Multihyphenate superstar Miranda Lambert, the most-decorated artist in Academy of Country Music history, earned eight nominations for the upcoming 61st ACM Awards, the second highest tally of any artist.
“Honored to wake up and be among the most nominated for the ACM Awards,” Lambert shares. “It’s always special to be recognized and it’s even better when it’s alongside friends and heroes.”
She received her 18th nomination for Female Artist of the Year as well as her ninth nomination for Song of the Year and 16th total nomination (including Artist and Songwriter credits) in the category.
“You’d have to look pretty far and wide to find anyone in music who has been as consistently good or eternally enjoyable as Miranda Lambert,” remarks Rolling Stone. “Almost 20 years into her run, she’s defined her career by always going her own way, both musically and lyrically.”
In addition to her own artistry, Lambert is also nominated for her work as both a songwriter and a producer, demonstrating her ongoing impact across the genre. “Choosin’ Texas,” the record-setting hit recorded by Ella Langley, earns nods for Lambert in both the Song and Single of the Year categories as the track’s co-writer and producer.
“Miranda held down women in country on a mainstream level for a decade and change; this is as much a win for her legacy as it is for Ella’s still-growing stardom,” shares Billboard of the song, continuing, “while she continues to make music of her own – she was nominated for a GRAMMY this year – she definitely seems to be thriving behind the scenes, including co-running Big Loud Texas. This is validation for her influence, her talent and underrated ability as a songwriter.”
Additionally, Lambert is honored for her “A Song to Sing” duet with longtime friend and collaborator Chris Stapleton, earning nods in the Song, Music Event and Visual Media of the Year categories for their co-write.
“At a time when country is so many things, Lambert and Stapleton seem both a true north and a hinge for the future of the same Outlaw culture Waylon and Willie conjured,” notes POLLSTAR. “Musically robust, they want to make actual country music with their roots firmly planted, but with the ability to create on their terms. It’s not fighting Music Row as much as fighting for greatness.”
Fittingly for year where four women lead the nomination counts, Lambert also earned a Music Event of the Year nod for her female-empowered collaboration with Reba McEntire and Lainey Wilson, “Trailblazer.”
“Wilson is just about inarguably the best thing to happen to country music since Miranda Lambert, who in turn was one of the best things to happen since Reba. So it felt intuitively natural – but by no means commercially inevitable – when those three teamed up,” declares Variety of the song praised by Music Row as “an utterly historic collaboration among three generations of female country excellence.”
The 61st ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories on Prime Video on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT from the world-renowned MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fans will also be able to watch the broadcast on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, as well as in the Amazon Music app.
Tickets for the 61st ACM Awards and ACM Awards week events are available for purchase on AXS.com, offering fans exclusive entry into a nonstop weekend packed with performances by their favorite Country stars.
Seattle rocker AudioGust explores fame & imposter syndrome in new ‘Award Show’ single
Seattle-based artist AudioGust announces his new single 'Award Show', a catchy indie rock piece narrated from the perspective of a barren artist riding on inertia, as hollow accolades amplify his dread in a surreal theater of unworthiness - a gilded cage of his own past glory.
AudioGust is the solo project of songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Evans, whose journey started in the 1980s as a guitarist and bassist in various bands. After a decades-long detour in the software industry (including 20 years at Microsoft), he has returned to his true passion, writing and recording in his own studio. He has since released over three dozen songs and collaborated with artists worldwide, drawing inspiration from bands such as Green Day, The Police, and Foo Fighters.
'Award Show' is the second offering from AudioGust's new album 'Here We Go Again', presenting a menu of hooky anthems for disenchanted optimists. With a sound vortex imbued with 90’s to 2000’s alternative rock, his guitar-driven music brings in a strong, driving rhythm section, big choruses and even bigger bridge sections.
“'Award Show' delves into the darker side of creative success, exposing the paralyzing grip of imposter syndrome. The song follows an artist who once thrived on inspiration but now finds himself creatively empty, yet still receiving accolades for past work," explains Chris Evans.
"As he sits in the audience of a prestigious award show, he silently prays not to win—dreading the spotlight, the praise, and the expectation that he’s something he no longer feels he is. But when his name is called, the weight of the moment only deepens his self-doubt. Playing off his lack of preparation, he accepts the honor, yet inside, he’s unraveling—proof that even recognition can feel like a curse when inspiration is nowhere to be found."
Not long ago, AudioGust released the bright and punctuated title track 'Here We Go Again', an upbeat tribute to the unpredictable nature of creative inspiration, capturing an artist’s late-night encounter with his muse—an unexpected, almost mystical moment when a song begins to take shape in his mind.
His new 14-track album is deeply personal and universally relatable. An ode to the highs and lows of creativity, it includes some of his most popular singles, along with new material. Blending raw energy with introspective storytelling, the album explores the unpredictable nature of inspiration—both the exhilarating moments when it strikes and the emptiness when it fades.
AudioGust explains, "This album is split into songs that describe the extremes of the fickle nature of inspiration and songs that have come to me in both of those places". Offering a deep dive into the creative process, this record features six brand-new songs as well as fan-favorite singles, including 'Tomorrow is Mine', a finalist in the 2024 USA Songwriting Contest.
With a knack for crafting memorable melodies and thought-provoking lyrics, underscored by upbeat rhythms and evocative guitar arrangements, AudioGust creates music that speaks to the disenchanted and dreamers alike through sonic exploration of the modern human condition. AudioGust released his debut album 'Walk With Me' in 2023, followed by the 'Hope from Darkness' and 'Love and Pain' EPs.
'Here We Go Again' is available from fine music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The full album by the same name will be released on May 30.
ALBUM CREDITS
All songs written by Chris Evans
except 'How You Been?' written by Chris Evans & Liz Rodrigues
Recorded, mixed & mastered by AudioGust on Whidbey Island
Performed by AudioGust
Liliana Tani - vocals on 'Dead to Me'
Leslie Irish Evans - announcer's voice on 'Award Show'
Cover artwork by Chris Evans
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR
