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).
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’sfive 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 Greentook 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 Jacksonreceived 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’swin 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 Dillonwon 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 Johnsonwho 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
Strayswho 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
·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 Komagown 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.
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.
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.