2025 ACM Awards Winners List

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

By

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

May 8, 2025

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12:01 pm

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Ella Langley, Riley Green; Photos Provided by ACM

Here’s a look at every winner from the 2025 ACM Awards. Winners in select categories, including New Female Artist of the Year, New Male Artist of the Year, and New Duo or Group of the Year, were announced ahead of the star-studded show.

Hosted by 16-time ACM Award winner and entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the 60th ACM Awards will stream live around the world on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT. The show will be available exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, broadcasting from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas — the Dallas Cowboys’ world headquarters.

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
Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Zach Top; Photos by Motion Theory Media
Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Zach Top; Photos by Motion Theory Media

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Kassi Ashton 
  • Ashley Cooke 
  • Dasha
  • Ella Langley – WINNER 
  • Jessie Murph

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

[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

  • 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 – WINNER

Producer: Jay Joyce

Record Company-Label: BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

  • 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 – WINNER

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

[Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

  • 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 – WINNER

Songwriter: Josh Phillips

Publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing

  • 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

[Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

  • 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 – WINNER

Producer: Will Bundy

Record Company-Label: SAWGOD / Columbia Records

Ella Langley, Riley Green; Photo Courtesy of ACM
Ella Langley, Riley Green; Photo Courtesy of ACM

VISUAL MEDIA OF THE YEAR

[Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

  • 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 – WINNER 

Producer: Whale Tale Music

Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney

ARTIST-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

  • Luke Combs
  • ERNEST 
  • HARDY 
  • Morgan Wallen 
  • Lainey Wilson – WINNER 

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

  • Jessi Alexander
  • Jessie Jo Dillon – WINNER 
  • Ashley Gorley 
  • Chase McGill 
  • Josh Osborne 
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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.