The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, which aired live Sunday night via CBS from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, did not disappoint! The ceremony was hosted by country music legend Reba McEntire for the fifteenth time since 1986. Watch Reba kick off the star-studded night!
The 2018 ACM Awards named Jason Aldean as Entertainer of the Year, the evening’s biggest honor. This marked the third consecutive win for Aldean in this category and his 13th overall ACM Award win. Watch the star accept the especially emotional honor below!
Miranda Lambert won ACM Female Vocalist of the Year for the ninth consecutive year and is the current record holder for most consecutive wins in this category. Lambert also won ACM Song of the Year for “Tin Man” along with co-writers Jack Ingram and Jon Randall, receiving two awards, both as artist and songwriter. With these wins, she now has 32 ACM Awards, and is the most-awarded artist in ACM Awards history, a record previously held by Brooks & Dunn. Watch the Texan deliver her acceptance speech!
Chris Stapleton won ACM Male Vocalist of the Year, his second win in this category. Stapleton also won an additional two awards as both artist and producer in the ACM Album of the Year category for From A Room: Volume 1. The star was unable to attend the annual event due to welcoming twin baby boys with his wife Morgane! Reba McEntire broke the big news…
Congratulations to @ChrisStapleton who has won Album of the Year and just welcomed TWINS! #ACMawards pic.twitter.com/nAsBACSuEo
— ACM Awards (@ACMawards) April 16, 2018
Brothers Osborne won ACM Vocal Duo of the Year for the second consecutive year. The duo also won ACM Video of the Year for “It Ain’t My Fault,” along with directors Wes Edwards and Ryan Silver and producer Tiffany Davies. ACM CEO Pete Fisher surprised the duo with these awards, presenting them during CMT’s Facebook Live coverage of the ACM Awards red carpet.
Lauren Alaina, Midland and Brett Young were also previously announced winners for ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year, ACM New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year and ACM New Male Vocalist of the Year, respectively. The winners received a surprise phone call from host Reba McEntire last month notifying them of the news and were also surprised with the actual ACM Award in the days leading up to the show. Jon Pardi presented Alaina with her ACM Award during rehearsals.
Midland received their ACM Award at the ACM Stories, Songs & Stars: A Songwriter’s Event Benefitting ACM Lifting Lives® and Luke Bryan presented Young with his trophy at the Cumulus/Westwood One Radio Remotes.
Old Dominion won ACM Vocal Group of the Year Award, their first award in this category. They previously won ACM New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year at the 51st ACM Awards in 2016.
Rhett Akins was announced as the winner of this year’s ACM Songwriter of the Year Award (off-camera category) on Friday at the ACM Stories, Songs & Stars: A Songwriter’s Event Benefitting ACM Lifting Lives, which was presented to him by reigning ACM Songwriter of the Year award winner Lori McKenna.
The awards telecast honored three of country music’s hit songs from 1993 with the “ACM Flashbacks” segments, with Toby Keith and Blake Shelton performing Keith’s celebrated No.1 debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” Alan Jackson and Jon Pardi performing Jackson’s ACM Award-winning hit “Chattahoochee” and Reba McEntire and Kelly Clarkson performing Reba’s GRAMMY® Award-winning hit “Does He Love You.” Additional collaborations included Kane Brown and Lauren Alaina performing the multi-platinum, No. 1 hit “What Ifs,” Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line performing the chart-topping hit “Meant to Be” and ACM Vocal Event of the Year winner Keith Urban and Julia Michaels performing Urban’s new single “Coming Home.”
Watch Keith and Carrie get emotional while accepting their Vocal Event of the Year trophy!
The ACM Awards also featured performances by ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year Lauren Alaina, ACM Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Chris Janson, Lady Antebellum, ACM Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, ACM New Duo or Group of the Year Midland, Maren Morris, Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, ACM Vocal Event of the Year winner Carrie Underwood, ACM New Male Vocalist of the Year Brett Young and Chris Young. We doubt anyone will forget Carrie Underwood’s big return with “Cry Pretty”!
2018 ACM Winners List
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Jason Aldean
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Miranda Lambert
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Chris Stapleton
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Brothers Osborne
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Old Dominion
NEW FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Lauren Alaina
NEW MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Brett Young
NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR
Midland
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Records
SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR
Body Like A Back Road – Sam Hunt
Producer: Zach Crowell
Record Label: MCA Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR
Tin Man – Miranda Lambert
Songwriter(s): Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert Jon Randall
Publishers: Beat Up Ford Publishing (BMI), BMG Platinum Songs (BMI), Lonesome Vinyl Music (BMI), Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), SWMBMGBMI (BMI)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR *(Off Camera Award)
It Ain’t My Fault – Brothers Osborne
Director: Wes Edwards, Ryan Silver
Producer: Tiffany Davies
VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
The Fighter – Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood
Producers: busbee, Keith Urban
Record Label: Capitol Nashville
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR*(Off Camera Award)
Rhett Akins
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