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ACM Country

WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 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


[EDITOR’S NOTE]:  Show Clips HERE; Handout Photos (PMC) HERE; Getty Images HERE; EPK/Video Footage HERE


FRISCO, TX — May 8, 2025 — Tonight, 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. 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.

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.”

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 marks 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 marks their first win in the category in 15 years and increases 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 marks 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 marks 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.


Following is the full list of winners in the 15 categories voted on by Academy members:

MAIN AWARDS:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

  • Lainey Wilson


FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Lainey Wilson


MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Chris Stapleton


DUO OF THE YEAR

  • Brooks & Dunn


GROUP OF THE YEAR

  • Old Dominion


NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Ella Langley


NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Zach Top


NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR

  • The Red Clay Strays


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

  • Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson

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)]

  • you look like you love me – Ella Langley, Riley Green

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records


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

  • “Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson

Songwriter: Josh Phillips

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


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

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

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records


SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

  • Jessie Jo Dillon


ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

  • Lainey Wilson


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

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

Producers: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records


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 (“Remeber 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”).


Tonight’s 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).

For a complete list of past and present wins and nominations, please visit ACMcountry.com and search the ACM Awards Database located on the Homepage.

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 collaboration with Prime Video. 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.

Follow the Academy of Country Music on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, join the conversation with #ACMawards, and sign up for the FREE ACM A-List for the latest news and updates in your email inbox. Be sure to check-out the Explore Page where customers can “Watch, Listen, and Shop” the ACM Awards.

Carnival Cruise Line is the Presenting Sponsor of the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Mountain Valley Spring Water is the Official Water of the Academy of Country Music Awards.  Boot Barn is the Official Western Retailer of the Academy of Country Music Awards. Realtor.com is the presenting sponsor of the ACM Single of the Year Award for the 60th ACM Awards.

The Academy of Country Music would like to thank its partners Albertsons Companies, Alto, Amazon Music, American Airlines, Ashley, Baylor Scott & White, Carhartt, Charlie 1 Horse, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts, Coors Light, The Duckhorn Portfolio, North Texas Ford Dealers, Frisco Economic Development Corporation, Fritos, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jayco RV, Korbel California Champagne, Licor 43, Lucas Oil, Montana Silversmiths, Resistol, SeatGeek, Visit Frisco, Western Son Vodka and Wrangler.


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.


About Dick Clark Productions:

Dick Clark Productions (DCP) is the world's largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming including the "Academy of Country Music Awards," "American Music Awards," "Billboard Music Awards," "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest," “Golden Globes,” “So You Think You Can Dance,” from 19 Entertainment and DCP, and “Streamy Awards.” Dick Clark Productions owns one of the world's most extensive and unique entertainment archive libraries with more than 60 years of award-winning shows, historic specials, performances, and legendary programming. Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Corporation, in a subsidiary joint venture between Penske Media and Eldridge. Dick Clark Productions is a Penske Media company. For more information, please visit DickClark.com.


About Prime Video:

Prime Video is a first-stop entertainment destination offering customers a vast collection of premium programming in one app available across thousands of devices. On Prime Video, customers can customize their viewing experience and find their favorite movies, series, documentaries, and live sports – including Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies Red One, Road House, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Fallout, Reacher, The Boys, Cross, and The Idea of You; licensed fan favorites; Prime member exclusive access to coverage of live sports including Thursday Night Football, WNBA, and NWSL, and acclaimed sports documentaries including Bye Bye Barry and Kelce; and programming from partners such as Apple TV+, Max, Crunchyroll and MGM+ via Prime Video add-on subscriptions, as well as more than 500 free ad-supported (FAST) Channels. Prime members in the U.S. can share a variety of benefits, including Prime Video, by using Amazon Household. Prime Video is one benefit among many that provides savings, convenience, and entertainment as part of the Prime membership. All customers, regardless of whether they have a Prime membership or not, can rent or buy titles via the Prime Video Store, and can enjoy even more content for free with ads. Customers can also go behind the scenes of their favorite movies and series with exclusive X-Ray access. For more info visit www.amazon.com/primevideo.


About Carnival Cruise Line:
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America's Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 13 U.S. and two Australian homeports, as well as seasonally from Europe and employs more than 50,000 team members representing 120 nationalities.


Carnival’s fleet of 29 ships reflects an exciting period of growth that continues with the addition of five ships through 2033: a fourth and fifth Excel class ship scheduled for 2027 and 2028 respectively; followed by three additional new ships from an innovative new class currently under development. Carnival’s next new guest offering will be the all-new exclusive destination, Celebration Key, set to debut on Grand Bahama this summer.