NEW YORK – Once again, Lainey Wilson stole the spotlight at the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, clinching the coveted title of entertainer of the year for the second consecutive year. Her triumph didn’t end there; Wilson also bagged awards for both female artist and album of the year. As she accepted her awards, Wilson expressed gratitude towards her fans, confessing to feeling a touch of impostor syndrome. “I really do have the best fans in the world,” she mentioned, reminiscing about her dreams of performing. “Country music has given me more than I deserve.”
Amidst Wilson’s sweeping success, the 2025 ACM Awards brimmed with celebration. First-time nominee Ella Langley, accompanied by Riley Green, saw their duet “You Look Like You Love Me” named single and music event of the year. Both artists used this victorious moment to pay homage to classic country music that influenced their work.
Thursday night resonated with nostalgia as the ceremony commenced with a 14-minute medley that honored six decades of country classics, performed by legendary artists. The host, Reba McEntire, started with Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee,” followed by Clint Black with Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy,” and Wynonna Judd performing The Judds’ “Why Not Me.” LeAnn Rimes graced the stage with her 1997 ballad “Blue,” followed by Little Big Town’s rendition of their 2014 hit “Girl Crush” and Dan + Shay’s performance of “Tequila.” This thrilling kickoff was broadcasted live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
A notable highlight of the night was the presentation of the first-ever ACM Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award, with the namesake himself receiving the honor after his rendition of “Remember When.” In a humor-filled acceptance speech, Jackson joked about having a dog named after him: an award commemorating him was quite remarkable too.
Cody Johnson opened the roster of trophy recipients, taking home the night’s initial accolade, song of the year, for his popular track “Dirt Cheap.” The show was punctuated by a series of lively performances. McEntire collaborated with Wilson and Miranda Lambert to debut their new anthem “Trailblazer,” a tribute to women in country music. Eric Church introduced his fresh single “Hands of Time,” followed by Miranda Lambert, the most honored artist in ACM history, who performed “Run.” Lambert later teamed up with Langley for a duet of “Kerosene” from Lambert’s first album.
Zach Top delivered an acoustic-focused rendition of “Use Me,” while Blake Shelton paid homage to the legendary George Strait with his latest single “Texas,” after which Wilson returned for “Whirlwind.” Kelsea Ballerini delivered a captivating performance from a set designed like her single “Baggage.” Johnson then delivered a powerful rendition of “The Fall,” and later joined Brooks & Dunn for “Red Dirt Road.” Chris Stapleton, sharing the stage with his wife Morgane, mesmerized with “It Takes a Woman.”
In a memorable collaboration, Jelly Roll and Shaboozey performed “Amen,” with Jelly Roll acknowledging, “It’s Shaboozey’s birthday. We wanna thank y’all, and we wanna thank God.” The show concluded with electric performances by the Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts.
The Oak Ridge Boys took to the stage to bestow the group of the year award to Old Dominion, marking a poignant moment as they paid tribute to the late Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys, who passed in 2024. Another touching moment was McEntire leading the audience in a rendition of Kris Kristofferson’s classic “Me and Bobby McGee” in tribute to the country legend.
Chris Stapleton claimed the title of male artist of the year, while Brooks & Dunn were honored as duo of the year. Megan Moroney covered Keith Urban’s “Stupid Boy” and Stapleton delivered his take on “Blue Ain’t Your Color” before Urban was presented with the prestigious ACM Triple Crown Award, being the first artist to receive it on stage since Carrie Underwood in 2010.
The 60th ACM Awards demonstrated its strength in celebrating both rising artists and beloved country music veterans alike. The ceremony was accessible for viewing on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch Live, offered as a complimentary stream without needing a Prime membership.