The 2026 ballot for the Fort Worth Weekly Music Awards is now live. For the full month of November, loyal Weekly readers (that’s you!) can nominate their favorite local bands and musicians via a write-in ballot at FWWeekly.com/music-awards-2026. The format is like the Best Of ballot. Write in your choices from our select group of categories, plus utilize the Wildcard field for writing in what you think we’ve overlooked. We are only human, after all.
Nomination Phase
Vote online by Sun, Nov 30. It’s limited to one ballot per person, so you’ve got a minute. (Don’t try to cheat. We always catch you.) Speaking of rules, we do have a few to keep in mind. Eligible artists must be from Tarrant County, with one exception. We’ve added a Regional Band category so that we can all show love and support to our favorite North Texas bands located outside the Fort. As for eligibility dates, the albums, songs, and videos you nominate must have been released from November 1, 2025, to October 31, 2026 (so, after last year’s awards through, well, now).
Voting Phase
The bands and musicians with the most votes, along with additional selections from our small-but-mighty band of music writers, will move on to the Voting Phase. For the full month of December, Weekly readers will pick their favorites from the final list. Don’t forget: During both the Nomination Phase and Voting Phase, you’re limited to one ballot per person.
Music Awards Ceremony
Sometime in the first quarter of 2027, we will have a fabulous awards event announcing and celebrating the 2026 winners, honoring those we have lost, and inducting a few luminaries into our Hall of Fame.
Now, About Those Categories
And the categories are Album, Americana/Roots Band, Avante Garde/Experiemental Band, Bassist, Blues Band, Country Artist, Cover/Tribute Band, DJ Artist, Drummer, Folk Act, Guitarist, Hip-Hop Artist, Keyboardist, Latin Music Act, Metal Band, New Band, Pop Act, Producer, Punk Band, R&B/Soul Group, Regional Act, Rock Band, Singer-Songwriter, Song, Sound Engineer, Video, Female Vocalist, Male Vocalist, Open-Mic Night, and Place to Hear Live Music.
Promoting the Vote
Musicians, bars, and venues, we have free graphics for you to use to #PromoteTheVote, and you can find it in the online version of this article at FWWeekly.com in the Music drop-down in Music Awards or in Calendar under Crosstown Sounds. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, compliments, thoughts, or prayers, email Jennifer@FWWeekly.com.
