Lainey Wilson wins top honors at 2025 ACM Awards, Rascal Flatts closes out show with Backstreet Boys

Lainey Wilson brought home another major recognition during the 60th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

The "Heart Like a Truck" singer won entertainer of the year for the second year in a row, and capped off the night where she was nominated for seven different awards.

Wilson was up against Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen.

Previous entertainer of the year winners include George Strait, who has won twice, Garth Brooks who has won six times, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton and Dolly Parton.

Check out the full list of ACM Awards winners.

Morgan Wallen skipped out on the 60th annual Academy of Country Music awards Thursday in Frisco, Texas.

The "I Had Some Help" singer shared an update with his social media fans shorty before the show kicked off.

Wallen, 31, posted a photo from the greens while golfing with former professional football player, Tom Brady.

It's unclear why Wallen missed the 2025 ACM Awards. The "Last Night" singer was nominated for seven awards, including entertainer of the year.

Check out the full list of ACM Awards winners.

Lainey Wilson walked away from the 2024 ACM Awards with three wins, including the coveted entertainer of the year award.

When voting for entertainer of the year, the voting body is instructed to consider all aspects of the artist’s career, including but not limited to success at radio, consumption, success of music videos, vocal performances, live concert ticket sales and contributions to the country music industry.

Entertainer of the year is considered the highest honor at the ACMs and something every artist strives to achieve.

Wilson is nominated for the award again this year. Previous entertainer of the year winners include George Strait, who has won twice, Garth Brooks who has won six times, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton and Dolly Parton.

Wilson also took home awards for female artist of the year and music event of the year for her performance of “Save Me” with Jelly Roll.

Her entertainer of the year win allowed Wilson to achieve the honor of the Triple Crown, which is awarded to the musician who has won entertainer of the year, female/male artist of the year and new female/male artist of the year.

She won new female artist of the year in 2022 and won female artist of the year for the first time in 2023. 

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Brooks & Dunn, the country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, was formed in 1988.

Just a few years later, the duo took the country music scene by storm when they won both top vocal duet and top new vocal duet or group in 1991.

Since then, the group has dominated the ACM Awards, becoming the duo with the most wins at the award show, with a total of 25 career wins.

Among those 25 wins are their 16 wins for duo of the year, which is also a record setting number of wins in that category. The pair have also won entertainer of the year three times, in 1995, 1995 and 2001.

After the ACM Awards began officially presenting the Triple Crown Award in 2005, the award was given to Brooks & Dunn that year, as they had previously won the three major awards necessary for the honor.

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman looked like a pair of newlyweds in the crowd at the ACM Awards.

During Urban's Triple Crown Award tribute, the happy couple wrapped their arms around each other and serenaded one another as Chris Stapleton performed on stage at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Urban then grabbed a guitar and jumped on stage to perform during his Triple Crown Award ceremony Thursday night.

Following his performance, the "Somebody Like You" singer thanked his wife and their children for their support through the years.

"My wife, Nicole Mary, is here tonight," Urban told the crowd. "I love you baby girl. Our girls, Sunny and Faith, watching at home tonight. I love you both, too."

He added, "I have a massive team I couldn't possibly thank by name... there's no such thing as a self-made man."

Check out the full list of ACM Awards winners.

Rascal Flatts is among the nominated bands at the 2025 ACM Awards.

The group is nominated alongside Flatland Cavalry, Little Big Town, Old Dominion and The Red Clay Strays in the group of the year category.

In addition to receiving a nomination, they are set to perform with another popular boy band, The Backstreet Boys, in a series of collaborative performances which also include partnerships between Jelly Roll and Shaboozey, and Brooks & Dunn with Cody Johnson.

The band won their first ACM Award in 2000 in the top new vocal duet or group category, later winning in the top vocal group category seven times between 2002 and 2008.

