The Best, Worst and Most Oops Moments of the 2025 ACM Awards

Best Plus-One: Jessie Murph

Who needs a man erstwhile you person a miniature pig? Jessie Murph subbed a quality day for a four-legged friend: a one-year-old pig named Wilbur. "I needed a date, and I've ever wanted a miniature pig, truthful what a amended spot to do it than Texas?" she told PEOPLE.

As each bully couples do, Murph and Wilbur coordinated their looks — Wilbur went au naturel and Murph rocked a bubblegum pinkish set.

Best Pregnancy Reveal: Cody and Brandi Johnson

Cody Johnson’s woman Brandi had nan champion accessory connected nan reddish carpet — a babe bump! The joined mates is expecting their 3rd kid together, a babe boy. “We decided to make this our announcement to nan world and our gender uncover arsenic well," Johnson told PEOPLE.

The 2 already person 2 daughters, Clara Mae and Cori. “I didn't attraction if this 1 was a boy aliases a girl, but I was beautiful happy erstwhile I saw nan gender reveal,” Johnson added.

Best of Country Music

The awards show began pinch a medley of songs that person earned their spot successful state music’s canon. Host Reba McEntire kicked disconnected nan capacity pinch a rendition of Merle Haggard’s 1969 deed “Okie from Muskogee” earlier throwing it to Clint Black for “Rhinestone Cowboy.” Wynonna Judd past brought nan ACMs to nan ‘80s pinch “Why Not Me,” and LeAnn Rimes gave a magnetic capacity of her “Blue” screen from 1996. To information retired nan A-list lineup, Little Big Town sang “Girl Crush,” and Dan + Shay closed pinch “Tequila” — featuring a drawn-out precocious statement from Shay Mooney.

Oops… Where’s Morgan Wallen?

Despite being nominated for six awards, tied for nan 2nd astir of nan night, Morgan Wallen opted to skip this year’s ceremony. The “I Had Some Help” vocalist hasn’t appeared astatine an awards show since nan 2023 Billboard Music Awards, skipping this year’s Grammys and past year’s CMAs arsenic well.

During nan show, Wallen shared a photograph connected his Instagram Stories revealing his whereabouts: play pinch Tom Brady.

Worst Item to Autograph: Jelly for Jelly Roll

Co-host Bobby Bones met up pinch Jelly Roll successful nan crowd to inquire nan vocalist to motion a jar of Smucker’s jam. “This is nan first clip I've ever signed a jar of jelly,” said Jelly Roll.

Bones went crossed nan aisle to shake hands ACM Triple Crown Award recipient Keith Urban but brushed past him to opportunity hullo to Urban’s wife, Nicole Kidman. 

“Nicole, I sewage you immoderate jelly,” Bones said arsenic he handed her nan autographed container. Kidman seemed to person nan gift well, though, and Bones joked later successful nan nighttime that she still had his jar.

Best Performance to Get Up and Dance to: Lainey Wilson

No 1 commands nan shape rather for illustration “Lainey fricking Wilson,” which is really Blake Shelton introduced nan performer connected aggregate occasions. Wilson gave an unthinkable transportation of her opus “Whirlwind" successful a achromatic leather ensemble and cowboy hat. When nan camera panned to nan audience, stars could beryllium seen rocking retired from their seats.

Best Stage Display: Kelsea Ballerini

Kelsea Ballerini took nan shape to execute her deed opus “Baggage” and she was accompanied by actual baggage. The superstar’s group was dressed up pinch an awesome building of golden suitcases of each sizes. 

Ballerini, who matched nan metallics successful her ain sparkly, low-cut jumpsuit, called it nan “biggest capacity I’ve had connected an grant show.”

Oops… They Prefer to Sit

Host Bobby Bones was making his measurement astir nan assemblage erstwhile he stopped by Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn. Bones tried to promote nan stars to guidelines up and observe their Duo of nan Year win but neither would get up connected their feet — truthful he settled and sat down successful beforehand of them.

“Did you guys expect to win?” asked Bones. “We did not!” Dunn yelled backmost astatine him.

Had nan Best Time: Nicole Kidman

Along pinch receiving an autographed jelly jar, Nicole Kidman busted retired her creation moves arsenic Megan Moroney, Brothers Osborne and Chris Stapleton paid tribute to her hubby for his Triple Crown Award. The Babygirl character seemed to person a blast dancing to Keith Urban’s hits “Stupid Boy,” “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and “Where nan Blacktop Ends” — and nan statement didn’t extremity erstwhile he grabbed his guitar to return nan shape himself.

Worst Snub: Kelsea Ballerini Goes Home Empty-Handed … Again

Although Kelsea Ballerini has received nominations for 5 consecutive years astatine nan ACM Awards, nan state superstar went location empty-handed for nan 5th twelvemonth successful a row. This year, nan “Peter Pan” vocalist was nominated for entertainer of nan year, female creator of nan twelvemonth and euphony arena of nan year, losing to Lainey Wilson (twice) and Ella Langley.

In a January 2025 question and reply pinch SiriusXM, Ballerini said, "I don't triumph things. I mean, that sounds really… I don't, and I'm cool pinch it."

“For me, if you get nominated, that intends that sometimes if you're lucky, you get 3 and a half minutes to singing connected a show for illustration nan CMAs aliases nan ACMs aliases nan CMTs, and that's an award," she added.