Taylor Swift to Perform at CMA Awards for First Time in 13 Years

admin · November 13, 2026 · 5 min read

Taylor Swift performing on stage during her Eras Tour.

Taylor Swift is heading back to the CMA Awards stage. The Country Music Association and ABC announced on Friday, November 13, that Swift will perform at the 60th Annual CMA Awards, her first performance at country music’s biggest night in 13 years.

The ceremony airs live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming on Hulu. Lainey Wilson will host for a third consecutive year.

Swift is also a nominee this year. Her song “I Knew It, I Knew You” is up for Single of the Year, marking her 26th career CMA nomination.

A 13-year wait ends

Swift last performed at the CMA Awards in 2013, when she sang “Red” alongside Alison Krauss and Vince Gill. That same night, she received the prestigious Pinnacle Award, presented by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, George Strait, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Rascal Flatts — artists she had opened for early in her career.

Her most recent appearance at the ceremony came in 2016, when she presented Entertainer of the Year to Garth Brooks. The announcement was made on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Friday, five days before the show.

What Swift will sing has not been announced. The CMA and ABC did not name a song or any collaborators for the performance.

The song behind the nomination

“I Knew It, I Knew You” was written by Swift and Jack Antonoff for the Disney and Pixar film “Toy Story 5,” inspired by the character Jessie. The song recently reached No. 1 on U.S. country radio.

In the Single of the Year race, Swift faces two singles from Ella Langley, “Be Her” and “Choosin’ Texas,” along with Lainey Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo” and Cody Johnson’s “The Fall.” It is her first CMA nomination since 2022.

Swift is not part of the show’s planned tribute to Dolly Parton, who died this summer at 80, according to reports from E! News and Rolling Stone. Her CMA slot will be her own.

A history that spans two decades

Swift’s history with the CMA Awards goes back to her beginnings in country music. She first attended the ceremony in 2006, won her first CMA Award — the Horizon Award — in 2007, and became the youngest Entertainer of the Year winner in 2009. She remains the youngest artist ever to win the honor, and she has won Entertainer of the Year twice.

She joins a performer lineup that already includes Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Tim McGraw, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore and The Red Clay Strays. Presenters for the milestone 60th show will be announced in the coming days.

Why this matters

The CMA Awards, first held in 1967, is the longest-running annual music awards program on network television. Swift’s return is the headline booking of its 60th edition — a homecoming for the artist who began her career in Nashville before becoming the biggest pop star in the world.

For country music, the moment lands at a time when the genre’s biggest names are crossing over in both directions, and Swift’s presence puts the show in front of an audience far beyond its usual viewers. For Swift, it is a return to the stage where she was first crowned, now as a nominee rather than a runaway favorite.

Latest developments

Tickets for the ceremony remain available in limited numbers through CMAawards.com. The show is produced by the Country Music Association, with Robert Deaton as executive producer, Alan Carter as director and Jon Macks as head writer. Related coverage on this site: Taylor Swift is set to receive the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment gala, Morgan Wallen has announced a 2027 stadium tour, and Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor has retired as worsening tinnitus ends his playing career.

Frequently asked questions

When are the 2026 CMA Awards?

The 60th Annual CMA Awards air live on Wednesday, November 18, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with next-day streaming on Hulu.

When did Taylor Swift last perform at the CMA Awards?

Swift last performed at the CMA Awards in 2013, singing “Red” with Alison Krauss and Vince Gill. She last attended the ceremony in 2016, when she presented Entertainer of the Year to Garth Brooks.

What is Taylor Swift nominated for at the 2026 CMA Awards?

Swift is nominated for Single of the Year for “I Knew It, I Knew You,” a song she wrote for Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5.” It is her 26th career CMA nomination.

What song will Taylor Swift perform at the CMA Awards?

That has not been announced. The CMA and ABC confirmed the performance but did not reveal the song or any collaborators.

Taylor Swift’s return to the CMA Awards stage closes a 13-year gap and gives the 60th anniversary show its biggest moment. Whether she performs her nominated single or reaches back to the country catalog that started it all, Nashville will be watching on November 18.