This is their first nomination in the category since their last win in 2008. The band formed in 2000 and made their mark on the industry with hits such as “Prayin’ for Daylight,” “Bless The Broken Road,” “What Hurts the Most,” and “Life Is a Highway.”

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Last year’s entertainer of the year, Lainey Wilson, is up for the award once again at this year’s award show.

Also nominated for the big award are Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen and Kelsea Ballerini.

Jelly Roll had a great year in 2024, having released his 10th studio album, “Beautifully Broken,” in October 2024 and the announcement of the corresponding tour.

He also performed at the Emmy Awards, the MTV VMAs and was announced as a headliner for the 2025 Stagecoach Festival.

Kelsea Ballerini also had a big year in 2024, with the release of her successful album, “Patterns,” which debuted at number one on Billboard's Top Country Albums.

She also made her acting debut, appearing in one episode of the ABC show, “Doctor Odyssey,” playing a character named Lisa Parsons.

Additionally, the country superstar announced her first-ever headlining arena tour and was nominated for female vocalist of the year at the CMA Awards. 

Morgan Wallen had a great year in 2024, having won entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards, beating out Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Combs and Wilson for the top honor.

In addition, he topped the most-played country artists list of 2024 and was the fifth most-played artist on the overall Mediabase 2024 chart.

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Alan Jackson brought every emotion to the 60th Annual Academy of Country Music awards Thursday in Texas.

Jackson, 66, performed a moving rendition of his 2003 hit, "Remember When," for the crowd at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

The country music superstar wore his signature white cowboy hat as images of his family flashed across the screen.

While accepting his lifetime achievement award, Jackson reminisced on his career.

"A few years ago, one of my fans named their dog after me," Jackson said. "I thought that was something, but this is really amazing."

"Be serious now, I came to Nashville with a paper sack full of songs and a crazy dream, and all these years later, I'm standing here receiving such an honor as this is mind blowing.

"I thank God all the time for all the people that have been part of my life and career that helped me get here, maintain this all this time."

Jackson thanked his fans around the country for their support before giving a special shoutout.

"I do want to especially thank one person who's been my best friend since I was 17 years old -- it's my wife Denise out there," he said.

"She's loved me through the good, the bad, the happy and the sad. Gave me three beautiful daughters, helped me keep my feet on the ground all these years. There's not much else I can say that's better than that."

Check out the full list of ACM Awards winners.

Ella Langley received the surprise of a lifetime during the middle of her performance at Rock the Country.

As the country singer was performing at the music festival, she was surprised with a prerecorded video featuring Miranda Lambert.

“I’m here to tell you how proud I am of you for being the top nominated artist for the Academy of Country Music Awards this year. You are my friend, first and foremost ... are my soul sister in Country Music and a partner in crime,” Lambert said in the video.

“But I’m also here to tell you some bigger news. You, my friend, have won new female artist of the year for the ACM Awards this year. We’re gonna celebrate so big in Dallas, Texas, they ain’t even ready.”

In a video posted to the Rock the Nation Instagram account, recorded after her performance, Langley thanks all her fans for supporting her and expressed how grateful she was for receiving the honor.

Her win comes after the release of her debut album, “hungover,” which was released in August 2024.

“Every day of my life I’ve prayed about this and thought about this,” she said through teary sniffs, “Literally everything I’ve ever done was to do this. I’m so grateful for the team I have around me.

"I’m just really grateful to have fans that are listening to the music and see that it’s the truth. I’m just a real-life human being going through life like everyone else, and to see what I go through is what everyone else goes through so this is...this is…thank you.”

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

This year’s nominees for male artist of the year include Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen.

Each of this year’s nominees have been nominated in this category in the past, and all of them are also up for entertainer of the year.

The same five male artists made up the category at last year’s award show, with Stapleton coming out on top and walking away with the award.

While Wallen lost out on the honor in 2024, he went on to win entertainer of the year at the CMA Awards in November of that year. 

With the release of his 10th studio album, “Beautifully Broken,” Jelly Roll had a great year, also performing at the Emmys and the MTV VMAs as well as other televised events.

