Photo: Courtesy ACM Awards
Nashville returns to North Texas next week, as the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards takes over the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on May 8.
The event’s return to North Texas follows last year’s event in Frisco, which was the second time the ACM Awards were held in the area since 2015, when the 50th annual ceremony was held inside AT&T Stadium, setting the Guinness World Record for the most-attended awards show with an audience of 70,000.
The ACM Awards will be streamed live on Prime Video at 7 p.m. Central, and press materials note an Amazon Prime membership is not required to watch the event live.
North Texas music fans interested in attending the ACM Awards in person can check out the tickets available through SeatGeek, with general admission prices starting at $207 (before fees) and going up from there.
Whether you’re streaming from home or screaming along in person to your favorite songs, here’s a quick look at what to expect from this year’s ACM Awards.
The events
The days leading up to the awards ceremony will be filled with celebratory happenings:
The second annual “I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion,” which will be hosted by Arlington native Mickey Guyton and honoring, among others, Fort Worth’s Opal Lee (May 6 at Hall Park Hotel in Frisco, a private, invite-only event)
“Jelly Roll & Friends,” benefiting ACM Lifting Lives, will take over Billy Bob’s Texas, with appearances from Lainey Wilson, Riley Green and more (May 6 at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth; tickets are $125-$250);
An “Opry NextStage” concert featuring appearances from Kaitlin Butts and Kashus Culpepper, and hosted by Jelly Roll, will take over Plano’s Lexus Box Garden at Legacy Hall (May 7 at Lexus Box Garden at Legacy Hall in Plano; tickets are $40-$640)
The nominees
Ella Langley, a first-time nominee, leads the 2025 pack with eight overall nominations, including female artist of the year. Morgan Wallen, Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson have seven nominations each, while Chris Stapleton has six nominations, and Riley Green and Post Malone each have five nominations.
The performers
The ACM Awards always reel in plenty of bold-faced names to take the stage, and 2025 is no exception. Scheduled performers include multiple Texans (Miranda Lambert, Cody Johnson and LeAnn Rimes, among others), alongside Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church, Rascal Flatts and Wynonna Judd, to name just a few.
The host
Reba McEntire will return to host the ACM Awards for the 18th time, the most of any artist. Oklahoma native McEntire has won 16 ACM Awards, and holds the most nominations ever for Female Artist of the Year.
The 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the Ford Center at the Star, Frisco. 7 p.m. May 8. Tickets are $207-$1,285.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky (@prestonjones.bsky.social).Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
