Luke Bryan pulled off a shocking win on Sunday night when he beat out heavyweights Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift to win the Academy of Country Music Award's biggest prize of the evening: entertainer of the year. The winner is chosen by fan votes.

The musician, who co-hosted the show with Shelton, was stunned after his name was announced, and appeared to cry as he slowly walked out from backstage to accept the award from Shania Twain, who was making her first appearance at the ACMs in 10 years. Even with his trophy in hand, Bryan stood in silent shock at the microphone for a long while.

"This is ... I don't know what to say, you guys," he finally started. "Thank you guys so much, fans, for doing this to me, thank you so much for making my life what it is. What I always wanted to be was just a country singer that got to ride on a tour bus and show up on a new stage and play music every night. … I just started headlining! … Every time I step on stage, it is a blessing to me to play for fans. ... This is the defining moment of my life!"

Bryan, 36, been on the scene since his debut album was released in 2007, but wasn't a headlining act until his single "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" exploded after he started delivering booty-shaking performances of the catchy tune at awards shows in 2011.

Slideshow: 2013 Academy of Country Music Awards

Al Powers / AP

Launch slideshow

The other big winner of the night was Shelton's wife, Miranda Lambert. She took home three of the four trophies she was nominated for: song and single record of the year for "Over You," and female vocalist for the fourth year in a row. Lambert shared the song of the year victory with her husband, who co-wrote the tune.

"Last time this happened, you didn't get a chance to talk, and you're not going to get a chance either this time," he joked as he and his wife accepted their trophies. "I'll tell you all something: I’ve learned so much from this human being standing next to me … she blows me away, but as far as standing here right now, I used to think I was a decent songwriter until I started hanging out with her."

Notable moments from the show included Garth Brooks and George Strait's performance together; Reba McIntire's announcement that the ACM was "renaming its most prestigious honor to the ACM Dick Clark Artist of the Decade Award"; and Stevie Wonder closing the show with "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."

The complete list of winners:

• Entertainer of the year: Luke Bryan
• Male vocalist: Jason Aldean
• Female vocalist: Miranda Lambert
• Vocal duo: Thompson Square
• Vocal group: Little Big Town
• New artist: Florida Georgia Line
• Album: Eric Church, "Chief"
• Single record of the year: Miranda Lambert, "Over You"
• Song: Miranda Lambert, "Over You"
• Video: Little Big Town, "Tornado"
• Vocal event: "The  Only Way I Know," Jason Aldean with Luke Bryan and Eric Church
• New male vocalist: Brantley Gilbert
• New female vocalist: Jana Kramer
• New vocal duo or group: Florida Georgia Line

The 48th Annual ACM Awards was held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Envision rising country star Luke Bryan on stage, dressed all in black with a line of scantily clad dancers behind him shaking it for all they're worth as he paces back and forth, stopping more than occasionally to grind his hips in the direction of the camera and a national television audience of millions.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Luke Bryan rehearses onstage during the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 5, 2013 in Las Vegas.

A male country star shaking his booty? Call it country music's pelvis moment. Bryan's performance of "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" marked the first time a man in music's most straight-laced genre really cut loose in the way Elvis Presley launched rock 'n' roll with a sexy sneer and that little wiggle.

Since Bryan made archetype-shattering appearances on the CMT Video Awards and the Country Music Association Awards in 2011, his career has been on a rise so steep 18 months later he's headlining his own arena tour and releasing two albums in a four-month span. And in his biggest moment yet, he's set to co-host this weekend's Academy of Country Music Awards with Blake Shelton -- a rival of his in the entertainer of the year category.

"I always felt like any of your TV opportunities, you better come out of the damn blocks with something," Bryan said. "Because TV's not going to give you many second chances if you tank a performance or if your performance was so boring that everybody changed the channel. So I had enough sense to know you better give something that people are going to watch."

And while those performances caused some head scratching and even momentary mocking along Music Row, they instantly won Bryan fans who've helped make him country's newest sensation -- a triple threat with hit songs, No. 1 albums and sold-out arena shows.

