When the 2026 CMA award nominations were revealed on Sept. 10, Ella Langley’s field-leading haul did not come as a surprise. The only question heading in was the magnitude of her impact, stemming largely from her record-setting hit “Choosin’ Texas.” Nine total nominations was the final tally, with ripple effects down the list which put Langley in the top echelon of single year nominees.
Her commanding nomination figure is rare, but not unheard of. She joins some of country music's biggest icons.
The record for most CMA Awards nominations in a single year belongs to Alan Jackson, who went into the 2002 show with 10 nods. He was honored multiple times that year for "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," written in response to the 9/11
terror attacks which are now 25 years behind us. Jackson broke the record Merle Haggard set in 1970 with nine CMA Award nominations of his own, and after that it’s been all women, a trend which continues under Langley’s watch.
Miranda Lambert scored nine nods in both 2010 and 2014 on her way to becoming the female artist with the most wins in CMA Awards history, 14 wins and counting. Then comes Lainey Wilson, who matched the nine-nomination feat in 2023. Her experience could be a barometer for what Langley will see when the show begins on Nov. 18.
Wilson’s 2023 nominations stemmed from her "Bell Bottom Country" album, her "Heart Like a Truck" single, and her "wait in the truck" collaboration with HARDY, which was also nominated for music video and musical event of the year. She ultimately took home five trophies including the night's top prize, entertainer of the year, tying the all-time win record for a single night with Jackson, Vince Gill and Johnny Cash. If the precedent set by Jackson, Lambert, and Wilson holds, then Langley will now have a life-long career in Nashville, producing diverse albums and hosting industry events in addition to writing and performing her own music, if the "Be Her" singer chooses that route.
Considering Langley’s prominence across pop culture (Matthew McConaughey and Jimmy Fallon are just a few of the celebrities performing her Lone Star-themed hit), she could break the record this year and become the artist with the most wins in a single night. And it makes sense that Langley would be in this position.
She comes into the 2026 CMA Awards as not just the biggest country star of the year, but one of the biggest artists on the planet. "Choosin' Texas" is currently one week away from breaking the record for most weeks at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, perched at 21 weeks behind Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You." It was possible to hear the infectious two-stepper almost anywhere you went in 2026, from gas stations to grocery stores to the neighborhood school bus stop.
"Choosin' Texas" is up for both single and song of the year at the 60th Annual CMA Awards, and Langley is also vying for entertainer of the year, female artist of the year, album of the year, musical event of the year and music video of the year. The concentrated focus on a single song highlights a growing shift throughout the industry, where lucrative songwriting opportunities tend to revolve around smaller groups of superstars. Fewer songwriters make a living from hit country songs, but those that do win bigger than ever before.
Meanwhile, Lambert is this year's second-most recognized nominee with seven nods. Most of them stem from her work with Langley, both as a co-writer and co-producer on Langley's groundbreaking “Choosin' Texas" and the sophomore album “Dandelion.” This is similar to what Wilson and HARDY saw in 2023, but Langley and Lambert are also nominated for single and song of the year for Langley's "Be Her," giving the pair a rare double-double-dip. Other Langley collaborators are also high on the nominations list.
The CMA Awards field has been driven by one standout artist in the past, or even at times by a single song, like Jackson’s “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” Even so, the dominant position enjoyed this year by Langley and her team feels historic, especially given the broader industry landscape where AI-generated songs may top the charts.
This year marks the first time the Country Music Association had to explicitly say "only human creators are eligible to be nominated for or win a CMA Award. A work that contains no human authorship is not eligible for any CMA Award." The songwriting profession is changing fast, with new AI deals announced on a regular basis. There is a story to be told beyond Langley’s entirely-deserved recognition for her unique flavor of emotional songwriting. The emphasis this year is on preserving the tradition of unique storytelling approaches.
The 2026 CMA Awards will also feature 13 first-time nominees like Avery Anna, Muscadine Bloodline and Thelma & James. Little Big Town have now been nominated for vocal group of the year for 21 years in a row. Stephen Wilson Jr. is up for four awards including male vocalist of the year, just one year after scoring his first-ever CMA Awards nomination (and stunning the 2025 show with his solo rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me”).
Wilson Jr.'s nominated song "Gary" stands out as one of the rare contenders with a single songwriter. Whether the nominated songs and albums are about family struggles or broken hearts, they are generally rooted in complex personal experiences rather than combinations of generic themes and catchy tunes. Voters are showing the future of country music belongs to human songwriters.
Some massive stars were absent from the field this year, or nearly so. Morgan Wallen shows up twice in the musical event of the year category, including his duet with Langley. He was not nominated for entertainer of the year, despite his ongoing stadium tour and streaming success. Likewise, Riley Green has had a major media presence this year, yet he was only rewarded with a single nod for musical event of the year.
Even Megan Moroney, whose “Cloud 9” album debuted at No. 1 and helped make history alongside Langley, is only seen in the female vocalist and song of the year categories. Then there’s Stella Lefty, whose breakout hit “Boston” topped charts just before the eligibility window for this year’s awards closed. She did not make the final ballot.
Chris Stapleton knows about CMA Awards dominance. He’s won a record eight male vocalist of the year honors, with hopes of building on that in November. And the venerable duo Brooks & Dunn, who are the most awarded act in CMA Awards history with 20 wins, will hope to pick up a fresh trophy for their vocal duo of the year collection.
There’s no denying a mega-hit like Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” But she won’t be the first country artist to thoroughly dominate a CMA Awards field. In fact, she’ll be in excellent company.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 2026 CMA Awards nominations: History in the making, snubs and country trends
