Winners Announced for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards

WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 60TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS

Lainey Wilson Named ACM Entertainer of the Year;

Ella Langley Takes Home the Most Wins With Five Awards,

Followed by Wilson with Four Wins for the Night;

Alan Jackson Accepts Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award

Show Hosted by Reba McEntire Featured Performances by 26 Legendary Artists

IN BRIEF

2025 ACM Awards Major Winners

·         Entertainer of the Year: Lainey Wilson

·         Female Artist of the Year: Lainey Wilson

·         Male Artist of the Year: Chris Stapleton

·         Album of the Year:Whirlwind– Lainey Wilson

·         Single of the Year: You look like you love me– Ella Langley, Riley Green

·         Song of the Year:Dirt Cheap– Cody Johnson

·         New Female Artist: Ella Langley

·         New Male Artist: Zach Top

·         Duo of the Year: Brooks & Dunn

·         Group of the Year: Old Dominion

·         New Duo or Group: The Red Clay Strays

·         Songwriter of the Year: Jessie Jo Dillon

·         Artist-Songwriter of the Year: Lainey Wilson 

FRISCO, TX — May 8, 2025 — The Academy of Country Music (ACM), Prime Video, and Dick Clark Productions (DCP) hosted the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards and celebrated industry luminaries as well as rising stars and recognized the year’s biggest accomplishments.

HOST

16-time ACM Award-winning entertainment icon, Reba McEntire, hosted the two and a half hour commercial-free event, which streamed live for an international audience across 240+ countries and territories exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch from the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

PRESENTERS

Presenters included Blake Shelton (five-time ACM Award-winning artist), Carly Pearce (four-time ACM Award-winning artist), Clint Black (six-time ACM Award-winning artist), Crystal Gayle (four-time ACM Award-winning artist), ERNEST (five-time ACM Award nominee), Gabby Barrett (ACM Award-winning artist), Gretchen Wilson (two-time ACM Award-winning artist), Jordan Davis (two-time ACM Award-winning artist), Kristian Bush of Sugarland (five-time ACM Award-winning duo), Lee Ann Womack (five-time ACM Award-winning artist), Lionel Richie (two-time ACM Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and American Idol judge), Little Big Town (eight-time ACM Award-winning group), Martina McBride (four-time ACM Award-winning artist), Parker McCollum (two-time ACM Award-winning artist), Riley Green (two-time ACM Award-winning artist), Rita Wilson (singer-songwriter and actress), Sara Evans (ACM Award-winning artist), The Oak Ridge Boys (three-time ACM Award-winning group), Wynonna Judd (eight-time ACM Award-winning artist), Chase Elliott (NASCAR driver), and Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton (Amazon Music’s co-hosts of the Country Heat Weekly Podcast).

The show opened with an electric 12-minute all-star set celebrating the 60th anniversary with live performances of ACM Songs of the Year from the past six decades, including Reba McEntire singing “Okie from Muskogee,” Clint Black singing “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Wynonna Judd singing “Why Not Me,” LeAnn Rimes singing “Blue,” Little Big Town singing “Girl Crush,” and Dan + Shay singing “Tequila.”

Going into the awards nominations were led by Ella Langley (eight), followed by Cody Johnson (seven), Morgan Wallen (seven), Lainey Wilson (seven), Chris Stapleton (six), Riley Green (five) and Post Malone (five).

See Related Post (March 27, 2025): Nominations Announced for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards

The Academy’s highest honor, Entertainer of the Year, was awarded to Lainey Wilson, marking her second year in a row earning the coveted title.   

Ella Langley led the night in total wins with five awards, followed by Wilson with four wins.

The show celebrated Country Music’s biggest stars and emerging talent and featured 16 show-stopping performances from 26 artists, including exclusive collaborations and legendary tributes that captivated fans worldwide.

Winner Highlights:

·         Ella Langley’s five wins make her the winningest artist at the 60th ACM Awards, a feat achieved in the first year of her receiving an ACM Award nomination. Her wins include ACM New Female Artist of the Year, as well as ACM Single of the Year, ACM Music Event of the Year, and ACM Visual Media of the Year (as an artist and producer) for her song “you look like you love me” with Riley Green. At the end of the night, Langley remarked she was “on cloud nine.”

