We present systematic investigation on texture evolution in nanocrystalline Ta under planar shock wave loading at different impact velocities. Seven representative initial textures and two loading directions are studied via large-scale molecular dynamics simulations. Orientation mapping and texture analysis, including orientation distribution functions, pole figures, and inverse pole figures, are performed. Shock compression induces a ⟨ 221 ⟩ texture in nanocrystalline Ta initially with no texture, ⟨ 100 ⟩ fiber texture, { 100 } ⟨ 100 ⟩ texture, and θ + γ rolling texture via twinning, which can be traced back to grains initially with ⟨ 100 ⟩. A ⟨ 100 ⟩ texture is induced via twinning for nanocrystalline Ta initially with no texture, ⟨ 110 ⟩ fiber texture, and α + γ rolling texture and can be traced back to ⟨ 110 ⟩. Dislocation slip and grain boundary sliding lead to the movement of ⟨ 110 ⟩ toward ⟨ 111 ⟩ , and the strengthening of ⟨ 100 ⟩ and ⟨ 111 ⟩ orientation densities. The generation of new textures is observed for most cases. However, no new texture is found in the ⟨ 111 ⟩ fiber texture case for shock loading parallel to the fiber, and a much slower elastic–plastic transition occurs due to the lack of deformation twinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]