The Academy of Country Music has unveiled its special award honorees for 2025, recognizing significant contributions to the genre. The list of recipients includes country music stalwarts Eric Church, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, and the legendary Randy Travis. These distinguished individuals will be celebrated at the 18th Academy of Country Music Honors™, which is set to take place on August 20, 2025. This announcement comes as the ACM also confirmed that the flagship ACM Awards ceremony will make its return to the streaming platform Prime Video in 2026, signaling a continued partnership with the digital giant.
In related country music news, the upcoming premiere of “CMT Music Awards: Ultimate Party Edition” was highlighted on July 8, 2025. This special programming promises exclusive interviews with a variety of country music stars, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at the genre’s biggest personalities. The premiere is scheduled for July 17.
The 2025 ACM Awards themselves were a memorable event, held earlier this year on May 8, 2025, in Frisco, Texas. The star-studded evening was expertly hosted by country music icon Reba McEntire. The night belonged to Lainey Wilson, who dominated the major categories, taking home the coveted Entertainer of the Year award, along with Female Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. Her consistent success across multiple high-profile categories underscored her significant impact on country music over the past year.
Other notable wins included Ella Langley, who secured both Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year for her hit “You Look Like You Love Me,” a collaboration with Riley Green. The emerging talent of The Red Clay Strays was recognized with the New Duo/Group of the Year award, while Zach Top earned the New Male Artist of the Year award, signaling a bright future for these artists. Jessie Jo Dillon was honored with the prestigious Songwriter of the Year award for her exceptional contributions to songwriting within the genre.
The 2025 ACM Awards ceremony was further enhanced by a lineup of electrifying performances. Audiences were treated to sets by some of country music’s most beloved artists, including Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Alan Jackson, and Kelsea Ballerini. Adding to the night’s accolades, Keith Urban was presented with the esteemed ACM Triple Crown Award, a testament to his sustained excellence and achievement across multiple ACM award categories throughout his career.
A standout moment of the evening was the performance by Miranda Lambert and Ella Langley, who joined forces to perform Lambert’s iconic hit “Kerosene.” The show concluded with a nostalgic and energetic series of performances from the beloved group Backstreet Boys and the country music favorites Rascal Flatts, leaving the audience with memorable closing performances.
