ACM AWARDS RECAP

ACM Awards Recap

The stars came out for the 60th Academy of Country Music awards, hosted for a record 18th time by Reba McEntire. Several big names, like Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen, were MIA, however. For Morgan’s part, he apparently thought the opportunity to play golf with Tom Brady was not to be missed.  But for three hours, the rest of Nashville came to Frisco, Texas in celebration of the very best in country music over the last year. As far as who the big winners were, Ella Langley took home 5 ACM awards, while Lainey Wilson won 4. Here’s a rundown of everything that happened during the broadcast.

The show kicked off with a 12-minute tribute to ACM “Song of the Year” winners of years past, with a medley that included:

Reba singing “Okie From Muskogee,” Clint Black singing “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Wynonna performing the Judds‘ “Why Not Me,” LeeAnn Rimes singing her own “Blue” (backed by a small string section), Little Big Town sang “Girl Crush,” and Dan + Shay performed their own “Tequila” The show that followed was filled with big names and lots of hardware.

  • Lionel Richie presented for song of the year. WINNER: Cody Johnson for “Dirt Cheap”
  • Eric Church performed “Hands Of Time”
  • Miranda Lambert sang “Run”
  • Ella Langley joined Miranda on Miranda’s “Kerosene”
  • Riley Green introduces Zach Top, who sings “Use Me”
  • Oak Ridge Boys present for Group of the Year. WINNER: Old Dominion
  • Blake Shelton performed “Texas”
  • Lainey Wilson performed “Whirlwind”
  • Clint Black presented Male Artist of the Year. WINNER: Chris Stapleton
  • Reba sings “Me & Bobbi McGee” in tribute to Kris Kristofferson
  • Kristian Bush presents for Duo of the Year. WINNER: Brooks & Dunn
  • Kelsea Ballerini performed “Baggage”
  • Chris Stapleton performed “It Takes A Woman”
  • Single of the Year presented by Reba. Winner: “You Look Like You Love Me,” Ella Langley & Riley Green
  • Alan Jackson performs “Remember When,” after which he is presented with the brand-new Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Martina McBrideGretchen WilsonSara EvansCrystal Gayle and Wynnona present the award for “Female Artist of the Year.” WINNER: Lainey Wilson
  • Ernest introduces Jelly Roll and Shaboozey. Jelly performs “Heart of Stone,” Shaboozey joins him as they sing “Amen”
  • Keith Urban is the latest winner of the “ACM Triple Crown” award. To honor him, Megan Moroney performed “Stupid Boy,” Chris Stapleton sang “Blue Ain’t Your Color,” the Osborne Brothers sang “Where The Blacktop Ends,” joined by Keith himself, who came up from the crowd with guitar in hand
  • Little Big Town presents the award for “Album of the Year.” WINNER: Lainey Wilson for “Whirlwind”
  • Cody Johnson performed “The Fall,” then is joined by Brooks & Dunn for “Red Dirt Road”
  • Lee Ann Womack and Parker McCollum present the award for “Music Event of the Year” WINNER: Riley Green and Ella Langley, “You Look Like You Love Me”
  • Reba, Lainey Wilson and Miranda Lambert debut the new song “Trailblazer” (the song came out last night; check out the official audio to the right)
  • Blake Shelton presents the award for “Entertainer of the Year.” WINNER: Lainey Wilson
  • Rascal Flatts and the Backstreet Boys perform “What Hurts The Most,” Flatts sings “I Dare You,” the Backstreet Boys perform “Larger Than Life,” both bands reunite for “Life Is A Highway.”

The high point of the night, though, had to be Alan Jackson’s performance of “Remember When,” which had many audience members in tears. If you weren’t tearing up for that, his emotional acceptance speech, which you can see to the right, would have done the job.

See the complete list of winners below:

MAIN ACM AWARD NOMINEES:

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

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

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, Alex Pescosta; 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

NEWSLETTER

Stay updated, sign up for our newsletter.