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ACM Awards 2025: Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton and Ella Langley among top the winners of the night

ACM Awards 2025: Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton and Ella Langley among top the winners of the night

Express Tribune09-05-2025
The 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards aired live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on 8 May, hosted by country music legend Reba McEntire and streamed on Prime Video.
Lainey Wilson led the winners, securing Album of the Year for Whirlwind and additional honours after a standout year.
Photo: Reuters
Ella Langley, who topped the nominations with eight, followed closely with multiple wins that reflected her growing influence.
Chris Stapleton was named Male Artist of the Year, reaffirming his prominent place in the genre. Morgan Wallen and Cody Johnson, each with seven nominations, took home key awards, reflecting their enduring popularity with both fans and industry professionals.
The show featured tributes and performances from country and crossover acts such as Keith Urban, honoured with the ACM Triple Crown Award. A tribute set for Urban included performances by Stapleton, Brothers Osborne and Megan Moroney.
Photo: Megan Moroney at the 60th ACM Awards (Reuters)
Presenters like Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Lionel Richie and Martina McBride brought added star power to the event.
Here's the full winners list:
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
Photo: Dasha at the 60th ACM Awards (Reuters)
NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Kassi Ashton
Ashley Cooke
Dasha
Ella Langley — WINNER
Jessie Murph
Photo: Jessie Murph at the 60th ACM Awards (Reuters)
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
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 (Producer: Jay Joyce; Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville) — WINNER
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
"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 (Producer: Will Bundy; Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records) — WINNER
SONG OF THE YEAR
"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)
"The Architect" - Kacey Musgraves (Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne; Publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing)
"Dirt Cheap" - Cody Johnson (Songwriter: Josh Phillips; Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing) — WINNER
"I Had Some Help" - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen (Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak; Publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy's Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation)
"you look like you love me" - Ella Langley, Riley Green (Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere; Publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp)
MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR
"Cowboys Cry Too" - Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan (Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym; Record Company-Label: Black River Entertainment)
"I Had Some Help" - Post Malone, Morgan Wallen (Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Record Company-Label: Mercury Records / Republic Records)
"I'm Gonna Love You" - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood (Producer: Trent Willmon; Record Company-Label: CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville)
"we don't fight anymore" - Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton (Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce; Record Company-Label: Big Machine Records)
"you look like you love me" - Ella Langley, Riley Green (Producer: Will Bundy; Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records) — WINNER
VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR
"4x4xU" - Lainey Wilson (Producer: Jennifer Ansell; Director: Dano Cerny)
"Dirt Cheap" - Cody Johnson (Producer: Dustin Haney; Director: Dustin Haney)
"I'm Gonna Love You" - Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood (Producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry; Director: Dustin Haney)
"Think I'm In Love With You" - Chris Stapleton (Producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis; Director: Running Bear [Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone])
"you look like you love me" - Ella Langley, Riley Green (Producer: Whale Tale Music; Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney) — WINNER
ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Luke Combs
ERNEST
HARDY
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson — WINNER
Photo: Jessie Jo Dillon won Songwriter of the Year at the 60th ACM Awards (Reuters)
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
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