·         Lainey Wilson’s win for ACM Entertainer of the Year marked her second year in a row winning the award, making her the third woman to win the award back-to-back (Taylor Swift in 2011 and 2012, Carrie Underwood in 2009 and 2010). This is also her third consecutive year winning ACM Female Artist of the Year and her second ACM Album of the Year win. Wilson’s win for ACM Artist-Songwriter of the Year marks her first win in the category. Her four wins tonight bring her ACM Awards count to sixteen. When accepting her award for Female Artist of the Year, she thanked her fellow nominees for joining her on this “wild ride,” adding, “the girls are kicking down some barn doors—and I love it!”

·         Riley Green took home three ACM Awards for his collaboration with Ella Langley on their song “you look like you love me,” including ACM Single of the Year, ACM Music Event of the Year, and ACM Visual Media of the Year. His three wins tonight bring his ACM Awards count to four.

·         Alan Jackson received the inaugural Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements and enduring legacy in Country Music. With over 75 million records sold worldwide, more than 50 Top 10 hits, and 35 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Country charts, Jackson's career has become a cornerstone of the genre. The namesake award will continue to recognize an iconic artist, duo, or group that has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, philanthropy, record sales, streaming numbers, and public representation.

·         Brooks & Dunn’s win for ACM Duo of the Year marked their first win in the category in 15 years and increased their win count to a record 17th win in the category – increasing their own record and bringing their ACM Award count to 31. When accepting the award, they expressed their heartfelt gratitude and thanked the audience for “paying [their] rent for the past 30 years.”

·         Old Dominion’s win for ACM Group of the Year marked their eighth consecutive win in the category, passing Rascal Flatts for the most consecutive wins in the category. Their win tonight brings Old Dominion’s ACM Awards count to ten.

·         Chris Stapleton’s win for ACM Male Artist of the Year marked the second year in a row he’s won the award, and his fifth time overall. He’s now one award shy of tying Merle Haggard for the most wins in the category.

·         Jessie Jo Dillon won ACM Songwriter of the Year, marking her second ACM Award after also earning the same title in 2024.

·         First time winners include Texas-native Cody Johnson who took home ACM Song of the Year for “Dirt Cheap,” Zach Top who won ACM New Male Artist of the Year, and The Red Clay Strays who won ACM New Duo or Group of the Year.

The following is the full list of winners (IN BOLD) & nominations for the ACM Main Awards, Studio Recording Awards, and Industry Awards categories:

MAIN AWARDS:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

·         Kelsea Ballerini

·         Luke Combs

·         Cody Johnson

·         Jelly Roll

·         Chris Stapleton

·         Morgan Wallen

·         Lainey Wilson - WINNER

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

·         Kelsea Ballerini

·         Ella Langley

·         Megan Moroney

·         Kacey Musgraves

·         Lainey Wilson - WINNER

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

·         Luke Combs

·         Cody Johnson

·         Jelly Roll

·         Chris Stapleton - WINNER

·         Morgan Wallen

DUO OF THE YEAR

·         Brooks & Dunn - WINNER

·         Brothers Osborne 

·         Dan + Shay 

·         Muscadine Bloodline

·         The War And Treaty

GROUP OF THE YEAR

·         Flatland Cavalry

·         Little Big Town 

·         Old Dominion - WINNER

·         Rascal Flatts

·         The Red Clay Strays

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

·         Kassi Ashton

·         Ashley Cooke

·         Dasha

·         Ella Langley - WINNER

·         Jessie Murph

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

·         Gavin Adcock

·         Shaboozey

·         Zach Top - WINNER

·         Tucker Wetmore

·         Bailey Zimmerman

NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

·         Restless Road

·         The Red Clay Strays - WINNER

·         Treaty Oak Revival

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

·         AM I OKAY? (I’LL BE FINE) - Megan Moroney

Producer: Kristian Bush

Record Company-Label: Columbia Records / Sony Music Nashville

·         BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN - Jelly Roll

Producers: BazeXX, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Devin Dawson, Charlie Handsome, Ben Johnson, mgk, The Monsters & Strangerz, Austin Nivarel, SlimXX, Ryan Tedder,  Isaiah Tejada, Alysa Vanderheym

Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records

·         COLD BEER & COUNTRY MUSIC - Zach Top

Producer: Carson Chamberlain

Record Company-Label: Leo33

·         F-1 TRILLION - Post Malone

Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

·         WHIRLWIND - Lainey Wilson - WINNER

Producer: Jay Joyce

Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville

SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

·         A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey

Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry

Record Company-Label: American Dogwood / EMPIRE

·         Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson

Producer: Trent Willmon

Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville

·         I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen

Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

·         White Horse - Chris Stapleton

Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton

Record Company-Label: Mercury Nashville

·         you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green - WINNER

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

·         4x4xU - Lainey Wilson

Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson

Publishers: Louisiana Lady; One Tooth Productions; Reservoir 416; Songs of One Riot Music; Sony/ATV Accent

·         The Architect - Kacey Musgraves

Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne

Publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing

·         Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson - WINNER

Songwriter: Josh Phillips

Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing

·         I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen

Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak

Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy’s Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation

·         you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green

Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere

Publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

·         Cowboys Cry Too - Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan

Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym

Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment

·         I Had Some Help - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen

Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins

Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records

·         I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood

Producer: Trent Willmon

Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville 

·         we don’t fight anymore - Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton

Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records

·         you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green - WINNER

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

·         4x4xU - Lainey Wilson

Producer: Jennifer Ansell

Director: Dano Cerny

·         Dirt Cheap - Cody Johnson

Producer: Dustin Haney

Director: Dustin Haney

·         I’m Gonna Love You - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood

Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry

Director: Dustin Haney

·         Think I’m In Love With You - Chris Stapleton

Producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis

Director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone)

·         you look like you love me - Ella Langley, Riley Green - WINNER

Producer: Whale Tale Music

Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

·         Luke Combs

·         ERNEST

·         HARDY

·         Morgan Wallen

·         Lainey Wilson - WINNER

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

·         Jessi Alexander

·         Jessie Jo Dillon - WINNER

·         Ashley Gorley

·         Chase McGill

·         Josh Osborne

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS:

·         Chris Stapleton, Megan Moroney, and Brothers Osborne paid tribute to Keith Urban - who was honored with the coveted ACM Triple Crown Award - by covering some of his greatest hits, including “Stupid Boy,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” and “Where The Blacktop Ends,” during which Keith joined Brothers Osborne on stage.

·         The show featured exclusive collaborations, including Brooks & Dunn with Cody Johnson performing their hit “Red Dirt Road,” Jelly Roll and Shaboozey teaming up with a choir of sixteen for “Amen,” Miranda Lambert bringing Ella Langley onstage for a fiery rendition of “Kerosene” to celebrate the song’s 20th anniversary, and Rascal Flatts and Backstreet Boys collaborating for a jam-packed set that included “What Hurts the Most,” “I Dare You,” “Larger Than Life,” and “Life is a Highway.”

·         Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson debuted their upcoming track, “Trailblazer,” together for the first time exclusively on the ACM stage.

·         The star-packed lineup also included individual performances by Alan Jackson (“Remember When”), Blake Shelton (“Texas,” which hit No. 1 on the country charts earlier this week), Chris Stapleton (“It Takes a Woman”), Cody Johnson (“The Fall”), New Female Artist of the Year Winner Ella Langley (“weren’t for the wind”), Eric Church (“Hands of Time”), Jelly Roll (“Heart of Stone”), Kelsea Ballerini (“Baggage”), Lainey Wilson (“Whirlwind”), Miranda Lambert (“Run”), and New Male Artist of the Year Winner Zach Top (“Use Me”). 

 * Billboard counted down the top performances at the 60th annual ACM Awards. All the 2025 ACM Awards Performances Ranked HERE

RED CARPET

Billboard's Tetris Kelly and Lyndsey Havens are interviewing the biggest stars in country music live from the 60th annual ACM Awards red carpet.

GALLERY via Parade.com (39 Photos) via pagesix.com (26 Photos) | Photos: John Shearer/Getty, LM Otero Invision/AP, Rick Polk 

Carly Pearce dazzled at the ACM Awards in a silver chain mail gown by David Koma, featuring a high slit. She accessorized with silver Jimmy Choo pumps and David Yurman and Elizabeth Cole jewelry. Glam: Lindsay Doyle; Styling: Lindsey Dupuis

Dasha: The 25-year-old "Not at This Party" country/pop singer wore a blush pink Oscar de la Renta strapless gown with a trumpet silhouette. The dress had a gold iridescent pebble pattern that added texture to the design. She teamed the look with a diamond tennis necklace, Diamonds Direct jewelry and mermaid waves.

styling assist: Jess McAtee; Hair: Tarryn Feldman

 

Ella Langley: The ACM Awards winner experimented with textures for her red carpet look. While her vintage fall 2004 Dolce & Gabbana snake print gown — complete with a floor grazing train — was enough to turn heads, the garment (sourced by The Kit Vintage) also contained black lace panels for a moody touch. She accessorized with a Dolce & Gabbana heels a custom choker by Whitehouse Brothers and diamond rings from Unclaimed Baggage.

