2026 Americana Honors & Awards Nominees Revealed

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 21, 2026) — The Americana Music Association has announced the nominees for its 25th annual Americana Honors & Awards. The winners will be announced during the Americana Honors & Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The celebrated program is the hallmark event of AMERICANAFEST, which returns for its 26th year on Sept. 15-19, 2026.

Tickets to the Americana Honors & Awards are on sale now to Silver Wristband Holders. Honors & Awards tickets will be available to Festival Wristband Holders, members and the general public at later dates. AMERICANAFEST Wristbands can be purchased here.

A full list of categories and nominees for the Americana Music Association’s 25th annual Americana Honors & Awards is below:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR:

Snipe Hunter, Tyler Childers; Produced by Tyler Childers, Rick Rubin & Nick Sanborn

Billionaire, Kathleen Edwards; Produced by Jason Isbell & Gena Johnson

Planting by the Signs, S.G. Goodman; Produced by S.G. Goodman, Matthew Rowan & Drew Vandenberg

Cruel Joke, Ken Pomeroy; Produced by Colton Jean, Dakota McDaniel & Gary Paczosa

Hard Headed Woman, Margo Price; Produced by Matt Ross-Spang

ARTIST OF THE YEAR:

Brandi Carlile

Charley Crockett

Margo Price

Molly Tuttle

Jesse Welles

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR:

Flatland Cavalry

I’m With Her

Mumford & Sons

Turnpike Troubadours

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

EMERGING ACT OF THE YEAR:

Boy Golden

Crowe Boys

Kashus Culpepper

Ken Pomeroy

Mon Rovîa

SONG OF THE YEAR:

“Returning To Myself,” Brandi Carlile; Written by Brandi Carlile

“Snapping Turtle,” S.G. Goodman; Written by S.G. Goodman

“Wild and Clear and Blue,” I’m With Her; Written by Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins

“Heavy Foot,” Mon Rovîa; Written by Grant Averill, Eric Cromartie, Cooper Holzman & Andrew Lowe

“The World’s Gone Wrong,” Lucinda Williams (feat. Brittney Spencer); Written by Tom Overby,
Doug Pettibone & Lucinda Williams

The Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community with five member-voted annual awards. Lifetime Achievement honorees, who will be announced at a later date, are also recognized during the ceremony.

For more than two decades, the prestigious ceremony has celebrated pioneering mainstays and trailblazing newcomers, while featuring unforgettable moments in musical history including Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash’s last live performance together, as well as offering show-stopping appearances by Sierra Ferrell, Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, Noah Kahan, 49 Winchester, Mavis Staples, Bob Weir, Buddy Guy, John Prine, Bonnie Raitt, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris & Daniel Lanois, Shelby Lynne, Lukas Nelson, The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Fantastic Negrito,
Margo Price, John Fogerty and many more.

For more information on the Americana Music Association or to purchase a wristband to AMERICANAFEST, please visit www.americanamusic.org.

About the Americana Music Association:
The Americana Music Association is a professional not-for-profit trade organization whose mission is to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world. The Association produces events throughout the year, including AMERICANAFEST and the Americana Honors & Awards program. The Americana Music Association receives generous support from the Tennessee Department of Tourism, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.

About AMERICANAFEST:
AMERICANAFEST brings together hundreds of showcasing artists, industry leaders and music fans throughout the most notable venues in Nashville, Tennessee. To complement the nightly official showcases curated by a festival committee, multiple special events during the day allow agencies, labels and other industry entities to highlight their roster. The destination event also offers a three-day educational conference with networking opportunities, numerous panels, and premium industry interaction. The annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony at Ryman Auditorium recognizes the groundbreaking figures of Americana music and celebrates the music achievements of the past year. AMERICANAFEST serves as a fundraiser supporting the initiatives of the Americana Music Association and its Foundation and will take place in Nashville from September 15-19, 2026.

For more information on the Americana Music Association, please contact:

Back to News