Luke Bryan was voted entertainer of the year at the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards deep in the heart of Texas on Sunday night.
“Thank you to my wife, my kids … my fans, country radio,” said Bryan as he accepted the award in front of a record-breaking audience at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, according to the Associated Press.
The Georgia native, who also served as the ceremony’s co-host, beat out a slew of country heavyweights, including Garth Brooks and Miranda Lambert, to claim the fan-voted award for the second time in three years.
Despite missing out on the evening’s top honor, Lambert racked up four awards of her own, including album and song of the year.
“I don’t even realize what’s happening tonight,” said Lambert, reported AP. “I love my job so much. I will never not love my job.”
The awards ceremony, which is typically held in Las Vegas, broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the most attended live awards show with more than 70,000 guests, according to co-host Blake Shelton.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Dua Lipa Manifested All of This
- Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel
- Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
- The Sympathizer Counters 50 Years of Hollywood Vietnam War Narratives
- The Bliss of Seeing the Eclipse From Cleveland
- Hormonal Birth Control Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
- The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com