Lainey Wilson achieved remarkable success at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, taking home four awards including the prestigious Entertainer of the Year. Her other accolades comprised Album of the Year for “Whirlwind,” Female Vocalist of the Year, and Artist-Songwriter of the Year, marking her second consecutive win for the top honor at the ACMs.
Rising star Ella Langley was the top nominee with eight nominations and finished the night as the leading winner with five awards. Langley clinched titles for Best New Female Artist and Single of the Year for “You Look Like You Love Me,” which she shared with duet partner Riley Green. This breakout collaboration also secured Visual Media of the Year and Music Event of the Year.
Wilson, celebrating her Female Vocalist of the Year victory, expressed her excitement about the achievements of women in the industry, saying, “The girls are kickin’ down some barn doors and I like it!” When receiving the Entertainer of the Year award, she shared her struggles with impostor syndrome but emphasized the importance of accepting accolades with an open heart and mind, stating her aspiration to evoke laughter and tears from her audience.
Langley provided memorable moments during her acceptance speeches, mentioning her feeling “out of breath” from the success of her song. She acknowledged traditional country artists for inspiring her and emphasized the importance of writing from the heart in her award-winning song. When thanking her duet partner, Green, she alluded to a “cool” aspect of winning an award for a song with spoken verses.
Other notable recipients included Cody Johnson, who won Song of the Year for “Dirt Cheap,” and Chris Stapleton, who was awarded Male Vocalist of the Year for yet another year. Old Dominion secured the title of Group of the Year for the eighth consecutive time, while Brooks & Dunn returned to win Duo of the Year.
The awards show featured exciting performances, including a medley to honor Keith Urban, who received the ACM Triple Crown Award, as well as tributes to Alan Jackson. The night culminated with Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, and Miranda Lambert debuting their new trio single, “Trailblazer,” spotlighting generational influence in country music.
The event was streamed live to a global audience across 240 countries via Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, held at the Ford Center in Frisco, Texas, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
