Will Tucker Wetmore win New Artist of the Year at the 2026 CMA Awards?

Analysis

Tucker Wetmore is nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 60th Annual CMA Awards, set for Wednesday, Nov. 18 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, but the forecast leans against him winning. He is one of five names in the category, alongside Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Emily Ann Roberts and Stephen Wilson Jr. His year has been strong. Reporting says "Brunette" reached No. 1 in early 2026, his Brunette World Tour played the U.K. and Europe, and he won ACM New Male Artist of the Year in the spring. He also released the Sunburn Mixtape in July, and his latest single, "Who Told You That," is climbing country radio. Still, a one-in-five field means the leaning rests mostly on the number of credible rivals, not on a clear flaw in his case. Wilson has four CMA nominations across categories, including Song of the Year for "Gary," and Wilson, Anna and Faith appear on the Grammy entry list for Best New Artist, which Wetmore and Roberts do not. That is a sign of how the other nominees are being viewed, not a predictor of CMA voters. I have not seen a precursor result or an expert consensus that settles the CMA race. Last year's winner, Zach Top, beat a field that included Wetmore, so a nomination alone has not been enough for him. What to watch: any sign of CMA-voter momentum, such as a major performance slot or a late chart surge for "Who Told You That," before the Nov. 18 ceremony.