NEW YORK — Get ready for a spectacular evening showcasing the future of country music at the 2025 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards. Fans are already familiar with the nostalgic hit “You Look Like You Love Me” by Ella Langley and Riley Green, but soon they’ll have cause to cheer them on along with many other artists at this highly anticipated event.
This year’s ceremony will honor emerging talents like Langley and pay tribute to seasoned performers including Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, and Chris Stapleton among others. As the 60th ACM Awards approach, it’s time to arrange your viewing plans and get ready to celebrate the best in country music.
The awards show is set for Thursday at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas. Hosting the evening with her characteristic charm will be the legendary Reba McEntire, a 16-time ACM Award winner.
For those eager to catch the event, the ACM Awards will be available for streaming on Prime Video as well as the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. The livestream will go live at 8 p.m. EDT, 7 p.m. CT, and 5 p.m. PT, and notably, no Prime membership is required to watch.
Turning to the nominations, debut nominee Ella Langley leads the pack with an impressive eight nods. She’s already secured a win for female new artist; the male counterpart award went to Zach Top. Following closely are seasoned artists Johnson, Wilson, and Wallen each with seven nominations. Chris Stapleton received six, while Riley Green and Post Malone each garnered five.
Langley, along with Johnson, Wilson, Wallen, and Stapleton, is in the running for the night’s most coveted award, entertainer of the year. This category also sees nominees like Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, and Jelly Roll. In the album of the year category, notable contenders include Top’s “Cold Beer & Country Music” and Megan Moroney’s “Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine),” competing against Wilson’s “Whirlwind,” Jelly Roll’s “Beautifully Broken,” and Post Malone’s “F-1 Trillion.”
In the single of the year category, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” will rival Johnson’s “Dirt Cheap,” Malone & Wallen’s “I Had Some Help,” Stapleton’s “White Horse” and Langley & Green’s “You Look Like You Love Me.”
This year, six of Langley’s nominations arise from the widespread success of her collaboration with Green. “You Look Like You Love Me” is in contention for several awards including single of the year, song of the year as both an artist and songwriter, music event of the year, and visual media of the year.
In a surprising twist, there are no nominations for Beyoncé’s acclaimed “Cowboy Carter,” despite its success at the Grammys with wins for album of the year and country album of the year. Additionally, Miranda Lambert’s “Postcards from Texas” was overlooked.
The evening will also honor Keith Urban with the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award. This recognition is bestowed upon artists who have previously received three distinct titles at the ACM Awards: new artist, artist of the year, and entertainer of the year. Urban will be the first to receive this award on stage since Carrie Underwood in 2010.
Among the performers, Lainey Wilson, who claimed the entertainer of the year title in 2024, will delight the audience with her performance. Also slated to perform are Langley, Top, Stapleton, Ballerini, Lambert, Moroney, Blake Shelton, and Alan Jackson. The night promises some memorable collaborations too, with the Backstreet Boys joining Rascal Flatts, Jelly Roll teaming with Shaboozey, and Brooks & Dunn partnering with Cody Johnson.
Perhaps one of the most exciting facets of the 2025 ACM Awards is its ambitious opening performance. A 14-minute “Songs of the Decades” medley will highlight 60 years of country music history, featuring icons like McEntire, Clint Black, Dan + Shay, Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, Sugarland, and others.
Presenting the awards will be an array of country music stars including Blake Shelton, Judd, Green, Black, Carly Pearce, Crystal Gayle, ERNEST, Gabby Barrett, Gretchen Wilson, Jordan Davis, Lee Ann Womack, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Parker McCollum, Rita Wilson, Sara Evans, Sugarland, and The Oak Ridge Boys. Adding a unique twist, NASCAR driver Chase Elliott will also be joining as a presenter.