40th Annual GMA Dove Awards sells out for Nashville Allen Arena

40th Annual GMA Dove Awards sells out for Nashville Allen Arena
Girls Night Out at the Dove Awards, Sadie Robinson and Erica Campbell (photo courtesy GMA DOVE Awards).

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The 46th Annual GMA Dove Awards were handed out in 41 categories, as well as 4 special awards. Co-hosted by Erica Campbell and Sadie Robertson, the night drew a record attendance at the Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University. The entire show was broadcast exclusively on Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) on Sunday, October 18th.

List of televised Dove Award winners
Song of the Year: ‘How Can It Be’ — Lauren Daigle; (writers) Jason Ingram, Jeff Johnson, Paul Mabury
Artist of the Year: Lecrae
New Artist of the Year: Lauren Daigle
Southern Gospel Album of Year: Pray Now — Karen Peck & New River; (producer) Wayne Haun
Contemporary Gospel/Urban Recorded Song of the Year: ‘I Luh God (ft. Big Shizz)’ — Erica Campbell; (writers) Warren Campbell, Erica Campbell, Lashawn Daniels
Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year: Anomaly – Lecrae; (producers) Dirty Rice, Joseph Prielozny, Street Symphony, S1, J. Rhodes, 808XEIite, GAWVI, Nate Robinson, Mashell, Derke Minor, Vohnbeatz, Lasanna, ‘Ace’ Harris, Alex Medina, Jaquebeatz
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year: Run Wild, Live Free, Love Strong — For King & Country; (producers) Seth Mosley, Tedd T. Matte Hales, Ben Glover
Gospel Artist of the Year: Tasha Cobbs
Praise and Worship Song of the Year: ‘Because He Lives (Amen)’ — Matt Maher; (writers) Chris Tomlin, Daniel Carson, Ed Cash, Gloria Gaither, Jason Ingram, Matt Maher, Bill Gaither
Inspirational Film: Mom’s Night Out; (directors) The Erwin Brothers;(producers) Affirm Films, FourBoys Ent. Provident Films, Pure Flix Ent. And TriStar Pictures
Special recognition honors also presented this evening include:
Lifetime Achievement Award — Bobby Jones Gospel and John Rivers 20 The Countdown magazine
GMA Impact Award — YouTube
The Outstanding Mainstream Contribution to Gospel Music Award — Mark Burnett and Roma Downey
Radio Impact Award — CCM — The Joy FM, Southern Gospel – enlighten, Gospel — WPRS — FM 104.1
Joseph Habedank and Kirk Whalum were the co-hosts of the preshow ceremony where over 30 of the awards were received and outstanding performances were made by many of today’s top artists. Both the preshow and the Dove Cares Red Carpet were streamed on www.hearitfirst.com/live.

The 41 award presentations represented a wide-array of musical styles ranging from Gospel, Contemporary Christian, Rap/Hip-Hop, Urban, Country, Worship, Contem-porary and Traditional Gospel, Rock, Pop, Bluegrass, Spanish Lang-uage and Inspirational categories.

Special thanks were given to this year’s partners: TBN, Lipscomb University, Salem Broadcasting, CCM Magazine, Country Outfitters, Billboard Magazine, LifeWay, CCLI, Sound Exchange, Compassion International, Birdsong Creative, De Lux Productions, The OverFlow, Mad Marketplace, National Museum of African American Music, YesLord Radio!, 760AM, Simple Grace and BMI.

The memberships of the GMA (Gospel Music Association) determine the winners in each category. Kraft CPA is the official accounting firm for the GMA.

Early voting ends Aug. 1 across state—voters head to polls

Tennessee voters can cast ballots through Aug. 1 as early voting continues statewide, with officials urging residents to verify polling locations and district lines after

Top 10 moments of 2026 FIFA World Cup

From Spain’s title run to breakout stars, surprise teams, and cultural flashpoints, these are the 10 most memorable moments from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Tennessee ranked last in CNBC ‘Quality of Life’ study, sparking debate over state’s direction

Tennessee ranks last in CNBC’s 2026 quality-of-life study, prompting debate over public policy, economic growth, and the state’s future direction.

From Madam C.J. Walker to Billionaires Club—how Black wealth reached historic heights

From Madam C.J. Walker to today’s Black billionaires, this article explores the rise of Black wealth, the businesses behind it, and its impact on communities

From Blueprint to Breakthrough: Tackling Affordable Housing in New York City

Affordable housing projects in New York City are being revitalized through major renovations in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Harlem to improve living conditions and preserve