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Talk about the trailblazers! Country icon Reba McEntire joined Lainey Wilson and Miranda Lambert to debut the trio’s emotional new collaboration “Trailblazer” toward the end of the 2025 ACM Awards Thursday (May 8) at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The song had dropped on streaming services just hours earlier, at 8 p.m. ET.
The celebrated country artists took to a stage that was dressed to appear like a barren desert, the skies behind them a warm orange as the silhouettes of birds fluttered through the the scene. Dressed in matching brown suede outfits accented with turquoise, the three women traded lyrics before harmonizing on the chorus, singing, “Talk about a trailblazer, cuttin’ one half at a time/ Running like a dream chaser, living on a prayer and a rhyme/ Put a flag in the ground to the country sound, to the rhythm of your own highway/ Talk about a trailblazer, I’m rolling down the road you paved.”
At the end of the song, McEntire, who was also hosting the show for the 18th time, took the hands of her collaborators, and together, the three women walked to the front of the stage and took a bow together.
The day before the ACM Awards, the trio spoke to Billboard‘s Melinda Newman about their new ballad, which pays tribute to those who influenced them and paved the way. “We wanted to lean in pretty hard to paying tribute to each person,” shared Lambert, who was the focus of Billboard‘s inaugural Power Pets feature alongside her dog Bellamy. “We had to do it strategically, though, because we didn’t want it to be so blatant — but more like a secret thing that you would have to listen to it twice.”
“We were just having a conversation about how [Lambert and McEntire] have influenced me and [about] passing the torch and blazing trails for each other,” Wilson also noted. “Generation after generation, it’s going to continue, but we got to keep blazing those trails for the next one.”
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.
Shortly after taking the stage to give her three-way collaboration with Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert, “Trailblazer,” its live debut, Lainey Wilson was called back up to the mic at the 2025 ACM Awards when Blake Shelton revealed that she was the evening’s big winner, nabbing the entertainer of the year award.
Accepting the award, Wilson held the trophy in silence for a few moments, staring at it in disbelief. “Thank you so much. I love every single one of y’all in this category,” she said of her fellow entertainer of the year nominees. “You took me out on the road, asked me to be on songs, supported me in every way you can.”
Wilson also opened up about feeling “imposter syndrome” sometimes. “I’m sure everybody deals with a little bit of imposter syndrome,” she said. “I read something not long ago that if something is given to you, you need to accept it with an open heart and open mind.”
Wilson shared how entertaining has been a part of her life as long as she can remember — when she was a little girl, her sister used to shine a spotlight on her in the dark at “this old hunting spot” her parents would take them to. “I love making people laugh and smile and cry – I’m sorry I like to make you cry,” she said. “I love to make people feel things.”
Speaking of making people feel things, “Trailblazer” – a song about pioneering women in country music – is something Wilson hopes families share with each other. “I remember thinking that this could be a song that a grandmother and a daughter and a grandchild could listen to,” Wilson told Billboard‘s Melinda Newman of the song.
In addition to entertainer of the year, Wilson also won ACM Awards for female artist of the year, album of the year (Whirlwind) and artist-songwriter of the year.
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.
Some of the best harmonies in pop and country music joined forces on Thursday night (May 8) when Backstreet Boys hit the ACM Awards stage to close the 2025 show alongside Rascal Flatts.
The eight men teamed up for four songs, starting with 2006’s “What Hurts the Most” — which the two groups just re-recorded for Rascal Flatts’ June 6 album Life Is a Highway: Refueled Duets. Next up was Rascal Flatts’ “I Dare You,” which is the lead single from the upcoming duets album (but is recorded with Jonas Brothers for the project).
They pivoted to BSB’s catalog for “Larger Than Life,” from the boy band’s 1999 album Millennium — which they’ll perform in full at their Las Vegas Sphere residency kicking off in July. Finally, they wrapped up the medley with the duets album’s namesake song, Rascal Flatt’s 2006 cover of “Life Is a Highway”; on the duets album, they’re joined by Halestrom frontwoman Lzzy Hale for the re-recording.
The men traded vocals on all the songs, with a series of lasers raining over them throughout the upbeat performance. They returned to the stage to keep “Life Is a Highway” going into the show credits, leading a fan sing-along on the song first released by singer/songwriter Tom Cochrane in 1991.
