The 60th ACM Awards went off in Frisco, Texas, with big performances, big speeches, and big wins.
But not for Morgan Wallen.
And his fans are not keeping quiet about it.
Despite being nominated in multiple categories, including the coveted Entertainer of the Year, Wallen walked away with exactly zero trophies. He didn’t show up, either, choosing instead to golf with Tom Brady. Which, frankly, might have been the smarter play.
Still, it didn’t sit right with fans—or even with plenty of people who aren’t card-carrying members of the Morgan Wallen fan club. According to a Whiskey Riff article by Casey Young, the mood online after the show was clear: people are tired of seeing country’s most streamed, most ticketed, and most talked-about artist get passed over.
The numbers don’t lie. Wallen’s album One Thing at a Time smashed records, dominated the charts for months, and helped keep country music at the top of mainstream culture. His stadium tour sold out across the country, and “Last Night” became the kind of crossover hit country hadn’t seen in years. You don’t have to be a Morgan Wallen diehard to see the scale of what he’s doing.
But when the night ended, Lainey Wilson once again walked away with Entertainer of the Year, and Wallen fans let their feelings fly.
CMAs got it right ACMs got it wrong. Morgan Wallen's year has been so dominant on the charts and out on tour. Zero reason he shouldn't have won and I even like Lainey Wilson but he deserved it way way more. #ACMawards
— Shane McCarty (@ShaneMccarty24) May 9, 2025
These award shows love to hate on Morgan Wallen! He is the one selling out stadiums & dominating all the charts! He should’ve won Entertainer of the Year & Male Artist of the Year!
We love you Morgan!! Your fans have your back!!!— Henna (@Henna1336) May 9, 2025For You
Others questioned the show altogether.
Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs not being at the ACM’s again makes sense #ACMawards
— Josue Mendoza (@Josuizzy9_TVO) May 9, 2025
It’s hard not to notice that two of the biggest acts in country music—Wallen and Combs—weren’t even in the building. That’s a message in itself. Whether it’s fatigue with the system or a quiet protest of how the votes tend to fall, fans are reading between the lines.
And let’s be honest, Wallen didn’t exactly lose sleep over it. The guy was out there throwing passes with the GOAT himself, Tom Brady, and based on the social media posts, looked pretty content doing it. Still, it’s hard to ignore that he left with no awards after arguably the biggest year any country artist has had since maybe Garth in the ’90s.
Casey Young summed it up in her Whiskey Riff article by pointing out the obvious: “Whether you like his music or not, for him to leave empty-handed, based on their own criteria, is pretty insane.”
It’s not about being a fangirl. It’s about fairness. Wallen’s numbers speak louder than any ballot box.
And here’s the wild part. Every time these shows pass him over, it only seems to make him bigger. Fans double down. His songs go harder. The stadiums fill faster. Whether love or loathing, Morgan Wallen has become the center of the conversation, just not the center of the ACMs stage.
But he still got the better tee time.
