• The 2020 ACM Awards aired on Wednesday night from Nashville, Tennessee with Keith Urban as host.
  • Country stars Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett both won Entertainer of the Year.
  • According to ACM Awards Criteria and Policy, this is allowed to happen in any category if there’s a tie.

The 2020 Academy of Country Music Awards was one for the books, and it wasn’t simply because it happened amidst the coronavirus pandemic — for the first time in the show’s history, there was a tie for Entertainer of the Year.

That's right! Before the star-studded night was over, host Keith Urban announced the highly coveted award recipient and left everyone stunned when he said both Thomas Rhett and Carrie Underwood had won.

But how is this even possible? Well, it’s all in the fine print. According to the ACM Awards Criteria and Policy: “In the final round, only one vote will be cast in each category. The nominee receiving the most votes in each category will be deemed the winner. In the case of a tie, all winners will receive an award.”

Keith, who was the 2019 Entertainer of the Year, couldn’t help but chuckle as he shared the unexpected news. Nonetheless, the two winners handled the moment with grace. “Oh, my goodness gracious. Keith, what is happening right now?” Thomas said, per Taste of Country. The 30-year-old later took to social media to thank family, friends, and his music crew for all of their support.

instagramView full post on Instagram

After Thomas accepted the award, fellow country stars and fans sat on their edge of their seats to hear the next name. American Idol, multi-Grammy winner, and overall powerhouse Carrie went up on stage again to celebrate the joint victory, giving a nod to the unusual times we're living in. “2020, man. I am more than happy to share this with Thomas Rhett," the 2020 ACM Awards performer said.

Earlier in the evening, the 37-year-old paid homage to country music's legendary ladies, including Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Patsy Cline, among others. She also thanked her fans for helping make one of her "wildest dreams come true."

instagramView full post on Instagram

Well, that’s 2020 for you!