Lainey Wilson wins entertainer of the year again and leads the 2025 ACM Awards with five major trophies including album and songwriter honors.
Lainey Wilson stole the spotlight at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday night, taking home a sweeping five awards, including the top honor of entertainer of the year. The star-studded ceremony took place at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, and featured memorable performances and major wins by some of the genre’s biggest names.
Lainey Wilson continued her reign after also winning entertainer of the year in 2024. This year, she not only repeated the feat but also earned female artist of the year, album of the year for Whirlwind, and artist-songwriter of the year, marking a career-defining night for the country sensation.
Chris Stapleton took home the award for male artist of the year, adding another major trophy to his storied career. He also performed during the show alongside fellow stars including Alan Jackson, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, LeAnn Rimes, and Lainey Wilson herself. Jackson made history as the inaugural recipient of the ACM Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award and delivered a special performance during the broadcast.
Among the night’s other big winners was Ella Langley, who entered the evening with the most nominations—eight in total. She had already been named new female artist of the year in April and added to her collection during the main event. Her breakout duet with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me,” earned a trio of trophies: single of the year, music event of the year, and visual media of the year.
Cody Johnson picked up song of the year for “Dirt Cheap,” presented by Lionel Richie, while Old Dominion was honored as group of the year and Brooks & Dunn won duo of the year.
Other notable winners included Zach Top, who was named new male artist of the year, and The Red Clay Strays, who took home new duo or group of the year.
The evening was filled with standout collaborations, including a nostalgia-filled performance from Rascal Flatts and the Backstreet Boys, as well as a grand opening number featuring Reba McEntire—who also hosted the show—Clint Black, Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, Sugarland, and Dan + Shay.
Keith Urban was also celebrated during the event with the ACM Triple Crown Award, recognizing his past wins in the entertainer, male artist, and new male artist categories.
Here’s the full list of winners from the 2025 ACM 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
Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson
Single of the Year
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
Song of the Year
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
Music Event of the Year
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
Visual Media of the Year
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green
Songwriter of the Year
Jessie Jo Dillon
Artist-Songwriter of the Year
Lainey Wilson
The 2025 ACM Awards delivered a night of powerhouse performances and landmark wins, proving once again that country music’s brightest stars continue to shine even brighter.
