May 9, 2025
AP PHOTO Ella Langley performs “Weren’t for the Wind” during the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday in Frisco, Texas.
NEW YORK — Somewhere in the middle of the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, first-time nominee Ella Langley’s duet with Riley Green, the ubiquitous “You Look Like You Love Me,” was named single for the year.
Both Langley and Green used their acceptance speech to shout out classic country — songs with talking in them — that inspired their modern hit.
A revisitation of the past might have been a theme Thursday night, because the moment everyone was waiting for arrived right at the top of the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards: a 14-minute medley of six decades of country classics, performed by giants of the genre.
Host Reba McEntire launched into Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee,” followed by Clint Black with Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy” and Wynonna Judd with The Judds’ “Why Not Me.” LeAnn Rimes returned to the ACM Awards stage for her 1997 ballad “Blue.” Little Big Town tackled their 2014 track “Girl Crush” and Dan + Shay delivered their “Tequila.”
It was an exciting way to kick off the 2025 ACM Awards, live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, just north of Dallas.
And it was a show highlight, rivaled only by the introduction of the ACM Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award, the inaugural trophy given to its namesake, Jackson, after he performed “Remember When.”
The first award of the night, the coveted song of the year, was awarded to Cody Johnson for his radio hit “Dirt Cheap.”
Performances followed, fast and furious. Eric Church performed his brand-new single “Hands of Time,” succeeded by the most awarded artist in the history of the award show, Miranda Lambert with “Run.” She was then joined by Langley to duet “Kerosene” from Lambert’s 2005 debut album of the same name.
Langley later returned to the stage for “Weren’t for the Wind.”
Zach Top stripped things down for “Use Me.” Blake Shelton channeled the great George Strait for his new single “Texas,” followed by Lainey Wilson with “Whirlwind.” Kelsea Ballerini performed atop her “Baggage.” Chris Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, harmonized on “It Takes a Woman.”
The Oak Ridge Boys gave the group of the year award to Old Dominion. It was a moving gesture; in 2024 the Oak Ridge Boys’ Joe Bonsall, Grammy award winner and celebrated tenor, died from complications of the neuromuscular disorder Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
Another tear-jerker: McEntire leading the audience in a sing-along of the late Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee.”
Male artist of the year went to Stapleton. Duo of the year was award to Brooks & Dunn.
There’s a lot to celebrate in 2025. Later in the evening, Keith Urban will be awarded the coveted ACM Triple Crown Award, marking the first time an artist has received the trophy on stage since Carrie Underwood was honored in 2010.
Ahead of the award show, Langley won the title of female new artist; the male award went to Top. Wilson was awarded the artist-songwriter of the year title by host McEntire and Lambert. And for the second year in a row, Jessie Jo Dillon earned the songwriter of the year award.
Langley led the ACM Awards this year with eight nominations, six of which are from her smash hit “You Look Like You Love Me” with Green. Johnson, Wilson and Morgan Wallen closely followed with seven each. Stapleton had six nominations; Green and Post Malone were tied with five.
Johnson, Wilson, Wallen and Stapleton are up for the night’s top category, entertainer of the year. Ballerini, Luke Combs and Jelly Roll are also nominated for the award.
Later, Megan Moroney will perform.
There will be a few star-studded duets as well. Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts will take the stage together, as will Jelly Roll and Shaboozey. Brooks & Dunn will perform with Johnson.
How to watch the ACM Awards
The ACM Awards are streaming on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch Live beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific. No Prime membership is required to view the livestream.
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