For the second year in a row, Jason Aldean nabbed the coveted Entertainer of the Year award at the 52nd annual ACM Awards on Sunday night.
It was also a big night for Thomas Rhett, who managed a clean sweep. He took home three trophies, including Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year for “Die a Happy Man,” which scored him two awards as both an artist and songwriter.
Miranda Lambert held onto her Female Vocalist of the Year title for the eighth year in a row, continuing to hold the record for most wins in this category. She also nabbed the Album of the Year award for The Weight of These Wings.
Along with the previously announced New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year award, Brothers Osborne was also named this year’s Vocal Duo of the Year, ending Florida Georgia Line’s three-year run with the award.
Other winners included Florida Georgia Line, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, Jon Pardi, Little Big Town, Lori McKenna and those involved in “Forever Country.”
Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley co-hosted the show.
MOST TALKED ABOUT MOMENTS:
- Sam Hunt got nice and cozy with his future wife, Hannah Lee Fowler, during his performance of "Body Like a Back Road."
- There was a quick reference to the Oscars snafu with Song of the Year initially going to Emma Stone in La La Land, until magician David Copperfield lit the card on fire, and the real winner was revealed -- Thomas Rhett for "Die a Happy Man."
- Luke Bryan's wax figure from Madame Tussauds made an appearance. Luke even serenaded his wax-lookalike with a few seconds of the Dierks hit "Black."
- Lady Antebellum was joined by the University of Las Vegas marching band for a jazzy performance of the current single, "You Look Good."
- Twenty years after the television debut of their first duet, “It’s Your Love,” Tim McGraw and Faith Hill performed their new single, “Speak to a Girl” for the first time on TV.
- Thomas Rhett had the most adorable reaction of then night when he was announced Male Vocalist of the Year, initially refusing to take the stage. He later used his acceptance speech to thank the other artists in the category, calling them his "idols."
- Reba McEntire and Christian singer Lauren Daigle received a standing ovation for their spiritual performance "Back to God."
- Florida Georgia Line and the Backstreet Boys closed the night performing the current single, "God, Your Mama, and Me," as well as Backstreet's hit "Everybody."
WINNERS:
Entertainer of The Year
Jason Aldean
Male Vocalist Of The Year
Thomas Rhett
Female Vocalist Of The Year
Miranda Lambert
Vocal Duo Of The Year
Brothers Osborne
Vocal Group Of The Year
Little Big Town
New Female Vocalist Of The Year
Maren Morris
New Male Vocalist of the Year
Jon Pardi
New Duo/Group of the Year
Brothers Osborne
Album of the Year
Miranda Lambert - The Weight of These Wings
Single Record Of The Year
“H.O.L.Y.” - Florida Georgia Line
Song Of The Year
“Die a Happy Man”- Thomas Rhett (won awards as artist and songwriter)
Video Of The Year
"Forever Country" - Artists of Then, Now and Forever
Vocal Event Of The Year
“May We All” - Florida Georgia Line featuring Tim McGraw
Songwriter of the Year
Lori McKenna
SET LIST:
- Intro Medley of Number-One Hits by Nominees for Entertainer of the Year:
- Jason Aldean - “Lights Come On”
- Luke Bryan - “Move”
- Florida Georgia Line - “H.O.L.Y.”
- Carrie Underwood - “Church Bells”
- Keith Urban - “Wasted Time”
- Tribute to Chuck Berry by Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Joe Walsh - “Johnny B. Goode”
- Sam Hunt - “Body Like a Back Road”
- Dierks Bentley - “Black”
- Maren Morris - “I Could Use a Love Song”
- Jason Aldean - “Any ‘Ol Barstool”
- Miranda Lambert - “Tin Man”
- Rascal Flatts - “Yours If You Want It”
- Keith Urban - “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
- Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood - “The Fighter”
- Little Big Town - “Happy People”
- Lady Antebellum - “You Look Good” with special appearance by the University of Las Vegas marching band
- Brothers Osborne - “It Ain’t My Fault”
- Kelsea Ballerini - “Yeah Boy”
- Chris Stapleton - “Back Burner”
- Brett Eldredge - “Something I’m Good At”
- Luke Bryan - “Fast”
- Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - "Speak to a Girl"
- Thomas Rhett and Maren Morris - "Craving You"
- Old Dominion - "No Such Thing as a Broken Heart"
- Cole Swindell and Dierks Bentley - "Flatliner"
- Reba McEntire and Lauren Daigle - "Back to God"
- Jon Pardi - "Dirt on my Boots"
- Florida Georgia Line and Backstreet Boys - "God, Your Mama and Me" and "Everybody"