ACM Radio Awards 2026 Winners Announced, Spotlighting Broadcast’s Role in Country Music

The Academy of Country Music has announced the winners of its 2026 Radio Awards, recognizing the broadcast professionals and stations that form a critical pipeline for the genre. The winners were revealed by two-time ACM Award winner Parker McCollum, who announced the recipients in the On-Air Personality of the Year and Radio Station of the Year categories.

While the full list encompasses multiple market sizes and formats, the top awards highlight the enduring, if evolving, relationship between country artists and terrestrial radio. In an era of algorithmic playlists and direct-to-fan streaming, these awards formalize the industry’s acknowledgment of radio’s continued influence on career trajectories and song reach within the country ecosystem.

The decision to have McCollum announce the winners connects the ceremony’s focus to current artist success. McCollum’s own rise, heavily supported by country radio play, underscores the practical significance of the awards beyond internal industry recognition. His presence bridges the artist and broadcaster sides of the industry.

The ACM Radio Awards differ from the main ACM Awards show, focusing exclusively on the broadcast medium. Categories are divided by market size—major, large, medium, and small—for both stations and on-air personalities, acknowledging the distinct landscapes and community impacts of regional radio. Winning in these categories often reflects a combination of ratings, community engagement, and support for new music.

For the artists, securing play on winning stations, particularly those honored as Station of the Year, remains a valuable milestone. It represents validation within a curated system that still commands a massive, dedicated listenership. The awards thus function as a barometer for which broadcasters the industry itself views as most effective at breaking and sustaining hits.

The announcement arrives as the country music industry continues to navigate its distribution channels. Despite the dominance of streaming, radio airplay retains a specific cultural and commercial weight in country music, often influencing chart placement and tour market viability. The ACM’s continued investment in these awards reaffirms radio’s institutional role.

Details on all category winners, including specific personalities and stations across all market tiers, are available through the Academy of Country Music’s official channels. The awards were presented ahead of the broader ACM Awards event later this year.