Lainey Wilson is officially on a tear.
Just minutes after locking down her second straight Female Artist of the Year win, Lainey picked up another massive honor at the 2025 ACM Awards. Whirlwind was just named Album of the Year, giving Lainey her biggest career win in that category yet.
Presented by Little Big Town live at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the award recognized the album’s full creative team. That includes Lainey herself, her producer Jay Joyce, her band, and the label that backed it all the way. With Reba McEntire hosting the 60th anniversary show, this one felt like a generational handoff in real time.
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The Album of the Year category was absolutely stacked. The other nominees were Megan Moroney’s Am I Okay? (I’ll Be Fine), Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken, Zach Top’s Cold Beer & Country Music, and Post Malone’s country debut F-1 Trillion. All brought a different sound to the table, but tonight was Lainey’s night.
When she stepped up to the mic, her speech was as raw and real as the record itself.
“Tell you what, y’all, there has been some good music come out of Nashville this year,” she said. “I’m so proud to be a part of this generation of country music. There is a little bit of everything.”
She described how Whirlwind became more than just a record—it became her anchor.
“I feel like my whole life has been a whirlwind the last few years, trying to keep one foot on the ground. Writing and recording these songs helped me do that.”
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She gave a special shoutout to her producer, Jay Joyce, and highlighted that her band played on the album, too.
“They are some of the most talented people I have ever met.”
But the most powerful part came when she got honest about what the album meant to her personally.
“This record means the world to me. It got me through a time in my life that was constantly changing.”
Lainey wrapped her speech by thanking Jesus, her fans, and everyone who’s been along for the ride.
“Thank you, I’m blown away.”
Last year, Chris Stapleton’s Higher took the honor. This year, Lainey Wilson follows it up with a project that continues to define her rise as one of the genre’s strongest voices.
Whirlwind lives up to its name. And now, it’s got the hardware to prove it.
