ACM Awards Celebrate 60 Years With Star-Studded Show \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The 2025 ACM Awards celebrate their 60th anniversary with a high-energy tribute to country music history, hosted by Reba McEntire and featuring iconic performers, top nominees, and special honors for Keith Urban.
Quick Looks
- The ACM Awards mark their 60th anniversary Thursday night.
- Reba McEntire returns as host for the milestone show.
- Keith Urban to receive the ACM Triple Crown Award live.
- The show opens with a massive “Songs of the Decades” medley.
- Star performers include Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Alan Jackson, and more.
- Top nominee Ella Langley leads with eight nods, followed by Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, and Morgan Wallen.
- The ACMs will stream live on Prime Video and Twitch at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
- Celebrity presenters include Lionel Richie, Wynonna Judd, and NASCAR’s Chase Elliott.
Deep Look
As the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards prepares to take the stage for its 60th annual ceremony, country music fans are not just witnessing another awards show — they’re participating in a celebration of legacy, resilience, and the future of a uniquely American art form. What began in 1966 as a small gathering to honor Western artists in Los Angeles has grown into one of the most iconic events in the music industry, and the 2025 edition is set to be its grandest yet.
From Humble Beginnings to Global Streaming
When the ACM Awards debuted, country music was still considered regional, often overlooked by the mainstream music press. Artists like Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, and Loretta Lynn were beginning to shift that narrative, and the ACMs became a vital institution in validating country music’s growing artistic and commercial power.
Sixty years later, the ACM Awards are a streaming-first, globally accessible event, broadcasting live on Amazon Prime Video and Twitch — a clear sign that the genre has not only entered the digital age but is thriving within it. The ACMs have evolved alongside country music itself, which now comfortably embraces cross-genre collaborations, hip-hop influence, and social media-driven stardom.
Reba McEntire: The Heartbeat of the Show
There could hardly be a more fitting host for this landmark show than Reba McEntire, who returns to helm the event she has made her own over decades. With 16 ACM wins and countless hosting credits, Reba is more than a country legend — she’s an ambassador of the genre’s evolution.
Her role in the opening “Songs of the Decades” performance, alongside Clint Black, Wynonna Judd, Sugarland, LeAnn Rimes, and others, sets the tone for the evening: a reverent look back, blended with bold steps forward. The 14-minute medley is expected to deliver not just nostalgia, but a reminder of country music’s power to reflect American life across generations.
Keith Urban’s Triple Crown Moment
Another defining highlight will be the live presentation of the ACM Triple Crown Award to Keith Urban — a rare honor that cements an artist’s transition from rising star to genre-defining figure. Urban joins a short list of recipients who have swept New Artist of the Year, Male Vocalist, and Entertainer of the Year over their careers.
Urban’s career mirrors country music’s own journey: rooted in storytelling, but increasingly global, polished, and genre-fluid. As an artist who has collaborated with pop and rock icons, he represents the openness and crossover appeal that now defines the genre.
A New Generation Arrives
The ACMs have also long been a launchpad for new voices, and this year’s winners for New Female and Male Artist of the Year — Ella Langley and Zach Top — reflect that tradition.
Langley, the night’s most-nominated artist with eight nods, broke through with “You Look Like You Love Me,” a duet with Riley Green that blends traditional country instrumentation with a fresh, modern edge. Green himself is a nominee in five categories — proof of the genre’s collaborative spirit and rising focus on narrative duos.
Zach Top, whose honky-tonk energy recalls the era of George Strait, offers a counterbalance: retro-rooted, full of fiddle, and proud of it. His recognition suggests that country’s past and future can coexist, each one informing the other.
The ACMs Embrace Their Cultural Crossover
The list of performers and presenters this year shows just how broad country music’s appeal has become. Alongside genre staples like Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, and Kelsea Ballerini, the show will feature appearances from Lionel Richie, Rita Wilson, and even NASCAR driver Chase Elliott.
Perhaps most headline-grabbing of all are the cross-genre collaborations: Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts on stage together, plus Jelly Roll teaming up with Shaboozey, a nod to the hip-hop crossover flavor reshaping country’s sonic boundaries.
With these pairings, the ACMs are signaling what fans already know — country music is not a closed circle. It’s a genre that increasingly borrows from and influences others, from the southern soul of blues to the swagger of trap beats and the anthemic energy of pop.
Entertainer of the Year: A Tightly Contested Race
This year’s Entertainer of the Year category is perhaps the most competitive in a decade. With Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, and Jelly Roll all in contention, the award reflects diverse performance styles, fanbases, and media presence.
Wilson is a festival favorite and a rising ambassador for country women’s empowerment. Wallen, despite ongoing controversies, remains one of the genre’s biggest streaming forces. Jelly Roll’s blend of gospel, hip-hop, and country speaks to a new kind of emotional, genre-blending artistry that resonates across demographics.
The winner will not only take home a trophy — they will help define the direction of country music’s next chapter.
A Look Ahead From a Storied Past
As the ACM Awards celebrate six decades of music, what stands out is not just how the genre has changed — but how it has held onto its soul. The stories, the twang, the heartbreak, and the joy remain constant, even as production evolves and boundaries blur.
This year’s ceremony will celebrate that balance. It will look backward, with reverence for the greats who built the stage. It will look forward, with open arms for what comes next.
And in doing so, the 60th ACM Awards won’t just honor the genre — it will reaffirm country music’s place in the evolving soundtrack of American life.
ACM Awards Celebrate
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