McAnally frames the milestone as a full-circle moment for a kid obsessed with the CMAs, emphasizing that Song of the Year is the highest honor a writer can receive.
Insiders note the drama behind 'Mama's Broken Heart,' where Kacey Musgraves was pressured to give up her own demo to Miranda Lambert, inadvertently leading to the creation of 'Merry Go 'Round.'
On Oct. 27, 2026, McAnally secured his 11th nomination, breaking a tie with Alan Jackson. The nod is for 'Dry Spell' from Musgraves' album 'Middle of Nowhere.' He previously won in 2014 for 'Follow Your Arrow.'
While the industry celebrates the record, the real story is how McAnally’s willingness to let other artists cut his songs built the empire that now puts him above Hall of Famers.
Shane McAnally has officially eclipsed Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson, securing his 11th CMA Song of the Year nomination on October 27, 2026. The record-breaking nod comes courtesy of "Dry Spell," a track co-written with and recorded by Kacey Musgraves for her 2026 album *Middle of Nowhere*. For a songwriter who grew up watching the CMAs and idolizing Hall of Fame inductee Cindy Walker, this milestone is the ultimate validation.
"For a songwriter, there’s not really a bigger acknowledgement than song of the year," McAnally told Billboard, reflecting on a career that transformed him from a struggling artist into Nashville’s most decorated pen. The road to this record was paved with strategic generosity and some behind-the-scenes friction. McAnally revealed that the hit "Mama's Broken Heart" was originally a Kacey Musgraves demo, complete with a handclap pattern she recorded in GarageBand.
However, industry voices pressured Musgraves to let Miranda Lambert record the song, arguing that McAnally and co-writer Brandy Clark deserved a cut on a major star's album before Musgraves had found her footing. This decision forced McAnally and his team to write a replacement for Musgraves, leading directly to the creation of "Merry Go 'Round," which also earned a nomination in 2013. It is a fascinating example of how one artist's loss became another's legacy.
McAnally’s instincts for a hit are razor-sharp, often identifying a song's potential through specific lyrical moments. He pinpointed "A little messed up, but we’re all alright" as the key line that made Kenny Chesney’s "American Kids" a winner, despite the song initially being on hold for Little Big Town. Chesney pulled up an old email to find the track, and McAnally had to awkwardly ask Little Big Town to relinquish it.
They generously agreed, leading to a situation where McAnally’s "American Kids" and Little Big Town’s "Girl Crush" were nominated against each other at every award show, with "Girl Crush" taking home the hardware. Yet, "American Kids" has enjoyed a longer cultural shelf life, proving that award wins don't always dictate longevity. The drama extends to Sam Hunt’s career trajectory, where McAnally recognized that "Take Your Time" was the song that would define Hunt’s artistic identity.
Hunt fought radio programmers to make it the second single, rejecting a safer follow-up to his debut. Similarly, "Body Like a Back Road" took nine months of rewriting to ensure the lyrics were playful rather than objectifying, a nuance that McAnally credits for the song's enduring success. As the CMA Awards approach on November 18, all eyes will be on whether McAnally can turn this record-breaking nomination into his second win, following his 2014 victory for "Follow Your Arrow."
