CMA Fest returns to downtown Nashville June 4–7, 2026, once again spreading four days of live music across multiple stages. While the nightly shows at Nissan Stadium spotlight many of the genre’s biggest names, the daytime stages often provide the most opportunities for discovery, with artists spanning traditional country, Americana, crossover sounds, and a few unexpected additions. With the CMA Fest daytime lineups now revealed, several performances immediately stand out.
The War and Treaty are a welcome return to the CMA Fest lineup. Their blend of soul, gospel, and Americana gives their sets a revival-style energy. It’s a sound that stands apart, even amid the bustle of a festival crowd.
Willow Avalon also returns as one to watch. Her sound leans into traditional country instrumentation, with pedal steel and classic storytelling framing songs that feel rooted without sounding dated. After impressing on the Reverb Stage in past appearances, she remains a strong fit for the daytime lineup and an easy artist to recommend for anyone looking beyond radio-driven country.
Dasha is another artist we’ve followed closely over the past two years. After first gaining traction through viral success and quickly moving into larger day-stage appearances, she has continued to evolve while still leaning into her original party-driven sound. Her sets tend to draw sizable crowds and keep the energy high from start to finish.
Melissa Etheridge brings a crossover element to the lineup. While not traditionally associated with country music, her roots-driven songwriting and blues rock foundation make her a natural fit. A recent collaboration with Chris Stapleton further underscores that connection. Big vocals and a catalog that stretches well beyond genre boundaries should fit comfortably on the daytime stages.
Rome Ramirez, billed as “ROME from Sublime with Rome,” brings a reggae-leaning crossover element to the daytime lineup. Elsewhere, several additional artists round out a strong group of performances worth catching. Mae Estes brings a throwback-leaning sound rooted in ’90s country with modern polish, while Alana Springsteen adds a pop-leaning edge to the lineup. Sister Hazel adds a nostalgic, not-quite-country element to the weekend, and artists like Drake Milligan, Alexandra Kay, Karley Scott Collins, and Jason Scott & The High Heat help fill out a lineup that leans toward roots, crossover, and emerging voices.
The nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium will also feature artists such as Shaboozey, Tim McGraw, and Deana Carter, alongside a mix of established headliners and rising talent.
More announcements are still on the way beyond the outdoor stage schedules. The Fan Fair X lineup at Music City Center has yet to be revealed, and CMA Fest typically adds separately ticketed shows at Ascend Amphitheater during the same weekend. Pop-up performances, artist signings, and late-night events around Nashville are also common, meaning the full picture of CMA Fest 2026 will continue to expand as the festival approaches.
CMA Fest runs June 4–7 throughout downtown Nashville, with hundreds of performances across multiple outdoor stages. Daytime shows are free to attend, with stages opening in the morning and running throughout the day. Nightly concerts at Nissan Stadium require separate tickets which are available through the CMA website. Schedule details and stage times are already available through the CMA Connect app.
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