Lainey Wilson takes top prize at 2024 ACM Awards: Recap and full winners list
Lainey Wilson was the big winner at Thursday night's 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards, winning three trophies including the coveted entertainer of the year award.
Wilson also nabbed a win for female artist of the year and shared a win for music event of the year with Jelly Roll for "Save Me," the song they performed at the ACMs last year.
Chris Stapleton also landed three big wins, including male artist of the year, album of the year for "Higher" and artist-songwriter of the year.
Old Dominion took home group of the year, while Dan + Shay won duo of the year.
Host Reba McEntire kept the audience chuckling throughout the night, but the funniest moment came from Ashley McBryde and "Schitt's Creek" star Noah Reid, who sang original songs poking fun at, among other things, Morgan Wallen's April arrest for allegedly throwing a chair off the rooftop of a Nashville bar, with McBryde advising, "You should smile in the mug shot."
The show also included a poignant tribute to the late Toby Keith, with good friend Jason Aldean performing Keith's first No. 1 hit, "Should've Been a Cowboy," with Keith's family in the audience.
As for the night's performances, Stapleton offered up the biggest surprise: Dua Lipa, who joined him for "Think I'm in Love With You."
Post Malone shared a preview of his country album, performing a previously unreleased tune, "Never Love You Again," as well as "I Had Some Help," sans singing partner Wallen. He and McEntire also sang a bit of "Ramblin' Man" in tribute to the late Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers Band.
As for the evening's other performances, Wilson kicked things off with "God Bless Texas" followed by "Hang Tight Honey," Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan performed a mashup of "Mountain With a View" and "Stick Season," Miranda Lambert debuted "Wranglers," and Kane Brown covered the classic "Georgia on My Mind," which the late Ray Charles performed on the ACM Awards stage 40 years ago.
McEntire then closed out the show with a performance of her new tune "I Can't" backed by a 20-person choir and told the audience she would be back next year to host the 60th ACM Awards.
See the full list of winners from the night:
Entertainer of the year: Lainey Wilson
Female artist of the year: Lainey Wilson
Male artist of the year: Chris Stapleton
Duo of the year: Dan + Shay
Group of the year: Old Dominion
New female artist of the year: Megan Moroney
New male artist of the year: Nate Smith
New duo or group of the year: Tigirlily Gold
Album of the year: "Higher" – Chris Stapleton
Single of the year: "Fast Car" – Luke Combs
Song of the year: "Next Thing You Know" – Jordan Davis
Visual media of the year: "Burn It Down" – Parker McCollum
Songwriter of the year: Jessie Jo Dillon
Artist-songwriter of the year: Chris Stapleton
Music event of the year: "Save Me" – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson)
