Bruno Mars, BTS, KATSEYE, Sabrina Carpenter, The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI, and SOMBR All Took Home Three Trophies
EJAE Added a Fourth Win to Her Collection with the Best Soundtrack Win for “KPop Demon Hunters”
AMAs Honored Billy Idol and KAROL G, Who Both Made Triumphant Returns to the Award Show Stage
The World’s Largest Fan-Voted Award Show, Hosted by Queen Latifah, Aired Live Coast to Coast From MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT on CBS and Paramount+
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LOS ANGELES – May 25, 2026 – It was a big night for first-time nominees at the 52nd American Music Awards! KATSEYE and SOMBR were among those leading the pack, taking home three trophies each, in addition to delivering two of the most buzzworthy performances of the show. Sabrina Carpenter was also recognized by fans with three awards – her first AMA wins ever – for Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Artist, and Best Pop Album. BTS, who made a special live appearance at the show to the delight of the fans, now have fourteen wins to their name, adding three this year for Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer, and Best Male K-Pop Artist. Bruno Mars still has that 24K touch, taking home three awards for Best Male R&B Artist, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Album. And speaking of gold, The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI continued their breakout year with their first AMA wins for Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, and Best Pop Song. EJAE added to that with a win for Best Soundtrack for “KPop Demon Hunters.”
As one of music’s most anticipated nights of the year, the 52nd American Music Awards returned to CBS and Paramount+* to honor the most influential artists and songs of today alongside unforgettable performances and special moments in a multi-genre, cross-generational celebration of music. The star-studded special kicked off summer with host Queen Latifah live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the largest venue in the show’s history, aired live coast to coast 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT on the CBS Television Network, and streamed live on Paramount+ in the U.S.*
Show highlights included:
- Queen Latifah returned as host for the first time in more than 30 years. She kicked off the show by highlighting the star power in the room, and announcing that this year’s show saw the most fan votes received ever.
- BTS opened the show with a performance of “Hooligan” from their smash album ARIRANG.
- Rock legend Billy Idol was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his incomparable career, body of work, and unparalleled contributions to music, honoring his lasting legacy and continued influence on generations of artists and fans. He delivered a showstopping medley of some of his biggest hits – his first AMAs performance ever – including “White Wedding,” “Eyes Without A Face,” and “Dancing with Myself;”
- Groundbreaking global music superstar and American Music Award winner KAROL G received the International Artist Award of Excellence, and delivered an intimate performance of “Ivonny Bonita” before accepting the honor with a heartfelt speech;
- Thirty years after winning the American Music Award for Pop/Rock New Artist in 1996 Hootie & the Blowfish returned to the AMAs stage to deliver a nostalgic performance of two of their fan favorites, “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be With You;”
- First-time AMA winners KATSEYE had fans on their feet with a performance of their latest hit, “PINKY UP;”
- Keith Urban got everyone ready for the season with a performance of “Summer Breeze” from his upcoming Yacht Rock album Flow State;
- Maluma returned to the AMAs stage with a performance of “Tu recuerdo,” from his latest project Loco x Volver;
- New Kids on the Block brought the Vegas strip inside the arena, with a performance of “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” showing off their iconic dance moves;
- Riley Green made his AMA performance debut with a performance of “Worst Way;”
- Seven-time nominee and three-time winner SOMBR also made his AMA performance debut with an electric, rain-soaked performance of his hit song “Homewrecker;”
- Teddy Swims brought his incredible vocals to the stage with a performance of his latest single, “Mr. Know It All;”
- Following a remarkable award-season run for One Battle After Another, first-time AMA nominee Teyana Taylor delivered an out of this world medley of “All Of Your Heart” and “Open Invite” which included a special intergalactic appearance from Missy Elliott;
- The Pussycat Dolls made their highly-anticipated return to the AMAs stage with a medley of some of their biggest hits including “Buttons,” “When I Grow Up,” “Club Song,” and “Don’t Cha” featuring a special guest appearance by hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes;
- Twenty One Pilots performed the moving fan favorite “Drag Path;”
- The show celebrated Memorial Day with several heartfelt tributes to our men and women in uniform, many of whom were in the audience:
- Darius Rucker received the Veterans Voice Award Presented by USAA’s Honor Through Action. The award recognizes artists who use their platforms to make meaningful, lasting change in the lives of those who served. Throughout his career, Rucker has consistently championed those who serve through his long-time support of military organizations and through his music;
- Broadcast during Military Appreciation Month, the star-studded evening featured special in-show 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 was recognized on-stage for his longstanding personal commitment to organizations like Military Warriors Support Foundation, with which he helped provide 20+ mortgage-free homes to veterans. Throughout his career, Rucker has also performed on multiple overseas USO tours and at events in support of veterans such as the DoD Warrior Games.
- The broadcast also offered viewers a look at USAA’s Poppy Wall of Honor® — returning for its seventh year to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Stretching more than 130 feet, the exhibition’s 600,000+ hand-placed poppies represent every American life lost in the line of duty since World War I, each a quiet act of remembrance for the fallen. Additionally, Gold Star families were in attendance at the AMAs, and U.S. service members and veterans were seated in USAA’s 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.
