Shania Twain to Host 61st ACM Awards Live from Las Vegas

The Academy of Country Music Awards are coming home. The 61st annual ceremony is officially set to light up Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, May 17, 2026, with global music icon Shania Twain stepping into the spotlight as host for the first time. The event will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, a venue deeply connected to the show's rich history.

Fans worldwide can stream the show exclusively on Prime Video, the Amazon Music app, and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. The broadcast kicks off at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT, and a Prime membership is not required to tune in. This return to Vegas marks a significant moment for the ACMs, which spent the previous three years in Frisco, Texas, before making its way back to its traditional desert home.

Twain brings an undeniable legacy to the hosting gig. A three-time ACM Award winner, she has previously earned the coveted ACM Entertainer of the Year trophy and the ACM Poet's Award for her songwriting prowess. Beyond the ACMs, she is a five-time GRAMMY Award winner with six acclaimed studio albums and over 100 million albums sold worldwide. Her bold, boundary-pushing sound and crossover appeal have solidified her status as one of music's most iconic and influential voices, helping to redefine country music for a global audience.

The nominations, unveiled on April 9, 2026, continue a powerful trend for women in country music, with female artists dominating the field for the second consecutive year. Megan Moroney leads the pack with nine nominations, including her first-ever nods for Entertainer of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Miranda Lambert, the most-decorated artist in ACM Awards history, follows closely with eight nominations, while Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson each secured seven. Among male artists, Chris Stapleton leads with six nominations, followed by Zach Top with five and Cody Johnson with four.

The highly anticipated Entertainer of the Year category features a stacked lineup including Moroney, Wilson, Stapleton, Johnson, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, and Morgan Wallen. Lainey Wilson, who clinched this prestigious award in both 2024 and 2025, is now in contention for a remarkable third consecutive win. Luke Combs is also noted to be chasing the coveted Triple Crown award, adding another layer of excitement to the night. Several artists are celebrating their first ACM nominations this year, including 49 Winchester, Avery Anna, Mackenzie Carpenter, Carter Faith, Caroline Jones, Vincent Mason, Emily Ann Roberts, Thelma & James, Hudson Westbrook, and Stephen Wilson Jr.

Ahead of the main ceremony, several pre-show winners have already been announced. Jessie Jo Dillon earned her third consecutive win as Songwriter of the Year. Stephen Wilson Jr. was recognized with the Visual Media of the Year award for his music video “Cuckoo.” Avery Anna was named New Female Artist of the Year, and Tucker Wetmore took home the title of New Male Artist of the Year.

Twain expressed her excitement for her new role, stating, "I'm thrilled to be hosting the 61st ACM Awards in Las Vegas, a place that feels like home. It's such an honor to be part of this incredible night celebrating Country Music's biggest stars, especially with so many talented women leading nominations this year. I can't wait to welcome all of the fans and artists out for this unforgettable night." ACM CEO Damon Whiteside echoed this sentiment, remarking, "We are honored to welcome global music superstar Shania Twain as our host this year. We couldn't imagine a more perfect icon to follow our previous iconic hosts, Dolly, Garth, and Reba, blending one of the most important nights in Country Music with the excitement of Las Vegas."

The 61st ACM Awards will feature a robust lineup of performers, including Cody Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Riley Green, Blake Shelton, Carter Faith, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, Lee Ann Womack, Parker McCollum, The Red Clay Strays, Thomas Rhett, Tucker Wetmore, Zach Top, and Avery Anna. Kacey Musgraves is slated to debut new music from her upcoming album, *Middle of Nowhere*, during the broadcast, while Lainey Wilson will perform her song “Can't Sit Still,” and Riley Green is set to perform “Change My Mind.” A star-studded list of presenters has also been announced, featuring Andrew Whitworth, Ashley McBryde, Carl Edwards, Corey LaJoie, Keith Urban, Lauren Alaina, Michael Bublé, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Shaboozey, The War And Treaty, and T.J. Osborne.

Las Vegas has long been intertwined with the ACM Awards' identity. The show first moved to the city in 2003, initially at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Events Center, before settling into the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2006. Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards holds the distinction of being the longest-running country music awards show. The event made history in 2022 by becoming the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, a partnership with Prime Video that continues for this 61st iteration. The week leading up to the awards, known as ACM Awards Week, includes various fan events and live shows across Las Vegas, such as ACM's Whiskey Jam Welcome Party on May 14, "ACM Lifting Lives Country on the Green: Riley Green & Friends" on May 15, and "ACM Next Wave: Country's Beach Bash" on May 16, headlined by Keith Urban. The ACM's charitable arm, ACM Lifting Lives, has a history of supporting the community, notably donating $400,000 to charities aiding victims and families of the 2017 Route 91 Harvest festival shooting in Las Vegas, an incident that deeply impacted the country music community.

With a legendary host, a strong showing for female artists, and a return to its iconic home, the 61st ACM Awards are poised to be an unforgettable night celebrating the best in country music. Fans can look forward to a blend of established stars and rising talents, delivering powerful performances and memorable moments.