"If you look at superstars over the years, look at their personality," said Bob Romeo, the academy's chief executive officer and a longtime country concert promoter. "Garth Brooks could relate to the people. Luke clearly has got that gift, and I think it's a gift. If you have that gift and the ability to write music and sing, I think if all those line up, you've got the potential of being a big artist. And you see it in a handful of people."

When Reba McEntire ended her long run as ACM host, Romeo and show executive producer Rac Clark took a chance and paired Bryan with Shelton, who co-hosted the show twice with McEntire. There may have been more likely candidates with television host experience. But Romeo said everyone saw something in the way Bryan maintained a relationship with his audience that made them pay attention. It was clear he was having fun all the time -- even when he fell off the stage at a show in Burlington, Iowa.

"He was doing his funny dance and he accidentally fell off the stage -- I think it's on YouTube -- and they caught him," Romeo said with a laugh. "They pushed him back up and how do you recover from that? He stopped the song and said, 'Wait, wait, wait! Maybe a lot of you didn't see it in the back, but this dumbass just fell off the stage,' and everybody was laughing. And he says, 'But I just want to know who grabbed my a--?' or something. The song starts back up and he goes right into it. What a great recovery."

The folks at CMT noticed that each time he appeared on the network, their social media traffic would spike. So they became early adopters, tapping the 36-year-old father of two to host their annual summer tour in 2011. Leslie Fram, CMT senior vice president of music strategy, said it was already clear where he was headed.

"He's got the it factor," she said. "You could tell at that point in time that he was poised to be a headline act of arenas because of his confidence on stage, his interaction with the crowd. He definitely had this it factor, but not just with the women. The guys also wanted to have a beer with him."

That's an ability Bryan had from the start. Kerri Edwards, Bryan's manager, traveled to a Georgia bar gig -- Bryan grew up in tiny Leesburg -- 10 years ago and found a singer-songwriter already making the transition to full-blown entertainer.

"I remember standing there watching girls love it, guys love it and they were just all having fun," she said. "It was just like this guy had built this little thing down here and it kind of became a mission to bring it back here to Nashville and figure out how to make it bigger."

They did things differently from the start. Bryan began an annual farm tour, playing to a traditional country demographic. But he went in the other direction as well, releasing a series of spring break EPs. Initially released digitally, this year's version, the full album "Spring Break ... Here to Party," was also released in a physical version and debuted at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200. It remained in the top 5 three weeks later, according to Nielsen SoundScan, with more than 250,000 copies sold -- with no single released to country radio.

And that's not even his primary release this year. A follow-up to 2011's hit-spawning "Tailgates & Tanlines," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in a surprise and has sold 1.9 million copies so far, will be out in August.

Sure that's different in the country world, where artists tend to stick to a two-year schedule when releasing albums. But like his hips, Bryan's not afraid to shake things up on the business side either.

"Obviously country music purists are going to look at things I do and it's really going to rub them the wrong way," Bryan said. "But I will challenge my country music heritage with anybody. It's no disrespect. I love the way I'm going about it and doing it, and clearly the fans are happy with it."

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Country music fans -- Monday night was your night. The biggest names in country music gathered in Las Vegas for the 2012 American Country Music Awards, hosted by none other than the adorable (and tiny) Kristin Chenoweth, and much taller Trace Adkins.

Here are some highlights from the show and complete winner's list!

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Singer Luke Bryan poses with his awards during the 2012 American Country Awards at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Monday.

Oscar lessons from L.A. Critics Awards

Best Show Open: Welcome to the ACAs, and say hello to the handsome and talented Luke Bryan (and his charming smile and swaying hips). Do we really have to say it? Swoon.

Size Really Does Matter: The massive difference in height between Chenoweth and Adkins proved to be an entertaining factor. Especially when the duo walked out with Trace carrying his cohost in a pink baby sling. Yup, that happened.