Winner Highlights of the “52nd American Music Awards”:
- Fourteen-time American Music Award winners BTS made a special live appearance, marking a homecoming for the pop royalty, who made their U.S. television performance debut at the 2017 American Music Awards, becoming the first Korean group to perform on the show. They added to their previous 11 trophies with wins for Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer, and Best Male K-Pop Artist;
- First-time nominees KATSEYE made their mark with wins for New Artist of the Year, Best Music Video, and Breakthrough Pop Artist;
- SOMBR, one of the night’s most nominated artists, also received three awards with wins for Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist, Best Rock/Alternative Song, Best Rock/Alternative Album;
- Sabrina Carpenter took home her first AMA trophies ever for Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Artist, and Best Pop Album.
- The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami continued their breakout year with their first AMA wins for Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, and Best Pop Song. EJAE added to that with a win for Best Soundtrack for “KPop Demon Hunters.”
- Other first-time winners include Leon Thomas, PinkPantheress, Noah Kahan, Sam Barber, and more.
Presenters throughout the night included Alysa Liu, Anthony Ramos, Busta Rhymes, EJAE, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, GloRilla, Hannah Berner, Hilary Duff, Jason Derulo, Jake Wood, John Legend, Leon Thomas, Linda Perry, Lisa Rinna, Ludacris, Mariah the Scientist, Matt Rife, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs, Melanie Martinez, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul, REI AMI, Riley Green, Russell Dickerson, and more
52ND AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS WINNERS
Artist of the Year: BTS
New Artist of the Year: KATSEYE
Album of the Year: Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Song of the Year: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Collaboration of the Year: PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
Social Song of the Year: Tyla – “CHANEL”
Best Music Video: KATSEYE – “Gnarly”
Best Soundtrack: KPop Demon Hunters
Tour of the Year: Shakira – Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour
Breakout Tour: Benson Boone – American Heart World Tour
Breakthrough Album of the Year: Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
Best Throwback Song: Black Eyed Peas – “Rock That Body”
Best Vocal Performance: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Song of the Summer: BTS – “SWIM”
POP CATEGORIES
Best Male Pop Artist: Justin Bieber
Best Female Pop Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
Breakthrough Pop Artist: KATSEYE
Best Pop Song: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Best Pop Album: Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
COUNTRY CATEGORIES
Best Male Country Artist: Morgan Wallen
Best Female Country Artist: Ella Langley
Best Country Duo or Group: Zac Brown Band
Breakthrough Country Artist: Sam Barber
Best Country Song: Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
Best Country Album: Megan Moroney – Cloud 9
HIP-HOP CATEGORIES
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Cardi B
Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist: Monaleo
Best Hip-Hop Song: Cardi B – “ErrTime”
Best Hip-Hop Album: Cardi B – AM I THE DRAMA?
R&B CATEGORIES
Best Male R&B Artist: Bruno Mars
Best Female R&B Artist: SZA
Breakthrough R&B Artist: Leon Thomas
Best R&B Song: Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
Best R&B Album: Bruno Mars – The Romantic
LATIN CATEGORIES
Best Male Latin Artist: Bad Bunny
Best Female Latin Artist: Shakira
Best Latin Duo or Group: Fuerza Regida
Breakthrough Latin Artist: Kapo
Best Latin Song: Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL”
Best Latin Album: KAROL G – Tropicoqueta
ROCK CATEGORIES
Best Rock/Alternative Artist: Twenty One Pilots
Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist: SOMBR
Best Rock/Alternative Song: SOMBR – “back to friends”
Best Rock/Alternative Album: SOMBR – I Barely Know Her
DANCE/ELECTRONIC CATEGORIES
Best Dance/Electronic Artist: David Guetta
K-POP CATEGORIES
Best Male K-Pop Artist: BTS
Best Female K-Pop Artist: TWICE
AFROBEATS CATEGORIES
Best Afrobeats Artist: Tyla
AMERICANA/FOLK CATEGORIES
Best Americana/Folk Artist: Noah Kahan
WINNERS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Bad Bunny (2): Best Male Latin Artist, Best Latin Song
Benson Boone (1): Breakout Tour
Billy Idol (1): Lifetime Achievement Award
Black Eyed Peas (1): Best Throwback Song
Bruno Mars (3): Best Male R&B Artist, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album
BTS (3): Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer, Best Male K-Pop Artist
Cardi B (3): Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Best Hip-Hop Song, Best Hip-Hop Album
Darius Rucker (1): Veterans Voice Award
David Guetta (1): Best Dance/Electronic Artist
Ella Langley (2): Best Female Country Artist, Best Country Song
Fuerza Regida (1): Best Latin Duo or Group
Justin Bieber (1): Best Male Pop Artist
Kapo (1): Breakthrough Latin Artist
KAROL G (2): International Artist Award of Excellence, Best Latin Album
KATSEYE (3): New Artist of the Year, Best Music Video, Breakthrough Pop Artist
Kendrick Lamar (1): Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
KPop Demon Hunters (1): Best Soundtrack
Leon Thomas (1): Breakthrough R&B Artist
Megan Moroney (1): Best Country Album
Monaleo (1): Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist
Morgan Wallen (1): Best Male Country Artist
Noah Kahan (1): Best Americana/Folk Artist
PinkPantheress (1): Collaboration of the Year
Sabrina Carpenter (3): Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Artist, Best Pop Album
Sam Barber (1): Breakthrough Country Artist
Shakira (2): Best Female Latin Artist, Tour of the Year