Johnson and Combs also had banner years, with Johnson winning the CMA Award for album of the year and getting his fourth number one song.

Combs broke records with his "Growin' Up and Gettin' Old" tour and had his 16th consecutive number one single at country radio.

Check out the full list of ACM Awards winners.

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Reba McEntire introduced Blake Shelton to the stage Thursday at the ACM Awards.

Shelton, 48, smiled through his performance of his No. 1 hit song, "Texas."

He celebrated the success of the song on Instagram earlier this week, and thanked his fans for supporting him through the years.

“'Texas' marks my 30th #1 as an artist. 30 is a lot of anything, and to have 30 number one songs is unbelievable," Shelton wrote. "I'm really trying to take it all in. THANK YOU!!!!"

After an electric set, Shelton introduced the "reigning ACM entertainer of the year" to the stage -- Lainey Wilson.

The country music superstar rocked a black leather ensemble complete with fringe cuffs to sing her song, "Whirlwind."

Wilson earned nods in six separate categories, including her first nomination for artist-songwriter of the year.

She was also nominated for song of the year, which marked her fourth consecutive year in the category.

Check out a full list of ACM Awards winners here.

Ronnie Dunn, of the country duo Brooks & Dunn, gave Fox News Digital a health update while walking the red carpet at the 2025 ACM Awards.

“I’m fine man. I just got dehydrated, that’s it. I slowed down. I stopped drinking water. Stopped hydrating for a few days and let it get away from me,” he explained. “We’d been out in Texas, and I caught COVID. It’s not supposed to be like that, but it hit me pretty hard. I got strep on top of it, and that’s it.”

Dunn worried fans last month when he walked off the stage midway through the band’s performance of their hit song “Boot Scootin' Boogie.”

Shortly after the start of the song, Dunn motioned to his bandmate that he was done performing and walked off stage while shaking his head and tapping on his chest, pointing at the audience one last time before walking off.

At the time of the incident, Dunn’s rep told USA Today, "Ronnie wasn’t feeling well from being sick, but Saturday night’s show went on as planned.”

Fox News Digital's Larry Fink contributed to this report.

Just before hitting the stage to perform for a sold-out crowd at Wilmington, North Carolina, as part of his headlining tour, Zach Top learned he has achieved a career milestone.

The most-winningest duo at the ACM Awards surprised the up-and-coming country star with a pre-recorded video, letting him know he has won the award for new male artist of the year.

His nomination comes after the release of his debut album, “Cold Beer & Country Music,” which was released in April 2024.

“I couldn’t be more honored, and I can’t say a big enough thank you to my fans for loving music and loving what we do on the road and listening to the songs every day,” Top said following the announcement.

“It means the world to me, I’ve always wanted to just play and sing for a living, and I get to do that now and it’s cool to be able to get a little trophy every now and then to let us know that we’re doing good doing it. So thank you so much, this is beautiful.”

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Cody Johnson took home the first trophy of the night during the 60th Annual Academy of Country Music awards.

Johnson won song of the year for his hit, "Dirt Cheap."

Wilson was nominated for her hit, "4x4xU," while Kacey Musgraves had "The Architect," Post Malone and Morgan Wallen earned a nod for "I Had Some Help," and Ella Langley and Riley Green were recognized for "You Look Like You Love Me."

The country music star is one of the most nominated musicians of the evening with seven nods.

In addition to Johnson's nomination for entertainer of the year, the "I'm Gonna Love You" singer is nominated for single of the year, visual media of the year and music event of the year for "I'm Gonna Love You" with new "American Idol" judge Carrie Underwood.

Miranda Lambert holds the record for the most ACM Award wins, taking home over 37 awards over the course of her career.

Of those 37 wins are the lifetime achievement awards, including the Gene Weed Milestone Award, which she was given in 2018, the ACM Merle Haggard Spirit Award, which she was awarded in 2015, and the 50th Anniversary Milestone Award, which she was given in 2014.

