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It\u2019s Ella Langley and Texas for the win in 2026, as Academy of Country Music voters chose Texas artists, and Ella Langley\u2019s \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas\u201d as the top winners. You could also say the ACMs chose authenticity and twang along the way. Though much of the presentation failed to represent the best in popular country music, many of the awards did, even with performers like Zach Top and Megan Moroney walking away empty handed. <\/p>\n
It was a clean sweep for Ella Langley and all the awards she was up for. She won both Single and Song of the Year for \u201cChoosin\u2019 Texas,\u201d which actually doubles her take on both since she was also a co-producer and songwriter on the tracks. She also won Female Artist of the Year, Artist-Songwriter of the Year, and Music Event of the Year for \u201cDon\u2019t Mind If I Do\u201d with Riley Green. <\/p>\n
Those seven wins mean that Ella Langley had a historic night, with the most wins ever accrued by an artist in one ACM year. Three artists have won six total over the years: Garth Brooks (1991), Faith Hill (1999) and Chris Stapleton (2016). Ella Langley probably would have won Album of the Year and Entertainer of the Year if she\u2019d been nominated for them. Next year she will be, and will go in as a front runner for both. <\/p>\n
Ella Langley is from Alabama, not Texas. So are The Red Clay Strays, who walked away with Group of the Year, breaking Old Dominion\u2019s dominant (and rather ridiculous) 8-year winning streak for the award. The Red Clay Strays won New Duo or Group of the Year in 2025, and now up their game with the big boys in the mainstream with the win. <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s two artists who started in the Texas scene that scored the rest of the evening\u2019s top prizes. Parker McCollum\u2019s self-titled album might have not come with massive hits, or been a critical favorite of the Americana crowd. But it was clearly deeply personal to him, and illustrated how a mainstream album could still hit a bit left of center and with a deeper tone, and still be successful, including winning Album of the Year. <\/p>\n
Parker McCollum mentioned Koe Wetzel, Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers Band, and \u201call my Texas country and Red Dirt family\u201d in his acceptance speech. Winning Album of the Year is a career-defining moment for Parker, and a moment the entire State of Texas can be proud of. <\/p>\n
Same goes for Cody Johnson, who except for Langley, was the big winner of the night. After taking home his first ACM for Male Vocalist of the Year, he walked away with the evening\u2019s top prize of Entertainer of the Year. Though Morgan Wallen fans will rightfully argue that their boy is multipliers bigger than Cody Johnson, the Texas native is no slouch. He\u2019s been tearing it up as an entertainer (the award is considered just as much about live performance as anything), and unlike Wallen, Cody\u2019s kept his nose clean over the years. <\/p>\n
If Luke Combs or Chris Stapleton would have won Entertainer, it would have felt like the safe pick. If Lainey Wilson won for a third straight year\u2014especially with Ella Langley\u2019s big night\u2014it would have illustrated how the industry has really overextended for Lainey, even if she\u2019s one of the better voices in the mainstream. It was too early for Megan Moroney to win, and she\u2019ll have more opportunities. Cody Johnson might not, but he cashed in this year, and will forever be the 2026 ACM Entertainer of the Year. <\/p>\n
What does all of this mean? Well first, you always have to remind yourself that it\u2019s \u201cjust the ACM Awards.\u201d As an example, only three of the seven artists up for Entertainer of the Year were even present in the building (Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson). Streaming on Amazon as opposed to being broadcast on TV, and conducted on a Sunday, the social media chatter for the awards was incredibly low. <\/p>\n
The energy level was also low throughout the entire presentation, and host Shania Twain brought nothing but slurred words and awkward moments to the table. Carter Faith distinguished herself with her performance, and so did Ella Langley by performing \u201cBe Her\u201d acoustically. Cody Johnson\u2019s \u201cTraveling Soldier\u201d (written by Bruce Robison and originally recorded by the [Dixie] Chicks) was a sincere gesture as opposed to performing his current single. <\/p>\n
It was a little awkward when New Female Artist of the Year winner Avery Anna started her performance off with \u201cBang, Bang\u201d\u2014something written by Sonny Bono, but a song Kaitlin Butts has been featuring for the last few years. Kaitlin felt like she was overlooked for ACM New Female Artist consideration, but maybe the imitation by Avery is the greatest form of flattery. <\/p>\n
Again, it\u2019s just the ACM Awards. But the 2026 wins do seem to validate the moment we\u2019re enjoying in country music. As silly songs from folks like Kane Brown and Thomas Rhett fell flat, it felt like the future is with artists, songs, and albums with integrity. \u201cTexas\u201d might not be a perfect synonym for authenticity and integrity, but it tends to hit closer to that than Nashville. And in the neutral setting of Las Vegas, Texas and top performers from Alabama won out. <\/p>\n
There was plenty to criticize from the 2026 ACM Awards. But ultimately, the good guys won. <\/p>\n
For a full blow by blow of the presentation, check out Saving Country Music\u2019s 2026 ACM Awards LIVE Blog<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013<\/p>\n