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Jelly Roll Delivers His ‘Heart of Stone’ & an ‘Amen’ With Shaboozey at the 2025 ACM Awards

Jelly Roll was living the dream on Thursday (May 8) when he performed “Heart of Stone,” the third single from his sophomore album, Beautifully Broken, at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards held at at Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

“I’m wide awake and I’m dreamin’/ Wonderin’ where and when I fell apart/ Oh, I fell apart/ I had enough of my demons/ Angels only meet you where you are,” he sang emotionally, his voice powerful, during the chorus from the track about some very dark days in his life. As he belted out the chorus, Bunnie XO, who is married to the country star, sang along in the audience. “And I’m in the dark/ Least for now, Lord, I ain’t losin’ hope/ That somehow you can make a heart of gold/ From this heart of stone.”

As the tune ended, Jelly pointed to the heavens and mouthed, “Thank you.” The cameras then shifted to Shaboozey, who stood alone as he began his new single, the two men’s collaboration “Amen,” off the “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” singer’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going. After the chorus, Jelly joined in as he walked through the crowd, giving Wynonna Judd a hug before he made his way onto the stage next to ‘Boozey to finish the upbeat tune as Keith Urban and Nicole kidman sang along from the audience.

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At the end of the Jelly and Shaboozey’s duet, the “Need a Favor” singer turned to his song partner, who turns 30 on Friday (May 9), and said, “Happy birthday, ‘Boozey!” before giving him a big hug.

Jelly Roll — who is nominated for entertainer of the year, male artist of the year and album of the year for his Billboard 200 chart-topper Beautifully Broken — spoke about “Heart of Stone” while appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show in April. “I love the lyrics of this song,” he explained to the host, specifically pointing out the lyrics to the second verse. “When I hear ‘Lord, can you hear me? I’m shackled in these chains/ I’m haunted by the lies of every time I said I’d change.’ Wow, that just reminds me of all the times that I went and looked in the mirror and said, ‘I’m gonna be different today’ and I wasn’t different that day. … It still gives me goosebumps and it makes me want to stand up and do something about it. It makes me want to quit being a man that puts it off and start being a man that does it right now.”

Country icon and 16-time ACM Awards winner Reba McEntire is the host of the show; it is her 18th time helming the ceremony. The show streamed live on Amazon’s Prime Video.

The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.

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Alan Jackson Receives Eponymous ACM Lifetime Achievement Award & Performs ‘Remember When’

The first ever Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award was handed out at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday (May 8). The award was given to — “You guessed it,” as host Reba McEntire quipped — country legend Alan Jackson, who also performed his 2003 Hot Country Songs-topping hit ballad “Remember When.”

The song’s music video — a montage of nostalgic-looking photos and footage — played in the background as Jackson performed the sentimental ballad, with the singer shouting out his slide guitarist before the solo as playing “some real country music.”

“Alan, you know we love you,” McEntire said after the performance, handing the award to the longtime country superstar. “It’s quite a honor,” Jackson raved about the award. “A few years ago, one of my fans named a dog after me. I thought that was something…

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“I came to Nashville with a paper sack full of a songs and a crazy dream,” he continued. “All these years later, standing here receiving such an honor like this, it 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 and maintain this all this tim.”

Jackson went on to specifically thank “one person, who’s been my best friend since I was 17 years old — That’s my wife Denise out there. She’s loved me through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. Influenced me, gave me three beautiful daughters, and she’s helped me keep my feet on the ground all these years. I would not be here without her.”

The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.

Grupo Firme’s ‘Evolución’: All 14 Tracks Ranked

See how Billboard ranks every song on the new LP.

Aptly titled Evolución, Grupo Firme pushes its norteño/banda boundaries to showcase a more nuanced sound in its new album, released Thursday (May 8). The 14-track set strikes the perfect balance of traditional and modern, fusing the norteño’s accordion with electric guitars.

Comprised of Eduin (lead singer); Jhonny Caz (vocals and Eduin’s brother); Abraham Hernández (vocals and tuba); Joaquín Ruiz (bajo sexto guitar); Christian Gutiérrez (bass); José “Fito” Rubio (drums); and Dylan Camacho (accordion), Grupo Firme immediately became a juggernaut in Latin music after going viral on YouTube and social media during the pandemic.

Mainly known for recording albums live and their DIY approach to recording music videos and uploading them to YouTube — which is initially what really connected with fans before catapulting to global success in 2022 and embarking on a stadium tour — Grupo Firme’s Evolución feels momentous. For starters, it’s the band’s first LP in three years and it also comes at a time when regional Mexican artists continue to break barriers in music.

“We have accomplished things we never imagined,” the band’s frontman, Eduin Caz, told Billboard Español when discussing Evolución. “Today we want to show another side of Grupo Firme without leaving [behind] our essence.” That’s precisely what’s notable about the production in the album, which sounds very much like a Grupo Firme album — from norteño ballads to Sinaloan-banda party starters, which is what they are known for — but with more attention to detail on the lyrics and arrangements.

Below, Billboard ranks all 14 songs from Evolución, in descending order.

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Jelly Roll On Rooting For Cody Johnson to Win Entertainer of the Year & Touring With Post Malone | ACM Awards 2025

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LeAnn Rimes Returns to ACM Awards, Dan + Shay Soundtrack Jelly Roll & Bunnie Xo Kiss in Opening Medley

The Academy of Country Music Awards kicked off its 60th ceremony with a medley performance of hit songs from throughout its six decades — spanning from the 1960s to the 2010s — with one of its preeminent contemporary power couples sharing a sweet moment in the crowd at its closing.

“I’m proud to sing this one from the late great Merle Haggard,” host Reba McEntire led off the performance by saying, before launching into Haggard’s ’60s crowd-pleaser “Okie From Muskogee.” She the introduced ’90s hitmaker Clint Black, who took on Glen Campbell’s 1975 Billboard Hot 100-topping crossover classic “Rhinestone Cowboy.”

Black then handed off to “one of [his] favorite voices in country music” — the legendary Wynonna Judd, who took the medley into the ’80s with the Judds’ 1984 country smash “Why Not Me.” Judd then welcomed LeAnn Rimes back to the ACMs to rep for the ’90s, doing so with her 1996 breakout smash “Blue” — which brought her to national fame at just 14 years old, but which she now sings in a much more mature, stately and less-yodeling manner.

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Moving into the 21st century, Little Big Town materialized to perform its award-winning 2015 ballad “Girl Crush,” followed by Dan + Shay wrapping things with a performance of their 2018 smash “Tequila,” leading the audience in a loud singalong on the final chorus to close out the song. In the audience, Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo shared a kiss to the hit ballad, as Shay Mooney hit and held a massive high note to close the performance.

The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.

Jessie Murph’s Piglet Steals the Show at the 2025 ACM Awards Red Carpet

That’s some piglet! Jessie Murph had just the pal to help her get all the attention at the Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday (May 8) — her perfectly pink porcine pet, Wilbur! The little pig stole the show and posed for photos with numerous country stars while the “Blue Strips” singer made her way down the red carpet at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

Among the musicians who wanted a photo with Wilbur were Jelly Roll and wife Bunnie XO, Shaboozey, LeAnn Rimes, Megan Moroney, Ella Langley and more. Sometimes, the little piglet would pose calmly in a superstar’s arms, and for other snaps, he snuggled into Murph’s arms, his shade of baby pink perfectly matching that of the “Pray” singer’s outfit.

“It’s a real pig. He’s a little guy. His name’s Wilbur,” the singer told Country Now of her adorable pet the day before the ceremony. “I just decided that I wanted a pig, and I’ve always wanted one. I’ve always wanted a mini pig, and then I find out that miniature pigs don’t exist. He’s supposed to wear a matching bow [with his outfit].”

Jelly Roll couldn’t wait to gush about his meeting with the four-legged buddy. “Jessie Murph just tried to give a pig to me and my wife on the carpet,” the “Son of a Sinner” singer wrote on X shortly after.

Murph was nominated for female artist of the year, which went to Langley earlier in the evening. Country icon Reba McEntire was the host for the evening.

The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.

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Stylish Steal: Guess Makes $35 Sandals That Totally Look Like Prada

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Consider us shocked when we spotted these unisex sandals on sale on Amazon this week. Why? The chic and minimalist slides are made by Guess but they totally look like Prada sandals with a similar triangular logo and silver-tone detailing.

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The best part: the Guess sandals are on sale for just $35 — a tiny fraction of the cost of Prada shoes, which can often run into the thousands of dollars. Read on to shop these Prada dupes below.

SELLING FAST

Guess Men’s VISEL Sandal

$35.40

$59.00

40% off

These VIESEL sandals feature a textured vegan leather material that looks and feels halfway between a coated canvas and saffiano leather. The sandals feature a double strap design and a cushy footbed for support. The iconic Guess question mark logo sits on the top strap for just a touch of branding to the otherwise minimalist design.

While Guess is now known for its sexy All-American aesthetic, it was actually established in 1981 by the Marciano brothers, who hail from the South of France. And these sandals are great for lounging around the ocean or chilling in the French countryside. Here at home, they’re ideal for music festivals and beach days alike, and they’re dressy enough to wear out to dinner as well.

Regularly $59, get these Guess sandals (and Prada dupes) on sale for just $35 here. Amazon has the slides in sizes 7 to 13 but as you can imagine, stock is selling fast so we recommend adding to cart while the deal is still live.

Prada Padded Nappa Leather Slides

Few brands have captured the fashion and pop cultural zeitgeist quite like Prada, with the brand’s chic and contemporary pieces seen on everyone from Troye Sivan and Louis Partridge, to K-pop stars from AESPA, NCT, Twice and ENHYPEN. If you can afford a Prada outfit or accessory, it’s a worthwhile investment, and Saks has these Prada genuine leather slides available for $925.