Congratulations to Wade Forster, James Johnston and iHeartCountry’s Justin Thomson on their nominations for the 2026 CMA International Awards.
The Country Music Association has announced the finalists for three eligibility period-based categories of the 2026 CMA International Awards, recognising artists and broadcasters whose achievements during the eligibility period (May 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026) have contributed to the continued growth and reach of Country Music around the world.
There are Australian finalists in two of the categories:
INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY BROADCASTER AWARD
Recognises outstanding achievement by a radio broadcaster or syndicated radio reporter outside the United States who has made important contributions to the development of Country Music in their country. Syndicated, Short-Form, Hub Voice-Tracking, Digital Service Providers and Satellite broadcast personalities are eligible for this award.
- Shannon Ella, iHeartRadio/Pure Country (Canada)
- Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2 (United Kingdom)
- Baylen Leonard, Absolute Radio Country (United Kingdom)
- Justin Thomson, iHeartCountry AU (Australia)
JEFF WALKER GLOBAL COUNTRY ARTIST AWARD
Recognises outstanding achievements by a Country Music artist who is originally based internationally. The artist must have furthered the popularity of Country Music as well as brought attention to the Country Music format in their foreign based territory during the eligibility period.
- Wade Forster (Australia)
- Gareth (United Kingdom)
- James Johnston (Australia)
- Tami Neilson (New Zealand)
CMA’s remaining International Awards – the Jo Walker Meador International Award, Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award and Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award – recognise career-based contributions and do not include a finalist round.
Recipients across all six categories will be announced later this year.