Lainey Wilson had another standout night at the 60th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, winning four major awards. Her victories included Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year for Whirlwind, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. This marks Wilson’s second year in a row winning the ACM’s highest honor.
Rising star Ella Langley, who came in with a leading eight nominations, ended up with five wins, the most of the evening. Her awards included Best New Female Artist and Single of the Year for You Look Like You Love Me, a duet with Riley Green. The song also picked up Visual Media of the Year and Music Event of the Year, making it a career-defining moment for Langley.
Winners were revealed both during the live show and in advance to allow more time for performances. A full list of nominees is available, with winners marked in bold.
While accepting her Female Vocalist of the Year award, Wilson said, “The girls are kickin’ down some barn doors and I like it!” Later, accepting the Entertainer of the Year trophy, she opened up about past struggles with impostor syndrome but added, “If something is given to you, you need to accept it with an open heart and open mind.” She summed up her artistic mission with a smile, saying, “I like to make people laugh and cry. I’m sorry, I like to make you cry.”
Langley also delivered heartfelt and humorous speeches. “I’m out of breath a little, and I feel like I have been since this song came out,” she said during her first acceptance. She thanked traditional country influences like Conway Twitty and David Allan Coe and shared that the success of her hit song taught her to “write what you love.” She also praised Riley Green for writing a “perfect second verse.”
When accepting the Event of the Year award, Langley joked, “I literally blacked out last time I was up here. I don’t know what I said – something about Conway Twitty, I think.” She also took a moment to thank God and Sony Music Publishing’s Mya Hansen, who believed in the song when others did not. “Everyone said this song would be the most underperforming on the record, and she didn’t. So thank you, Mya.”
Cody Johnson kicked off the night by winning Song of the Year for Dirt Cheap. He acknowledged Josh Phillips as the sole songwriter — a rarity in modern country music.
Other familiar names returned to the winners’ circle:
Chris Stapleton won Male Vocalist of the Year, continuing his winning streak.
Old Dominion claimed Group of the Year for the eighth consecutive time.
Brooks & Dunn were named Duo of the Year, making a notable comeback.
Zach Top was announced earlier as New Male Artist of the Year, and The Red Clay Strays were named Best New Duo or Group.
The night opened with a 12-minute medley celebrating ACM Songs of the Year from the past six decades. Performers included Reba McEntire (who also hosted), Clint Black, Dan + Shay, LeAnn Rimes, Sugarland, and Wynonna Judd.
A special medley paid tribute to Keith Urban, the ACM Triple Crown Award honoree, with performances by Chris Stapleton, Megan Moroney, and Brothers Osborne. Another tribute celebrated Alan Jackson, currently on a farewell tour, with a star-studded performance and the debut of a new award named in his honor.
One of the most anticipated performances of the night was the debut of the new trio single “Trailblazer”, performed by Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, and Miranda Lambert. Written by Lambert, Wilson, and Brandy Clark, the song honored generations of female country stars. McEntire led with the lyrics:
“Dotty and Loretta, Patsy and Tammy too / They gave me a seat at the table and I’m saving one for you.”
Lambert and Wilson joined in:
“Talk about a trailblazer / I’m rolling down the road you paved.”
The performance lineup was star-studded, including appearances by Alan Jackson, the Backstreet Boys, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Eric Church, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Rascal Flatts, Shaboozey, and Zach Top.
In terms of nominations, Langley led with eight. Wilson, Cody Johnson, and Morgan Wallen followed with seven each. Chris Stapleton received six nods, and both Post Malone and Riley Green had five. Kelsea Ballerini had four. Despite multiple nominations, Wallen and Malone did not win any awards.
The 2025 ACM Awards were streamed live on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, reaching audiences in over 240 countries and territories. The event took place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas — the headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys.
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