9's concept. Things becoming more clear letting time pass, sporting single life for empowerment, and not bashing like most women do. In terms of what Song of the Year's category summed up Choose in Texas, I Dem Rely, and Somewhere Over Loreto, I don't know if Choose in Texas snags Single of the Year. I think Somewhere Over Loreto will. Reinventing a song we've grown up from a childhood favorite, even Wicked fans are aware to catch up on the unofficial spin off prequel. I'd be shocked Choose in Texas double dip song and single. Gonna stick with Somewhere Over Loreto. Duo of the Year. Brooks and Dunn Brothers Osborne Dan and Shay Muscatine Bloodline Thelma and James. New artist names are cited in the bigger categories. Married couple Mackenzie Porter and Jake Ethridge formed a music duo online as Thelma and James. Happy Ever After You Single was posted January 2025 and accumulated viral streams. Currently over 15 million Spotify plays, four songs followed up, assembling Starting Over's album, September 19th. I've heard of Mackenzie Porter. Unfamiliar of her husband Jake Etheridge, nor Thelma and James. It's interesting they replaced Warren Treaty Spot on Do of the Year's Ballot this time around. Mackenzie's voice sounded like a twangy young Taylor Swift. She sang on Dustin Lynch's 2022 duet, Thinkin' Bout You, and continued posting independently. Her notoriety is well known more in Canada where she's from and married Jake Gethridge 2020 after dating six years. Smart having Jake sing melody on Happy Ever After You so listeners can learn his voice over Mackenzie's harmony. ACM went obscure listing them in this category, but educated us in the process. I said the same when Muscatine Bloodline got introduced a year ago in this grouping. I picked up on thicker bluegrass skimming and was left behind's album. One of our listeners mentioned to me loving their concert set in Chicago opening up for Lainey Wilson, and Vogue magazine just reported she chose 1090 as her wedding song on May 10th. Dan and Shay beautifully covered Taylor Swift's back in December during the holidays. Worthy nod now, and say so's a powerful new song they strive, saving fans feeling suicidal. Brooks and Dunn, Brothers Osborne are acknowledged from Touring. ACM and CMA have re-rewarded Brooks and Dunn for sold out seats. I'd be stunned if it happens again. I say duo and group of the year's category should be combined. There's not much to gather actively measuring modern success. Muscadine bloodline would be a nice change. I'll stick ACM voters history choosing Brooks and Dunn. Group of the Year 49 Winchester Flatland Calvary Old Dominion Rascal Flats The Red Clay Strays Looks like Paramount Plus is matching music streaming stats like Netflix does. Researching 49 Winchester, Yellowstone featured Miles to Go, an audience can see them open up for Tim McGraw this summer. Quite the leaps. I'd equate them playing like Leonard Skinner. I heard Miles to Go, 2024's single, Make It Count, and 2025's Changes. The guitar and rock ability instrumentations uncanny. ACN taught me Flatland Calvary via 2024's Ballad. Rounding out their albums, they've since sung on 2023 Soundtrack, The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, 2024's Twister soundtrack, and Paramount Plus Western series Landman. Great to see Rascal Flats back. Refuel Duets was an awesome collaborative comeback last June, and I didn't want their medley finale to end ACM's 2025 broadcast. I cannot believe it's 20 years Disney release Life as a Highways rendition off Cars' soundtrack. Radio still playing it like it's new. Old Dominion's fifth album, Barbara, wasn't hyped up as usual. Their OD Nashville bar may have limited marketing. Having said that, opening track and promo single Making Good Times a real goody. CMA selected Red Clay Strays for 2025's vocal group of the year. I read after the fact how viral they've become. Alternative Radio's rotated 2022's Wondering Why. People hatin's a hip bluesy ditty. How it qualifies into country? I validate fans' frustrations evaluating branding versus public overviews when they're dipping outside country genre. I wish giving it to Rascal Flats, but I'm gonna copy off CMA's 2025 winners circling the red clay strays. Female artist of the year, Kelsey Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroni, Lainey Wilson. Kelsey Ballerini did an exceptional vocal coaching job on The Voice Spring 2025. Her technical advice helped contestants understand her decade experience she's gained for a millennial. Baggage and I sit in parks are a bit as sweet as she and Che Stokes have broken up. Sources announced Kelsey has moved to New York City. I wonder if there's a new music project she's trying out. Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson have been pretty active. Miranda Lambert's portraying a guiding stance with fellow country singers, duetted a song to sing with Chris Stapleton, Butterfly Seasons with Ella Langley, Co-Wrote Choose in Texas, and recently Horses and Divorces on Casey Musgrave's new album, Middle of Nowhere. I'm loving this for Miranda. Better than being pressured making albums under contract, she's crafted exactly 20 years worth. I know Laney Wilson's collected female artist of the year's latest awards, my inkling's go into Megan Moroni. Earning nine nominations on 2026 ballot, this fulfills best. And if my guesses were right for the ladies winning in the previous categories, it's equal with the exception of Kelsey Ballerini. They gotta stop snubbing her. Megan's up for three more nods, two categories I've omitted are Artist Songwriter of the Year, and six months later competed Visual Media of the Year. Male Artist of the Year. Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top. Cody Johnson won CMA's 2025 title. I wasn't expecting it at all. He re-released Leather's 2024 album, adding 12 deluxe bonus tracks. Chris Stapleton's a favorite. Zach Topp's following grew quick. Some threatened his girlfriend for attention. Let's not get crazy. He's just singing fresh traditional style country. Luke Combs is back in the saddle, promoted March 2026 album, The Way I Am. I need to catch up on that. From what I've heard so far, he makes everything sound so compassionate. I hope his mental health is progressing, balancing his third son born a few months ago. Riley Green's a current heartthrob, accompanied Ella Langley a few times and planning his own crush entourage. Worst Way treated unspeakable fantasies, and TVs recruited him two opportunities. CBS Western Series Marshals and NBC recruited him on the voice's 30th season to coach. Summer auditions and fall 2026 season will feature Riley, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, and another new name, Queen Latifah. Wonder how that will all pan out. So which gentleman did ACM choose male artist of the year? My instincts are telling me Zach Top. I can't tell if Cody Johnson will reign CMA and ACM. They might, but Zach seems more likely. Don't mind if I do, Deluxe by Riley Green. I'm the Problem by Morgan Wallen. Parker McCollum by Parker McCullum. There weren't many popular Country 2025 albums. I agree with bloggers that Blake Shelton's for recreational use only got snubbed big time. He performed Texas at ACM's 2025, presented Entertainment of the Year, and was shut out 2026 as ballad? That's not right. Ironically, I did a double album review on my previous podcast, Music Notes with Jess, critiquing it with Morgan Wallins I'm the Problem a year ago. I just knew Morgan's recognition was gonna triumph. The ACM's and the upcoming American Music Awards were the only ones to nominate an album of the year. Rest of the entries are completely shocking. I binged the four sensing what impressed ACM's committee. Zach Top's lyrics were silly, funny cliches, and he's got a squeaky sweet voice singing Ain't In it for My Health Tracks. I've seen Carter Fate's name coming up a little. Cherry Valley is my introduction. The songs contained string arrangements, acoustic, and vocally reminded me of a young Leanne rhymes. She has a twangy yodel-like tone just like her. Riley Green's Don't Mind If I Do Deluxe features Ella Langley on the title track, Worst Way and Change My Mind are its other singles. I'd label him a modern Tim McGraw, looks wise and similar tenor range. I read that Parker McCollum's self-titled album Underwhelmed and even went as far as interviewing him about it. Can't help thinking ACM paid sympathy for his fifth album. What kind of man's a good single? Multiple songwriters contributed and four bonus tracks added march twentieth. Nothing against Parker's work, I'd rate records racking up hit songs to represent 2025's country year. With that said, I'm the problem's almost two hours long, 37 tracks, and has eight successful commercial singles. Hard to beat against anyone, all in its ACM's 61st album of the year winner. Entertainer of the Year. Quantity grows every year, concluding the top prize. Seeing Jelly Roll mixed in this bunch is intriguing. He toured with Post Malone's first country dates in 2025. Megan Moroney sprinkled Am I Okay and Cloud9's coverage. She may upset earning Entertainer of the Year instead of My Female Artist of the Year theory. Finalists to me are Morgan, Laney, or Megan. I don't know if Luke, Cody, Chris, or Jelly have it. Laney's won the past two years. I'm struggling between her and Morgan. 2020 was ACM's first tie awarding Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett sharing Entertainer of the Year trophies. I wish the same would happen here. Specifically Megan and Morgan. Hope I don't regret this decision. I'm choosing Morgan Wallen. Always the hardest to predict. We'll see if ACM and fans agree. Shania Twain will host the 61st ACM Awards on Sunday, May 17th, live streamed 8 p.m. Eastern on Amazon Prime Video, Twitch, and National Country Radio Station Simulcasts. I'll post my predictions ballot about an hour before showtime to follow along and the after results Monday night. I want to hear your thoughts. Please comment on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and rate your feedback. You're welcome to also email Music Media Review Podcast at gmail.com. I'm Jess. Enjoy the show. Next episode will party Janet Jackson's 60th birthday. I'll count down a post celebratory top 10 from Memorial Day weekend. Talk to you next week. Thanks for listening.