The 60th CMA Awards air live Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with eight performers announced so far and a tribute to Dolly Parton. Taylor Swift, nominated for her Toy Story 5 song, has said she'll be there.
The Country Music Association named the first eight performers for The 60th Annual CMA Awards on Thursday, Nov. 5, and promised "an unforgettable tribute to Dolly Parton, honoring the Country Music icon."
The show airs live Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. It's the first CMA Awards since Parton died Aug. 25 at 80.
The first performers are Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore. The CMA said more performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.
Lainey Wilson hosts for a third straight year.
Here's the CMA's official promo for the 60th CMA Awards:
How can I watch the 2026 CMA Awards?
On TV: ABC, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 8 to 11 p.m. ET
Streaming live: Disney+
Next day: Hulu
In person: The CMA says limited tickets remain at CMAawards.com/tickets.
Lauren Alaina and Haley Baylee will host "CMA Awards Backstage Live," presented by Bath & Body Works.
How will the CMA Awards honor Dolly Parton?
The CMA hasn't said who will perform in the tribute or which songs will be part of it. Its announcement said the tribute will honor Parton's influence across entertainment.
This will be the CMA's second major Parton tribute this fall. On Oct. 21, ABC aired "CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton," live from Belmont University's Fisher Center in Nashville.
That two-hour special featured 14 performances, including Carrie Underwood singing "I Will Always Love You" and Ella Langley singing "Jolene," the CMA said. Frozen star Kristen Bell was also on the announced lineup. The special streams on Disney+ and Hulu.
The next day, the CMA, Belmont, The Walt Disney Company and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced a combined $1 million gift to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, the program that mails free books to young children.
"Dolly has always brought people together," CMA CEO Sarah Trahern said.
Who is performing at the 2026 CMA Awards?
Here's the first round, with each act's nominations, per the CMA:
Cody Johnson: reigning male vocalist of the year, four nominations
Miranda Lambert: seven nominations; her 70 career nods are the most for a female artist in CMA history
Ella Langley: leads all nominees with nine
Tim McGraw: newly inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, performing to mark the honor
Kacey Musgraves: five nominations, including album of the year
The Red Clay Strays: reigning vocal group of the year, nominated again
Zach Top: reigning new artist of the year, two nominations
Tucker Wetmore: up for new artist of the year
The CMA didn't say what anyone will sing.
Is Taylor Swift going to the CMA Awards?
She says yes. Swift is nominated for single of the year for "I Knew It, I Knew You," the Jessie-inspired song that closes Pixar's Toy Story 5.
After the nominations came out in September, she posted "See you there Nov. 18" on her Instagram Stories, Variety reported. Her last CMA Awards appearance was in 2016, when she surprised Garth Brooks by presenting him entertainer of the year.
She's up against Langley's "Be Her" and "Choosin' Texas," Lainey Wilson's "Somewhere Over Laredo" and Johnson's "The Fall," Good Morning America reported.
Swift isn't on the performer list. At least not yet.
Who is nominated for CMA entertainer of the year?
Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson. Wilson won the award last year, Billboard noted, so the host could end her own show with a repeat.
Last year, Wilson's Whirlwind won album of the year, and Langley and Riley Green's "You Look Like You Love Me" took both single and song of the year, Billboard reported.
Robert Deaton is the executive producer, Alan Carter directs and Jon Macks is the head writer. The show first aired in 1967.
ABC has more country coming for the holidays, too: Lady A hosts CMA Country Christmas, which we covered Thursday.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Country Music Association (Nov. 5, 2026), the performers, air time, Disney+ and Hulu streaming, host, tribute, nominations and production team
Laughing Place (Nov. 5, 2026), the tip and first-round details
Billboard (Nov. 5, 2026), Lainey Wilson's reigning title and last year's winners
FOX 17 Nashville (Nov. 5, 2026), the 8 to 11 p.m. time and Taylor Swift's attendance
Variety (Sept. 10, 2026), Taylor Swift's Instagram post and her 2016 CMA appearance
Good Morning America (Sept. 2026), the single and entertainer of the year nominees
Country Music Association (Oct. 5, 2026), the "I Will Always Love You" special's date, venue, network and lineup
Country Music Association (Oct. 22, 2026), the $1 million Imagination Library gift and Sarah Trahern's quote
Saving Country Music (Oct. 19, 2026), the date of Dolly Parton's death
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