What I heard, spotted and sang along to at the 2025 ACMs: Jelly Roll is country’s MVP, Alan Jackson steals the crowd’s heart and the night’s big winners

Jelly Roll! Keith Urban! Reba McEntire! The Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMs) brought some of the biggest stars in country music together on Thursday night for its milestone 60th anniversary and everyone was very ready to party.

Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley were the night’s big winners, further proving what Wilson told me earlier this week: it’s a great time to be a woman in country right now.

While the ACMs went big with unforgettable performances and pairings, a lot of what makes the evening special just doesn’t come across on TV. Let me take you inside what went down during the show at the Star in Frisco, Texas.

Jelly Roll is the Taylor Swift of the ACMs

I’ve been lucky enough to attend the Grammys and the MTVs VMAs a few times, so I’m used to seeing Swift own the room at these events. This was my first country music show, and I am ready to crown Jelly Roll its king.

The “Liar” singer was first up on his feet for every performance and seemed to be having a great time with his wife, Bunnie Xo. When Dan + Shay took the stage during the 12-minute opening number to perform their song “Tequila,” the two danced together and kissed like they were the only ones in the room. The song has special meaning for the pair as she once said the ballad helped save their marriage in 2018.

Jelly Roll then took his electric energy to the stage, and when he performed “Amen” with Shaboozey, the whole arena went nuts.

Although the “Save Me” singer was MVP, I’d like to give a very big honorable mention to Wilson. She was also up on her feet for all performers, dancing and singing along.

Couples reign supreme

It wasn’t just Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo who turned the event into date night. All eyes were on Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, who had prime placement front and center. They were one of the last stars to make a grand entrance — holding hands, of course — and when they walked into the room, the people in my section lost it.

“OMG, there they are!” one excited fan yelled. Her girlfriends were all freaking out and then calmed down once Urban and Kidman were pointed out to her in the crowd.

When Wynonna Judd performed “Why Not Me,” Kidman jumped out of her seat. She and Urban were singing to each other and dancing the whole time.

Urban was honored with the ACM Triple Crown Award, and while a lot of stars lean on the teleprompter for moments like this during awards shows, the country star didn’t need it. He gave a speech from the heart and thanked his family.

“My wife, Nicole Mary, is here tonight. I love you, babygirl,” he said. “And our girls Sunday and Faith watching at home tonight, I love you both, too.”

Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes were another couple that people couldn’t stop staring at — and he didn’t leave her side all night. The Outer Banks star accompanied his girlfriend everywhere as he held her hand and walked her backstage before her performance of “Baggage.”

Where was Morgan Wallen?

The “I Had Some Help” crooner had the song of the summer and was up for seven awards on Thursday night, including Entertainer of the Year. But when festivities kicked off, he shared a photo of himself on his Instagram story on the golf course with Tom Brady.

This isn’t the first big awards show Wallen has skipped. He didn’t attend the Grammys in February or the 2024 Country Music Awards in November, where he won the night’s top prize. Still, Wallen’s presence was felt throughout the stadium.

“If Morgan Wallen doesn’t win everything, I’m leaving,” one male fan next to me said. Wallen came up empty-handed (and said fan did not leave), but he’s clearly wildly popular with the people.

Any time the singer’s name was mentioned, the 13,000 fans in attendance went wild. He was a massive a crowd favorite, despite being a no-show, as he consistently got some of the loudest applause. He’s also beloved by his peers, too: Jelly Roll was one of the nominees who was always clapping for Wallen.

McEntire commands the stage

The country legend hosted the show for the 18th time on Thursday and she relied on radio host Bobby Bones to do bits with the crowd. Why? I’ll let him explain.

“I love when Reba hosts, because for me selfishly, she doesn’t like to come off the stage, so that’s why I do all the work in the crowd,” he told me on the red carpet.

McEntire would likely be too mobbed if she were walking around the floor. Seriously, she is one star who makes all these famous singers starstruck.

Rascal Flatts, Zach Top, and Brooks & Dunn all told me on the red carpet that they were most looking forward to seeing McEntire.

These were the biggest performances

This one’s hard, but I’m going strictly by crowd reaction in the room. There was a good indication early on that Wilson and Langley could be the night’s big winners as they got some of the biggest cheers after their performances.

The loudest applause probably went to Alan Jackson, who, after performing “Remember When,” had everyone on their feet going nuts.

He also received the first-ever Alan Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award. It was an emotional moment as he’s been dealing with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. When he shouted out his wife, Denise, “who’s been my best friend since I was 17 years old,” everyone held their hearts.

“She’s loved me through the good and the bad, the happy and the sad,” Jackson said. “Influenced me, gave me three beautiful daughters and she’s helped me keep my feet on the ground all these years. I would not be here without her.”

The closing number with Rascal Flatts and the Backstreet Boys was also a highlight. All night, announcers teased their collaboration and it was worth the wait — especially when they all sang “Life is a Highway” — to close out the show.