Photos: CMA Broadcast Awards Honors Country Radio Excellence

The Country Music Association continues to celebrate excellence across the industry with the announcement of the 2026 CMA Broadcast Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in Country radio. Reigning CMA New Artist of the Year Zach Top surprised radio stations and broadcast personalities nationwide with personal calls to reveal this year's winners.

'Country radio is an important part of our ecosystem, and we're delighted to celebrate the people who show up for their listeners and communities every day,' says Brittany Schaffer, incoming CMA CEO. 'Congratulations to every personality and station, and thank you for all you do for Country Music.'

CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year

WEEKLY NATIONAL
'The Highway Hot 30 Countdown with Buzz Brainard' (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM

DAILY NATIONAL
'Big D & Bubba' ('Big D' Derek Haskins, 'Bubba' Sean Powell, Carsen Humphreville, Jonathan Shaffer, and Garrett Freche) – Silverfish Media

MAJOR MARKET
'The Andie Summers Show' (Andie Summers, Jeff Kurkjian, Donnie Black, and Shannon Boyle) – WXTU, Philadelphia, Pa.

LARGE MARKET
'The Jesse & Anna Show' (Jesse Tack, Anna Marie, and Jake Thomson) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio

MEDIUM MARKET
'Steve & Gina in the Morning on Kat 103.7' (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa

SMALL MARKET
'Officer Don and DeAnn' ('Officer Don' Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington, Ky.

CMA Radio Station of the Year

MAJOR MARKET
KSCS – Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas

LARGE MARKET
WQDR – Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

MEDIUM MARKET
KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa

SMALL MARKET
WKML – Fayetteville, N.C.

The CMA Broadcast Award categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Nielsen. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and biographical and impact information. Candidates for Radio Station of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement and leadership and impact information.

Any full-time, on-air broadcast personalities and radio stations in the United States and Canada were eligible to submit entries, regardless of CMA membership status. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.

CMA Broadcast Awards winners are not eligible to enter the same award category in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2025 were not eligible in 2026.

'The 60th Annual CMA Awards,' hosted by Lainey Wilson will air live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+, and next day on Hulu. Winners of the CMA Broadcast Awards will also be recognized during the Pre-Telecast Ceremony earlier that evening, prior to the live primetime show.

About the CMA Awards

First held in 1967, the CMA Awards is the longest-running, annual music awards program on network television. Each year, the show honors outstanding achievement in Country Music—celebrating the artists, songwriters, musicians, and industry professionals whose work has shaped the genre. Winners and nominees are determined by CMA's Professional voting membership, reflecting the voices of their peers across the industry. The CMA Awards airs live on ABC, with next day streaming available on Hulu, and is part of CMA's television portfolio alongside 'CMA Fest' and 'CMA Country Christmas.'

Photo Credit: Citizen Kane Wayne