Taylor Swift has earned recognition on country music's biggest stage. Her Toy Story 5 single, I Knew It, I Knew You, has landed a Single of the Year nomination at the 60th Annual CMA Awards, and Swift has confirmed she plans to be in Nashville when the show airs live from Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18.
Her First CMA Nod in Four Years
The nomination marks Swift's first Country Music Association Award nomination in four years, following her 2022 nod for I Bet You Think About Me in the video of the year category, according to WZTV. As reported by 103.9 The Maverick, the nomination puts Swift's career into perspective.
Swift confirmed the news herself, posting on her Instagram story that reads, in part: Looks like I haven't yee'd my last haw. Thank you CMA!!!! See you there Nov 18. The station's report notes the line as her own confirmation that she intends to attend the ceremony in person.
A Song Written for Jessie
I Knew It, I Knew You was written for Pixar's Toy Story 5, which opened in theaters in June 2026, and the country-influenced track debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Per the same account, Swift wrote the song for the character Jessie, underscoring the commercial momentum behind her nomination.
Swift shares the nomination with longtime pop collaborators Jack Antonoff and Laura Sisk. Antonoff is a first-time CMA nominee, while Sisk appears on MusicRow's list of 13 first-time nominees this year.
Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert Dominate the Field
Swift's nomination arrives during a ceremony otherwise dominated by breakout star Ella Langley, who leads all 60th Annual CMA Awards nominees with nine nominations, according to KTNN. That total puts Langley at the top of the nominations field, and the same outlet notes Langley's single Choosin' Texas spent 21 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
Miranda Lambert, meanwhile, picked up six total nominations for the 60th CMA Awards, including her 19th career nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year. As reported by AP News, that nod breaks Lambert's tie with Reba McEntire for the most nominations in that category in CMA history. Billboard Country adds that Lambert co-wrote Langley's breakout hit and co-produced her album, tying the two stories together.
The Entertainer of the Year field for the 60th anniversary show includes Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Chris Stapleton, and reigning winner Lainey Wilson, per MusicRow. Langley's inclusion marks her first time as a nominee in that category, arriving in the same breakout year that pushed her nomination count to the top of the field.
Lainey Wilson Returns as Host for a Third Year
Twelve-time CMA Award winner Lainey Wilson will host the 60th Annual CMA Awards for a third consecutive year, making her the first female artist in CMA history to solo-host the telecast twice, according to BMG. Wilson is also nominated for three awards of her own this year, including a bid to defend her Entertainer of the Year title.
The ceremony will broadcast live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on ABC and Disney+, with winners chosen by more than 7,000 professional voting members of the Country Music Association. Bridgestone Arena is the venue for this year's telecast.
A Longtime CMA Presence
Swift's history with the CMAs includes multiple nominations and wins.
Across her career, Swift holds 12 CMA Award wins out of 28 total nominations, including two Entertainer of the Year trophies, won in 2009 and 2011. Per Wikipedia's compiled awards history, Swift won CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2009.
Whether Swift will perform I Knew It, I Knew You live on the November 18 telecast has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear whether this nomination signals a broader return to country music or stands as a one-off soundtrack contribution. For now, the only certainty is that Swift plans to be in the room at Bridgestone Arena when the 60th Annual CMA Awards crown its winners.
