Taylor Swift will perform at the 60th Annual CMA Awards on November 18, marking her first appearance on the ceremony’s stage in 13 years.
The Country Music Association and ABC announced the performance on Friday, November 13, confirming that the singer will return to the event held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.
Swift’s last musical performance at the CMA Awards took place in 2013, when she performed an acoustic version of “Red” alongside Vince Gill and Alison Krauss, an evening that also saw her receive the Pinnacle Award. That presentation featured country artists she had opened for during her early career, including Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, George Strait, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and Rascal Flatts.
Swift Earns Her 26th CMA Nomination for Toy Story 5 Track
Swift enters this year’s ceremony with a nomination for Single of the Year for “I Knew It, I Knew You,” a track from the Toy Story 5 soundtrack. According to the Country Music Association, this marks her 26th career CMA nomination. The track was written and produced in collaboration with Jack Antonoff.
Her history with the awards dates back to 2006. In 2007, she performed “Our Song” and won the Horizon Award, now called New Artist of the Year. In 2009, she swept all four categories in which she was nominated: Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year for Fearless, and Music Video of the Year for “Love Story.”
She became the youngest Entertainer of the Year winner in 2009 and remains to this day the youngest artist ever to receive the honor. Throughout her career, she has received 12 CMA Awards and special honors, including two Entertainer of the Year victories and recognition for her songwriting and collaborations.
In 2026, Swift was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. During her acceptance speech, she reflected on her artistic journey, noting that her ability to genre-hop and write in various ways was due to the “fundamentals and the foundation that I learned here in Nashville.”
Tribute Clarifications
While industry speculation suggested Swift might participate in a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, reports have confirmed she is not involved in that specific segment. Although social media accounts fueled rumors of her participation, reports have since ruled out that possibility. She further said that Parton possessed “true grace and true grit” and served as a path-walker for young girls dreaming of a career in the arts.
Lainey Wilson Hosts the 60th Annual CMA Awards
The 60th Annual CMA Awards will be hosted by Lainey Wilson for the third consecutive year. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and Disney+ from 8:00 to 11:00 PM ET, with streaming availability on Hulu the following day. Fans may also watch CMA Awards Backstage Live, presented by Bath & Body Works and hosted by Lauren Alaina and Haley Baylee.
Additional performers slated for the event include Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Megan Moroney, Mumford & Sons, Chris Stapleton, and Stephen Wilson Jr.
The ceremony also features a tribute to Brooks & Dunn, who are the recipients of this year’s CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. That performance will include Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Halestorm, HARDY, and Marcus King.
Taylor Swift to perform at the CMA Awards for the first time in 13 years. pic.twitter.com/FNBafIRxHl