Announced presenters:
Alysa Liu, Anthony Ramos, EJAE, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Hannah Berner, Hilary Duff, Jason Derulo, John Legend, Lisa Rinna, Ludacris, Mariah the Scientist, Matt Rife, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs, Melanie Martinez, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul, REI AMI, and Russell Dickerson
LIVE on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT on CBS and Paramount+
WHO: HOST: Awarded Golden Globe®, Grammy® and Emmy® awards and
Academy Award®-nominated actress, producer and musician Queen Latifah returns to host the AMAs, where she previously co-hosted in 1995.
ARTISTS: Lifetime Achievement Award winner Billy Idol; KAROL G, winner of the International Artist Award for Excellence; Veterans Voice Award presented by USAA Honor Through Action winner Darius Rucker, who will perform alongside his bandmates Hootie & the Blowfish; as well as performances by KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, New Kids on the Block, The Pussycat Dolls + Busta Rhymes, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor and Twenty One Pilots;
PRESENTERS: Alysa Liu, Anthony Ramos, EJAE, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Hannah Berner, Hilary Duff, Jason Derulo, John Legend, Lisa Rinna, Ludacris, Mariah the Scientist, Matt Rife, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs, Melanie Martinez, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul, REI AMI, Russell Dickerson and more;
And a special LIVE appearance by BTS!
THAT: As one of the most anticipated musical nights of the year, the 52nd US edition
The Music Awards return to CBS and Paramount+* to honor today’s most influential artists and songs along with unforgettable performances and special moments in a celebration of multi-genre, intergenerational music. The star-studded special will kick off the summer with host Queen Latifah live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the largest venue in the show’s history, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The show will broadcast live coast to coast at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT. Tickets for the must-see star-studded show are now available at AXS.
WHEN:
Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day)
HOW TO WATCH:
This year’s show will air LIVE coast-to-coast on Monday, May 25 at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT on the CBS Television Network and will stream on Paramount+ in the US.
RED CARPET LIVE STREAMS:
- Billboard – The Billboard livestream will be hosted by Tetris Kelly and Chelley Bissainthe, and will stream on Billboard.com (YouTube integrated stream), YouTube, X, and Billboard TV, which is distributed on Amazon Fire and Samsung TV+.
- C.B.S. – The live CBS broadcast will be hosted by Kalyna Astrinos and Grae Drake from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm Pacific Time, and will be distributed to select affiliates and digital platforms nationwide, in addition to streaming on Paramount+.
ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT SPECIAL PRESENTATION:
Before the 52nd American Music Awards air on Monday, May 25, tune in* Entertainment tonight for “ET Vault Unlocked: Queen Latifah,” a special celebrating the iconic career of AMA host Queen Latifah.
*Check your local listings
MEMORIAL DAY MOMENTS:
- Diamond-certified superstar Darius Rucker will receive the Veterans Voice Award presented by USAA’s Honor Through Action. The award recognizes artists who use their platforms to make significant and lasting changes in the lives of those they served. Throughout his career, Rucker has consistently advocated for those who serve through his long-standing support of military organizations and through his music. Airing during Military Appreciation Month, the star-studded evening will feature special program moments celebrating veterans, led by Official Military Appreciation Partner USAA, a leading provider of insurance, banking and retirement solutions for military members, veterans and their families. Rucker will be recognized on stage for his long-standing personal commitment to organizations such as the Military Warriors Support Foundation, with which he helped provide more than 20 mortgage-free homes to veterans. Throughout his career, Rucker has also performed on multiple USO tours overseas and at events supporting veterans such as the DoD Warrior Games. Last year’s Veteran’s Voice award was presented to Zac Brown.
The broadcast will also offer viewers a look at USAA’s Poppy Wall of Honor®, which returns for its seventh year to the National Mall in Washington, DC. Spanning more than 130 feet, the exhibit’s more than 600,000 hand-placed poppies represent every American life lost in the line of duty since World War I, each a silent act of remembrance for the fallen. Additionally, Gold Star families will attend the AMAs, and U.S. service members and veterans will sit in the USAA Military Appreciation Section.
This special recognition is part of USAA’s Honor Through Action initiative: a five-year, $500 million commitment to the military community, focused on meaningful careers, financial security and well-being for veterans and their families.
- The American Music Awards are proud to highlight our nation’s heroes and help amplify the vital work being done in support of the veteran community, honoring the enduring spirit of service in partnership with leading military and veteran service organizations: Blue Star Families, Bob Woodruff Foundation, Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Easy Day Foundation, Fisher House Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, Invictus Games Foundation, Iraq and Afghan Veterans of America, Semper Fi & America’s Fund, Team Rubicon and USO. For more information, visit TheAMAs.com/Salute.
ABOUT THE “52nd AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS”:
- Celebrating the most iconic music of the year, the American Music Awards are the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, celebrating today’s most influential artists and their passionate fanbases.
- Created by legendary producer and visionary Dick Clark and first awarded in 1974, the American Music Awards are known for delivering a half-century of iconic performances and enduring moments that have defined and shaped pop culture, as well as a history of introducing audiences to groundbreaking artists.
- Taylor Swift leads the nominations for the 52nd American Music Awards with eight nominations, followed by Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and SOMBR with seven each. Fan voting has concluded for all awards except Social Song of the Year and Tour of the Year, which will remain open for the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast. Fans can vote for these two awards via VoteAMAs.com and the @AMA Instagram profile.
- Nominees for the 52nd American Music Awards are based on key interactions with fans, including live streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and gross touring revenue. These measurements are followed by Billboard and Luminate, the entertainment industry’s most trusted data partner, and cover the data tracking eligibility period from March 21, 2025 to March 26, 2026.
- The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions.
SOCIAL:
*Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers will have access to the live stream via their local CBS affiliate’s live stream on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have on-demand access the day after the special broadcast.
