Country radio’s biggest voices and stations are officially in the running for one of broadcasting’s major industry honors as the Country Music Association unveils the finalists for the 2026 CMA Broadcast Awards.
The annual honors recognize radio personalities and stations that play a major role in connecting country artists and their music with listeners across the United States and Canada.
This year’s Broadcast Personality of the Year competition stretches from nationally syndicated programs to personalities working in major, large, medium and small markets.
The Weekly National field includes Ryan Fox and American Country Countdown, Cory “Fitz” Fitzner and The Country Top 40 with Fitz, Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase with Crook & Chase Countdown, Buzz Brainard and The Highway Hot 30 Countdown, and the Steve Harmon Show.
The Daily National category brings another collection of familiar country radio names. Angie Ward, Elaina Smith, the Big D & Bubba team, Bobby Bones and his crew, and Katie Neal are all finalists.
Competition continues at the local level, where personalities from stations serving markets across the country earned recognition. Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Baltimore and Chicago are represented in the Major Market category, while broadcasters from Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and other cities compete in the Large Market field.
Medium and Small Market honors extend the spotlight even further, recognizing personalities serving communities ranging from Buffalo and Knoxville to Pensacola, Columbia, Augusta and Lexington.
Stations themselves are also competing for CMA recognition.
Major Market Radio Station of the Year finalists are KSCS in Dallas-Fort Worth, KSON in San Diego, KYGO in Denver-Boulder, WMZQ in Washington and WPOC in Baltimore.
The Large Market category features KFRG, WCTK, WDSY, WMIL and WQDR, while KXKT, WHKO, WLFP, WQMX and WUSY make up the Medium Market finalists.
KCLR, WCOW, WKML, WKXC and WYCT round out the competition as finalists for Small Market Radio Station of the Year.
The CMA divides its broadcast categories according to market population rankings from Nielsen. Personality contenders are evaluated on factors including their on-air work, ratings, community involvement and overall impact. Stations are judged using similar criteria, with leadership and industry impact also part of the equation.
Full-time on-air personalities and eligible radio stations in the United States and Canada were able to submit entries regardless of whether they held CMA membership. A panel of broadcast professionals representing different markets and regions judged the entries.
One rule also keeps the competition changing from year to year: winners are not eligible to enter the same category in consecutive years.
The 2026 winners will be revealed in the coming weeks and recognized during the CMA Awards pre-telecast ceremony.
The honors arrive during a milestone year for the organization. The 60th Annual CMA Awards are scheduled for Nov. 18 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, putting country music’s artists and the broadcasters who help bring their music to listeners under the same CMA spotlight.
