Jason Aldean takes home top award, Miranda Lambert officially most-awarded ACM Award winner
Winners have been announced for the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, which aired live earlier this evening (Sun, April 15th) on the CBS Television Network from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Hosted by multimedia superstar, Reba McEntire, the ACM Awards named Jason Aldean as Entertainer of the Year, the evening’s biggest honor. This is the third consecutive win for Aldean in this category and his 13th overall ACM Award win.
“It’s been a rough year,” Aldean told the crowd during his acceptance speech. “Thanks to everyone who reached out to us and showed us love in the past six months. It meant the world to us. To my Route 91 people you are always in our hearts. Vegas Strong.”
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.
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 singer wasn’t in attendance of the show because he was back in Nashville with wife Morgane welcoming twin boys, who were born during the broadcast, on Stapleton’s 40th birthday.
“That’s only the second biggest news,” McEntire says as she takes over for Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush in congratulating Stapleton on the win. “You know Chris couldn’t be here because Morgane’s expecting twins. We just found out those little rascals came a little bit early. Hot off the press! Yep, twin boys.”
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 (April 13th) 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.
Country Music’s Party of the Year featured a superstar lineup of featured collaborations and powerful performances. 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” with McEntire donning the same infamous low cut red dress from the original 1993 performance with Linda Davis on the ACMs. 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.”
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.
Following is the list of winners in the 14 categories voted on by the membership:
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 [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
Record Label: Mercury Records
Single Record of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
Body Like A Back Road – Sam Hunt
Producer: Zach Crowell
Record Label: MCA Nashville
Song of the Year [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
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 [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award)
It Ain’t My Fault – Brothers Osborne
Director: Wes Edwards, Ryan Silver
Producer: Tiffany Davies
Vocal Event of the Year [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]
The Fighter – Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood
Producers: busbee, Keith Urban
Record Label: Capitol Nashville
Songwriter of the Year*(Off Camera Award)
Rhett Akins