In addition to holding the record for the most career wins, she also holds the record for most wins in the female vocalist of the year award, having won nine times.

After winning the award for nine consecutive years, from 2009 to 2017, she also set the record for most consecutive wins in the category.

Following her win in the entertainer of the year category in 2021, Lambert was awarded the Triple Crown award, meaning she has won all three major awards, including entertainer of the year, female vocalist of the year and new female vocalist of the year, which she won in 2006. 

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

The 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards kicked off with a tribute to a few of the best hits from the last six decades.

ACM Awards host Reba McEntire welcomed the crowd at The Frisco in Texas by singing a Merle Haggard song before welcoming Clint Black on stage to sing "Rhinestone Cowboy."

Wynonna Judd sang "Why Not Me," by The Judds before handing over the mic to LeAnn Rimes who sang a moving rendition of her 1997 hit, "Blue."

Little Big Town sang "Girl Crush," while Dan + Shay belted out "Tequila."

McEntire, who is hosting the show for the 18th time, has a discography spans 32 studio albums, 26 compilation albums and two live albums.

She's taken home 16 ACM Awards, 14 American Music Awards, three Grammy Awards and more, as many have dubbed her "the Queen of Country."

Jelly Roll spoke about his weight loss journey while walking the red carpet at the 2025 ACM Awards. The country star recently revealed he'd lost nearly 200 pounds since December 2022.

While speaking with Fox News Digital, the country star gave some advice for anyone struggling with the same “addiction” he is.

“It’s going really good,” he said. “I haven’t talked to many people about this…but food man. If you’re really battling obesity, you’ve got to, it starts at the dinner table. The walking is great, all the other stuff is great, but you’ve got to fight that addiction at the dinner table.”

In an interview in April on the "Big Night Aht" live show, Jelly Roll shared he was 540 pounds at the start of his weight loss journey, and when he weighed himself that morning he down to 357 pounds.

The star has a lot to celebrate tonight as he is nominated for many awards, including the coveted entertainer of the year award.

Fox News Digital's Larry Fink contributed to this file.

Newcomers in the album of the year category include Megan Moroney and Post Malone, who has successfully crossed over into country music.

Moroney is nominated for her sophomore album, “Am I Okay?,” while Post Malone is nominated for his first country album, “F-1 Trillion.”

Until recently, Post Malone was known primarily as a rapper, with two album of the year nominations at the Grammy Awards for his hip-hop and pop music.

Post Malone showed interest in country music early in his career, having performed acoustic versions of Merle Haggard’s song “The Bottle Let Me Down,” while on a SIRIUSXM radio show in 2018.

He later collaborated with Morgan Wallen on the hit song, “I Had Some Help,” and was featured on Beyonce’s country album, “Cowboy Carter,” before releasing his own.

Maroney started her career as a country artist, with the release of her first album, “Lucky,” in May 2023, and won the award for new female vocalist of the year in 2024.

Fox News Digital's Lori Bashian contributed to this report.

Country star Brian Kelley called the songs and artists being honored during the “Songs of the Decade” opening number “the needle movers” of country music, saying those artists bring a different energy when they come to town on their tours.

One of those artists, is Keith Urban, who Kelley is “very proud of” heading into the award show.

“Keith Urban [is] being awarded tonight, the Triple Crown, that’s a big deal. Very proud of him, excited for him,” Kelley said, before adding that he’s “excited to see Alan Jackson tonight. Gosh that makes me happy.”

The Triple Crown Award goes to the artist who has won awards in the three big categories; Male/female artist of the year, new male/female artist of the year and entertainer of the year.

Kelley walked the Academy of Country Music Awards red carpet with his wife, Brittney Marie, who said, “every night’s a date night.” The country star added that tonight is a “big date night,” going on to compliment his wife, saying “she looks absolutely stunning.”

Fox News Digital's Larry Fink contributed to this file