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Wafric News – May 9, 2025

Frisco, Texas – Country music’s brightest stars lit up the stage at the 60th Annual Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, but it was Lainey Wilson who shined the brightest. The singer-songwriter took home four major awards, including the top honour: Entertainer of the Year — her second consecutive win in the category.

Wilson’s acclaimed album Whirlwind earned Album of the Year, and she also secured wins for Female Artist of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Speaking during her acceptance speech, Wilson applauded the rising presence of women in country, stating, “The girls are kickin’ down some barn doors and I like it!”

Ella Langley, a relative newcomer, emerged as the night’s surprise frontrunner. Nominated in eight categories, she left with five awards, including New Female Artist of the Year and Single of the Year for her breakout duet with Riley Green, You Look Like You Love Me. The song also picked up wins for Visual Media of the Year and Music Event of the Year, marking a breakthrough night for the rising star.

On the male side, Chris Stapleton continued his reign with yet another Male Artist of the Year win. Meanwhile, Cody Johnson’s heartfelt track Dirt Cheap took home Song of the Year, with Johnson using his speech to highlight songwriter Josh Phillips, the solo pen behind the tune.

Veteran acts also had their moment: Old Dominion snagged Group of the Year for the eighth consecutive year, while Brooks & Dunn reclaimed their spot as Duo of the Year.

Among pre-announced accolades, Zach Top was named New Male Artist of the Year, and The Red Clay Strays took Best New Duo or Group. Jessie Jo Dillon earned Songwriter of the Year, recognized for her contributions across multiple top albums.

The awards were streamed live globally on Prime Video and Amazon Music’s Twitch channel, broadcast from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys. Hosted by the legendary Reba McEntire, the night opened with a 12-minute medley of ACM Songs of the Year across six decades, featuring stars like LeAnn Rimes, Wynonna Judd, and Sugarland.

A standout moment of the night came when Reba, Lainey Wilson, and Miranda Lambert debuted their powerful trio track Trailblazer, co-written with Brandy Clark — a clear nod to the enduring strength of women in country.

The star-studded lineup also featured performances by Backstreet Boys, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church, Shaboozey, and others. Notably absent from the winner’s circle were chart-toppers Morgan Wallen and Post Malone, despite multiple nominations.

Below is the full list of 2025 ACM Awards winners as confirmed:

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 (written by Josh Phillips)

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

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Lainey Wilson

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Jessie Jo Dillon

With her second straight Entertainer of the Year win and a fresh wave of rising stars at her heels, Lainey Wilson’s storm in country music shows no sign of calming.


By WafricNews Desk.

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