The Country Music Association and ABC announced a second round of CMA Awards 2026 performers on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The new additions are Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Megan Moroney, Mumford and Sons, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Stephen Wilson Jr.
They join a lineup that was already packed with big names, and the show will now feature 15 performances from 21 artists in total. The ceremony airs live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney Plus, and it will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
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Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | 60th Annual CMA Awards |
| Announcement date | Tuesday, November 10, 2026 |
| Air date | Wednesday, November 18, 2026 |
| Time | 8 to 11 p.m. ET |
| Venue | Bridgestone Arena, Nashville |
| Where to watch | ABC and Disney Plus, next day on Hulu |
| Host | Lainey Wilson, third year in a row |
| Total performances | 15 performances from 21 artists |
| New performers | Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Megan Moroney, Mumford and Sons, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Stephen Wilson Jr. |
| Brooks and Dunn tribute | Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Halestorm, HARDY and Marcus King |
| Dolly Parton tribute | Planned, details not yet revealed |
| Top nominee | Ella Langley with nine nominations |
CMA Awards 2026 Performers: A Second Wave of Stars
The first round of performers had already given country fans plenty to look forward to. Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore were all confirmed before this latest announcement, as our earlier look at the first round of CMA Awards 2026 performers showed. Now the second round adds seven more names.
Luke Combs is the biggest name in the new group. He is one of the most reliable hitmakers in modern country music, and he is also an Entertainer of the Year nominee this year. His presence matters because he represents the current sound of mainstream country.
Lainey Wilson is the other headline name in this round, and her role goes far beyond a single performance. She is hosting the show for the third consecutive year, her second time leading it solo, and she comes into the night as the reigning Entertainer of the Year. She also has three nominations this year, including Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year.
Megan Moroney is another strong addition. She is a Female Vocalist nominee this year. Vince Gill brings a different kind of weight. He is a 12-time CMA Awards host, which means he knows this stage better than almost anyone in the building. Stephen Wilson Jr. rounds out the new names as a New Artist nominee, and a CMA Awards performance is the kind of slot that introduces a singer to millions of viewers.
Chris Stapleton Takes on Two Performances
Chris Stapleton is the busiest artist in this second round of announcements. He will perform twice during the show. First, he will share the stage with Mumford and Sons, who are making their CMA Awards debut, on their collaboration “Here”. Then he will perform again with New Artist nominee Stephen Wilson Jr.
The Mumford and Sons pairing is one of the most interesting moments on the whole bill. The band is making its first ever appearance at the CMA Awards, and doing it alongside Stapleton gives the moment real credibility with a country audience. Mumford and Sons have always lived close to folk and Americana, so the step onto a country stage is not as far as it might sound. Their collaboration “Here” gives them a natural reason to be there.
The second Stapleton performance is a different kind of moment. Sharing the stage with Stephen Wilson Jr. puts the spotlight on a newer artist. Wilson is a New Artist nominee, which means the industry already sees him as someone to watch. A performance with Stapleton in front of a national television audience could turn industry respect into a much wider following.
A Big Tribute for Brooks and Dunn
One of the most anticipated moments of the night is the tribute to Brooks and Dunn. Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Halestorm, HARDY and Marcus King will come together for a tribute performance celebrating the duo. The tribute honors Brooks and Dunn as this year’s recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Brooks and Dunn, made up of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, are the 11th act to receive the award. The award was first given to Willie Nelson in 2012, and it is named after him. It goes to artists whose work has shaped country music over a long career, and Brooks and Dunn fit that description without question. Their run of hits helped define country music in the 1990s and beyond.
A Tribute to Dolly Parton
The show will also include a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, who passed away at 80 on August 25, 2026. Her death was one of the biggest stories in music this year, and the CMA Awards was always going to find a way to honor her. She was more than a country singer. She was a songwriter, an actress, a businesswoman and a philanthropist, and her influence reached far beyond Nashville.
The CMA has kept details of this tribute vague so far. The organization has not revealed which artists will take part, and it has not said which songs will be performed. That secrecy could be a deliberate choice, a way to keep one moment of the night as a surprise for viewers watching live. Either way, fans should expect it to be one of the most emotional moments of the evening.
Dolly Parton won CMA Awards, hosted the show, and helped define what country music could be for a worldwide audience. Her songs have been covered by artists in almost every genre. A tribute to her needs to balance celebration and sadness, and the CMA Awards stage is the right place to try.
The Host, the Nominees and the Night Ahead
Lainey Wilson hosting for a third year in a row is a story in itself. Hosting an awards show is a hard job. The host has to keep the night moving, handle the jokes, introduce the performers and stay calm when things go wrong. Doing it three years in a row means the CMA trusts her with the show, and doing it solo for a second time means she has grown into the role.
Her nominations add another layer to the night. Three nominations, including Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year, put her in the middle of the biggest races. As the reigning Entertainer of the Year, she comes in as a defending champion of sorts. Either way, she is the face of the show.
Ella Langley leads this year’s nominees with nine nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Her year has been helped by her historic Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, a milestone that showed her music reaching far beyond the country audience. Nine nominations puts her at the center of the night’s biggest questions. Will she convert those nominations into wins?
The full picture of the night is now clear. Fifteen performances from 21 artists is a lot of music for a three-hour show. Longtime country fans will have Vince Gill and Brooks and Dunn to celebrate. Younger fans will have Megan Moroney and Stephen Wilson Jr. to discover. Fans of big stars will have Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson and Chris Stapleton.
Away from Nashville, the entertainment world keeps moving too. Johnny Depp stepped out for the London premiere of his new Scrooge film, while reality TV fans are following the I am a Celebrity 2026 lineup and arrivals. But on November 18, country music takes center stage, and the CMA Awards will be the show everyone is talking about.
FAQs
When are the 60th Annual CMA Awards?
The show airs live on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET. It comes from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and airs on ABC and Disney Plus. It will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
Who are the new CMA Awards 2026 performers?
The second round of performers announced on November 10, 2026 includes Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Megan Moroney, Mumford and Sons, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Stephen Wilson Jr. They join the previously announced Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore.
How many performances will the show have?
The show will feature 15 performances from 21 artists in total. Chris Stapleton will perform twice, once with Mumford and Sons on their collaboration “Here” and once with New Artist nominee Stephen Wilson Jr.
Who is hosting the CMA Awards this year?
Lainey Wilson is hosting the show for the third consecutive year, her second time leading it solo. She was revealed as host in September. She also performs on the night and has three nominations, including Entertainer of the Year. She is the reigning Entertainer of the Year.
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Final Thoughts
The second round of CMA Awards 2026 performers does more than add names to a poster. It completes the picture of what the 60th Annual CMA Awards wants to be. Luke Combs and Lainey Wilson give the night star power. Vince Gill gives it history. Megan Moroney and Stephen Wilson Jr. give it a look at the future. Chris Stapleton gives it two performances that show off his range, including a CMA Awards debut for Mumford and Sons on their collaboration “Here”.
The tribute to Brooks and Dunn gives the night a moment of respect for a duo that helped shape the genre, and the tribute to Dolly Parton gives it a moment of emotion that viewers will remember long after the last award is handed out. Ella Langley leads the nominees with nine, and the races for Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year will give the night its drama. Tune in live on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney Plus, or catch it the next day on Hulu.
