The American Music Awards (AMAs) are making a highly anticipated return this year after a three-year hiatus.
The iconic music awards show will air live on Memorial Day, May 26, from Las Vegas on CBS and will also be available for streaming on Paramount+.
This marks the first time in history that the AMAs will be held in May, shifting from their traditional fall schedule.
The AMAs, produced by Dick Clark Productions, have long been recognized as the world's most significant fan-voted music awards show.
This year's event will honor the top artists and music releases of the year and include a special tribute to US veterans in recognition of its Memorial Day broadcast.
While the exact venue in Las Vegas has not yet been announced, the event promises a star-studded lineup of performances and appearances.
The AMAs' return follows their absence in 2023 and a shift in scheduling in 2024 when CBS instead aired the "American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special" in October.
That special garnered significant viewership, with more than 6 million viewers tuning in—a 54% increase compared to the AMAs' 2022 broadcast on ABC, HollywoodReporter said.
According to Dick Clark Productions, it also became the most-streamed AMAs-related program in history, amassing 65 million views across social media in the week following its release.
The American Music Awards will take place on May 26th.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 24, 2025
It will be the first time the ceremony has aired since 2022. pic.twitter.com/iDh2Z6jGYs
Wayne Brady Hosted 2022's Last AMAs—Will He Return in 2025?
The last regularly scheduled AMAs took place in November 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Hosted by Wayne Brady, the event saw Taylor Swift dominate. She won all six awards she was nominated for, including Artist of the Year.
According to Variety, Swift's wins extended her record as the most-awarded artist in AMAs history.
However, the 2022 show recorded an all-time low in viewership, with only 3.53 million total viewers and a 0.6 rating in the key 18-49 demographic.
The show's return comes after a period of uncertainty regarding its future. In 2023, reports indicated that the AMAs were placed on hold while negotiations about their broadcast rights continued.
During this time, the Billboard Music Awards, another production by Dick Clark Productions, took over the AMAs' traditional fall slot. Ultimately, CBS secured the rights to the AMAs, marking a significant shift from its longtime home on ABC.
Originally created in 1974 by Dick Clark as a response to ABC losing the Grammy Awards broadcast rights to CBS, the AMAs quickly became a major player in the music awards landscape. At its peak in the 1980s, it even rivaled the Grammys in viewership.
While the AMAs originally aired in January or February, they transitioned to a late-November slot from 2003 to 2022. This year's move to Memorial Day marks another major shift in the event's history.
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