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami (3): Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, Best Pop Song
SOMBR (3): Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist, Best Rock/Alternative Song, Best Rock/Alternative Album
SZA (1): Best Female R&B Artist
Twenty One Pilots (1): Best Rock/Alternative Artist
TWICE (1): Best Female K-Pop Artist
Tyla (2): Best Afrobeats Artist, Social Song of the Year
Zac Brown Band (1): Best Country Duo or Group
Zara Larsson (2): Collaboration of the Year, Breakthrough Album of the Year
WINNERS IN NUMERICAL ORDER
Bruno Mars (3): Best Male R&B Artist, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album
BTS (3): Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer, Best Male K-Pop Artist
Cardi B (3): Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Best Hip-Hop Song, Best Hip-Hop Album
KATSEYE (3): New Artist of the Year, Best Music Video, Breakthrough Pop Artist
Sabrina Carpenter (3): Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Artist, Best Pop Album
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami (3): Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, Best Pop Song
SOMBR (3): Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist, Best Rock/Alternative Song, Best Rock/Alternative Album
Bad Bunny (2): Best Male Latin Artist, Best Latin Song
Ella Langley (2): Best Female Country Artist, Best Country Song
KAROL G (2): International Artist Award of Excellence, Best Latin Album
Shakira (2): Best Female Latin Artist, Tour of the Year
Tyla (2): Best Afrobeats Artist, Social Song of the Year
Zara Larsson (2): Collaboration of the Year, Breakthrough Album of the Year
Benson Boone (1): Breakout Tour
Billy Idol (1): Lifetime Achievement Award
Black Eyed Peas (1): Best Throwback Song
Darius Rucker (1): Veterans Voice Award
David Guetta (1): Best Dance/Electronic Artist
Fuerza Regida (1): Best Latin Duo or Group
Justin Bieber (1): Best Male Pop Artist
Kapo (1): Breakthrough Latin Artist
Kendrick Lamar (1): Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
KPop Demon Hunters (1): Best Soundtrack
Leon Thomas (1): Breakthrough R&B Artist
Megan Moroney (1): Best Country Album
Monaleo (1): Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist
Morgan Wallen (1): Best Male Country Artist
Noah Kahan (1): Best Americana/Folk Artist
PinkPantheress (1): Collaboration of the Year
Sam Barber (1): Breakthrough Country Artist
SZA (1): Best Female R&B Artist
Twenty One Pilots (1): Best Rock/Alternative Artist
TWICE (1): Best Female K-Pop Artist
Zac Brown Band (1): Best Country Duo or Group
ABOUT THE 52ND AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS:
- Celebrating the year’s most iconic music, the American Music Awards is the world’s largest fan-voted award show, honoring 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 is known for delivering half a century worth of iconic performances and enduring moments that have defined and shaped pop culture, as well as a history of introducing audiences to breakthrough artists.
- Taylor Swift led nominations for the 52nd American Music Awards with eight nominations, followed by Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and SOMBR with seven each.
- The 52nd American Music Awards nominees were based on key fan interactions, including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and tour grosses. These measurements were tracked by Billboard and Luminate, the entertainment industry’s most trusted data partner, and covered the data tracking eligibility period of March 21, 2025 through March 26, 2026.
- This Memorial Day, the American Music Awards was proud to spotlight 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 Veterans 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 Afghanistan Veterans of America, Semper Fi & America’s Fund, Team Rubicon, and the USO. To learn more, visit TheAMAs.com/Salute.
- The American Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions.
SOCIAL:
About Paramount, a Skydance Corporation
Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY) is a leading, next‐generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct‐to‐Consumer, and TV Media. The Company’s portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, CBS – America’s most‐watched broadcast network, CBS News, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance’s Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Sports divisions. For more information please visit www.paramount.com.
About Dick Clark Productions
Dick Clark Productions (DCP) is the world’s largest owner and producer of televised live event entertainment programming including “The Golden Globes,” the largest awards show in the world to celebrate the best of film, television and podcasting, “American Music Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” the No. 1 entertainment special in America, “Golden Eve,” “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Rising Stars of Country Music,” Emmy®-winning series “So You Think You Can Dance,” and “American Bandstand,” the iconic and groundbreaking cultural phenomenon that defined a generation. Dick Clark Productions also possesses one of the world’s most extensive and unique entertainment archive libraries with more than 60 years of award-winning shows, historic specials, performances, and legendary programming. Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Corporation. For more information, please visit DickClark.com.
About MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, U2, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also has been home to annual events including the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, the Latin GRAMMY Awards, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Championship and Frozen Fury NHL pre-season games hosted by the Los Angeles Kings.
*Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.