Kelsea Ballerini:  The "Baggage" singer dazzled in a sequin nude David Koma gown with an unexpected detail: a black triangle bra top that added a touch of edginess to the romantic gown. Her dress featured the peekaboo bra layering trend, contrasting black fabric with the beige tones of the dress. "I wanted to find a carpet outfit that felt kinda timeless and classic, so that I could always look back at these photos and this night and feel good about it," she told CountryNow about her look ahead of the show. Ballerini’s look was curated by stylists Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn.

Lainey Wilson: Continuing her allegiance to bell-bottoms, Entertainer of the year winner showed up in a black pair for the ACM Awards red carpet. She paired classic flares with a black floral appliqué jacket featuring silver beaded elements and a plunging neckline with cutouts. Wilson's look, designed by Anamika Khanna, included black trousers, a black jacket with jeweled elements, and a flowing train. Her hat was by Charlie Horse Hats, and her jewelry by S. Carter Designs. Stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn curated her look.

Megan Moroney: The 27-year-old country music artist, attended the 2025 ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas on May 8. She wore a yellow satin one-shoulder slinky gown by Cult Gaia and a yellow diamond necklace, with her blonde hair styled in soft waves. She added Christian Louboutin heels and Jason Of Beverly Hills + Nadri jewelry | Hair: Jessica Miller; MU: Jessica Candage; Styling: Lindsey Dupuis.

Before the ACMs, Megan Moroney told PEOPLE she recently watched *How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days* and became "obsessed," inspired by Kate Hudson's yellow dress in the film.

IMPORTANT NOTES

·         The eligibility period for submissions for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards is January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

·         The awards count for artists reflects categories in which they have been recognized as individuals or as part of their duo or group. In some cases, an artist may receive more than one nomination per category, such as producer, director, or songwriter which factors into their official count.

·         Award recipients in each category are noted above in brackets in the Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year, and Music Event of the Year.

·         Awards are voted on by members of the Academy of Country Music, which boasts a record-high membership this year of more than 5,000 members and serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business.

·         A full database of previous Academy of Country Music Awards nominations and winners can be found on the Academy of Country Music website in the “Past Winners” section found HERE.

The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions (DCP). Raj Kapoor is executive producer and showrunner, with Patrick Menton as co-executive producer. Damon Whiteside serves as executive producer for the Academy of Country Music, and Jay Penske and Barry Adelman serve as executive producers for DCP. John Saade will also continue to serve as consulting producer for Amazon MGM Studios.

Established in 1966, the Academy of Country Music Awards is the longest-running Country Music awards show and made history in 2022 as the first major awards ceremony to exclusively livestream, in partnership ith Prime Video. This year’s show marks its return to Texas for the third consecutive year.

The 60th ACM Awards performers, presenters, and ACM Awards week ancillary events will be announced in the coming weeks. The Media Credential Application to cover the ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas is now available HERE. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com.

Follow the Academy of Country Music on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, join the conversation with #ACMawards

About the Academy of Country Music:

Founded in Southern California in 1964 as a regional trade organization, the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC (ACM) has grown in the 60 years since into a leading association for the Country Music industry. Headquartered in Nashville, TN and boasting record-high membership of more than 5,000 worldwide, the Academy serves as a powerhouse advocate for Country fans, artists, and all facets of the business, as well as a supporter of philanthropic work through charitable partner ACM LIFTING LIVES, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music and providing aid in times of need, with a focus on health initiatives. 2025 is a landmark year for the Academy with the 60th ACM Awards, hosted by entertainment icon Reba McEntire, returning to the world headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys in Texas for a third consecutive year and streaming live for a global audience on Prime Video. The Academy also remains relentlessly committed to creating a more inclusive environment for underrepresented groups in Country Music, from the boardroom to the stage, and proudly presents ACM LEVel Up, a two-year professional development and enrichment curriculum for rising leaders, among other initiatives. For more information, visit ACMcountry.com or ACMLiftingLives.org.