The Americana Music Association has announced the nominees for this year’s Americana Honors & Awards. The nominations include Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Duo/Group of the Year, Emerging Act of the Year, and Song of the Year. The winners will be unveiled during Americanafest, which will return for its 26th year September 15 through 19 in Nashville, Tennessee. (See the full list of nominees below.)
Each year, the Americana Honors & Awards are a sort of “kick-off” for Americanafest, held on the Wednesday night of the conference and festival at the beloved Ryman Auditorium. This year the awards show falls on September 16; as the Americana Music Association explains via email, “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.” Wristbands can be purchased here.
Nominees this year include country, roots, and Americana mainstream superstars like Tyler Childers, Brandi Carlile, and Mumford & Sons alongside newer discoveries and up-and-coming artists like Ken Pomeroy, Molly Tuttle, Mon Rovîa, Kashus Culpepper, and more. Other awards bestowed on September 16 will include Americana Lifetime Achievement Honors, the Legacy of Americana Award, and the Spirit of Americana Free Speech in Music Award.
In past years a trophy for Instrumentalist of the Year has also been announced in tandem with the “of the year” categories, this year the category was notably absent from the announcement. After outcry from musicians and members, the organization made a statement on social media a few days after the announcement stating that the Instrumentalist of the Year Award will be “presented at a later date.” The Honors & Awards host(s), house band, and musical performers have not yet been announced, but participants each year are stellar.
See the full list of nominees below and make plans now to attend the Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville, Tennessee on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
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
Lead image courtesy of the Americana Music Association.
This post was updated to include mention of the Americana Music Association’s social media statement regarding Instrumentalist of the Year.