Ahead of Thursday’s performance at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Rascal Flatts guitarist/vocalist Joe Don Rooney talked to Billboard about Backstreet Boys’ famous vocals. “They’re just such great singers and their melodies are so good,” he said. “They know how to stack them. It’s like a wall of vocals. It’s really, really cool and really an amazing, powerful sound.”
Rascal Flatts were nominated for group of the year at the 2025 ACM Awards; Old Dominion ended up taking home the award.
With 16 Hot Country Songs No. 1s and 21 Country Airplay No. 1s, Keith Urban has been a force in country music in the 21st century. On Thursday (May 8) night’s ACM Awards broadcast, the Aussie legend was saluted with the Triple Crown Award. That award goes to an artist who has been named new artist of the year, artist of the year and entertainer of the year, which Urban has – making him just the 12th person to do so.
Before Urban took the stage to accept the award, Megan Moroney, Chris Stapleton and Brothers Osborne hit the stage of the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, to perform three of Urban’s many hits. Moroney sang an affecting, lovely version of “Stupid Boy,” with her voice in fine form as she delivered the bittersweet song. Chris Stapleton crooned “Blue Ain’t Your Color” as Urban and his wife, Nicole Kidman, held each other and swayed; Stapleton’s signature rasp suited the song beautifully, and Urban himself couldn’t help but sing along whenever the camera was on him. “We love you, Keith,” Stapleton said after he wrapped. Concluding the Triple Crown musical salute, Brothers Osborne rocked through “Where the Blacktop Ends,” ripping up the 2001 hit and ending the tribute on an energetic note.
Accepting the award, Urban thanked the Academy of Country Music and, of course, his wife. “I love you, babygirl,” he told the Oscar winner (and Babygirl star) as she looked on and smiled. “Our girls watching at home, Sunday and Faith, I love you both. I have a massive team I couldn’t possibly thank by name,” Urban said. Still, he made a point to shout out his behind-the-scenes players, noting that “there’s no such thing as a self-made man.” Additionally, ever the gentleman, he thanked Moroney, Stapleton and Brothers Osborne, as well as the other musicians on stage. “We’re gonna be out on tour by the end of the month!” he said before leaving.
As Billboard’s Paul Grein noted in his exclusive on this year’s Triple Crown Award, Urban qualified by winning top new male vocalist in 2001, male vocalist of the year in 2005 and 2006. and entertainer of the year in 2019. Additionally, he’s the first singer to get the Triple Crown Award on the ACM Awards telecast since 2010.
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.
Some of the world’s biggest country music stars descended on the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday (May 8) for the 2025 ACM Awards. This year’s ACM Awards is a big one, too, as the show is celebrating 60 years of country music excellence.
As everyone from Reba McEntire, who hosted for the 18th time in her career, to ACM Triple Crown Award honoree Keith Urban rolled up, Billboard was there — and we’re giving viewers an exclusive look at all of the best snapshots from the official Boot Barn portrait studio.
Opening with 12 straight minutes of music honoring past song of the year winners, the 2025 ACM Awards featured performances from Clint Black, Dan + Shay, LeAnn Rimes, Little Big Town and Wynonna Judd, as well as collaborative showcases from Jelly Roll and Shaboozey, the Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts and Brooks & Dunn with Cody Johnson.
The ceremony was filled with awards, too, naturally. Ella Langley has the most nominations of anyone this year with eight, while Johnson, Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton have six; Riley Green, Post Malone and Kelsea Ballerini each have multiple nods as well. Among the biggest-ticket prizes being given away are entertainer of the year, male and female artist of the year, best duo and song and album of the year. Alan Jackson was honored with a lifetime achievement award — one the Academy of Country Music introduced this year called the Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award, no less, and Keith Urban was saluted with the Triple Crown Award.
Below, see the best photos — the fabulous looks and dazzling smiles attendees wore at the 2025 ACM Awards.
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.
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.
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.
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…
“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.
By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.
We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
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.
LeAnn Rimes and Jessie Murph at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Jessie Murph and Ella Langley at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Megan Moroney and Jessie Murph at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Jessie Murph and Bunnie Xo at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Bunnie Xo, Jelly Roll, Shaboozey and Jessie Murph at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Jessie Murph and Ella Langley at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Jelly Roll at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Megan Maroney and Jessie Murph at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Jessie Murph at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
Jessie Murph and Ella Langley at the 60th Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the Ford Center at The Star on May 08, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
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