Country music is heading back to Las Vegas, and this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards are shaping up to be a celebration led by some of the genre’s biggest female stars.
The 61st ACM Awards will take place May 17 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, marking the show’s return to Las Vegas after a three-year run in Texas. The ceremony will stream live on Prime Video and Amazon Music platforms, bringing one of country music’s biggest nights to audiences worldwide.
Taking center stage as host is Shania Twain, who will handle emcee duties for the first time in ACM history. The country-pop icon enters the role with decades of awards-show experience and a legacy that helped redefine modern country music. Twain has already hinted that the night will combine glamour, energy, and plenty of celebration for the genre’s current wave of talent.
This year’s nominations paint a clear picture of where country music is headed. Megan Moroney leads all artists with nine nominations, including a breakthrough nod for Entertainer of the Year. Miranda Lambert continues her award-show dominance with eight nominations, while Ella Langley and reigning powerhouse Lainey Wilson each picked up seven.
The Entertainer of the Year category is stacked with some of the genre’s most recognizable names. Moroney and Wilson will compete alongside Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, and Morgan Wallen in one of the night’s most anticipated races.
The performance lineup is equally loaded. Fans can expect appearances from Lambert, Wilson, Kacey Musgraves, Little Big Town, Riley Green, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, and several rising artists making their ACM stage debuts. The mix of veteran stars and breakout acts reflects a country scene currently balancing tradition with a younger generation of crossover-ready performers.
The strong presence of women throughout the nominations has become one of the defining storylines of this year’s awards. Moroney, Lambert, Langley, and Wilson have all delivered major commercial and critical success over the past year, helping fuel one of the genre’s most competitive periods in recent memory.
For the ACMs, the return to Las Vegas also signals a bigger entertainment-focused approach. The MGM Grand setting brings the show back to a city known for spectacle, residency culture, and high-profile live productions, giving producers room to lean into larger performances and crossover appeal.
With Shania Twain hosting, a female-heavy nominee slate, and country music continuing to dominate streaming and touring numbers, the 2026 ACM Awards could become one of the ceremony’s most memorable editions in years.