Coolest Award: Each winner got a guitar! Yes, a guitar.

Flirt Machine: OK, Kristin Chenoweth, we see you. The li'l lady was flirtin' up a storm with any single guy in the audience. Hey, she told us, she's single and loving it (despite those Jake Pavelka dating rumors).

Oscar lessons from AFI Awards

Worst Assumption: Guessing who would snag the New Artist of the Year award reminded us you should never assume. Unless your guess is Lauren Alaina. The newbie and "American Idol" runner-up beat out Miranda Lambert's group, Pistol Annies and cutie Hunter Hayes.

Collabo of the Night: Adkins took the stage alongside Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd!

Best Outfit: Chenoweth had about a million wardrobe changes throughout the night, but her Honey Boo Boo getup (and impersonation) was the best by far.

Worst Let Down: Unfortunately, Carrie Underwood didn't give Rodney Carrington the big smooch he was expecting when he presented her with the Female Artist of the Year award, just a peck on the cheek. So much for those flowers and chocolates.

Oscar buzz cheat sheet

Random Appearance: Why, hello Carmen Electra. Didn't think we'd see you presenting here, but OK. And it's ACAs, not "ACEs," but that's OK, too.

Mark Davis / Getty Images

Singer Carrie Underwood accepts the Female Artist of the Year award onstage during the 2012 American Country Awards.

It's Magic! Although Miranda Lambert would have won Single of the Year by a Female Artist, regardless, it was still cool to see Penn & Teller announce her win through a magic trick.

Check out the ACA Arrivals!

Best (Almost) Spill: Chenoweth was able to (kinda) play off almost falling on stage (a couple times) while performing "What Would Dolly Do." She was just too excited.

New Friends: "American Idol" judge Keith Urban invited young musicians from his Grammy Camp to perform with him onstage, which was both sweet and entertaining.

Holiday Spirit: The show left us with Lady Antebellum singing one of their Christmas jingles, Trace Adkins in an elf costume and Kristin Chenoweth looking like a "holiday hooker." Gotta love this time of year.

Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott is pregnant!

Here's the complete winner's list from the 2012 American Country Awards:

• Artist of the Year: Luke Bryan
• Artist of the Year: Male: Luke Bryan
• Artist of the Year: Female: Carrie Underwood
• Artist of the Year: Group: Lady Antebellum
• Artist of the Year: Breakthrough Artist: Jake Owen
• Artist of the Year: New Artist: Lauren Alaina
• Album of the Year: Luke Bryan, "Tailgates and Tanlines"
• Single of the Year: Luke Bryan, "I Don't Want This Night to End"
• Single of the Year: Male: Luke Bryan, "I Don't Want This Night to End"
• Single of the Year: Female: Miranda Lambert, "Over You"
• Single of the Year: Group: Lady Antebellum, "We Owned the Night"
• Single of the Year: New Artist: Hunter Hayes, "Wanted"
• Single of the Year: Breakthrough Artist: Brantley Gilbert, "You Don't Know Her Like I Do"
• Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration: Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, "Remind Me"
• Music Video of the Year: Luke Bryan, "I Don't Want This Night to End"
• Music Video of the Year: Male: Luke Bryan, "I Don't Want This Night To End"
• Music Video of the Year: Female: Miranda Lambert, "Over You"
• Music Video of the Year: Group or Collaboration: Little Big Town, "Pontoon"
• Music Video of the Year: New Artist: Hunter Hayes, "Wanted"
• Touring Artist of the Year: Jason Aldean
• Song of the Year: Eric Church, "Springsteen"
• Most Played Radio Track: Luke Bryan, "I Don't Want This Night to End"
• Most Played Radio Track: Male: Luke Bryan, "I Don't Want This Night to End"
• Most Played Radio Track: Female: Miranda Lambert, "Over You"
• Most Played Radio Track: Group: Zac Brown Band, "Keep Me in Mind"
• Most Played Radio Track: New Artist: Kip Moore, "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck"

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