American Music Awards set May 25

The 52nd American Music Awards are set for Monday, May 25, with CBS and the AMAs saying the show will air live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and Paramount+. Queen Latifah is hosting the ceremony, according to CBS and the AMAs. Taylor Swift enters the night as the top nominee with eight nods, the AMAs and UPI reported. The show is returning on Memorial Day with a lineup that mixes major nominees, established pop acts and a closely watched BTS appearance. ### When and where is the show airing? Monday, May 25, is the broadcast date, and MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas is the venue listed by the AMAs. CBS says the ceremony will air live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and the network’s show page says it will also stream on Paramount+. The AMAs’ how-to-watch page also lists a CBS livestream window ahead of the main telecast. (cbs.com) Las Vegas is the host city for the second straight year on CBS, according to the official AMAs site. The May 7 performer announcement from Dick Clark Productions and CBS described MGM Grand Garden Arena as the largest venue in the show’s history. ### Why is Queen Latifah at the center of this year’s show? (cbs.com) Queen Latifah is the announced host, according to CBS and the AMAs. The network describes her on its show page as the host of the returning live telecast, and the official AMAs releases repeat that she will lead the Memorial Day broadcast from Las Vegas. The AMAs’ viewing guide says Entertainment Tonight will air a Queen Latifah special ahead of the awards broadcast. (theamas.com) That programming choice puts the host at the center of the night’s pre-show rollout as well as the main telecast. ### Who leads the nominations? Taylor Swift leads the 2026 nominations with eight, according to the official AMAs nominations release. (cbs.com) The same release says Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and SOMBR follow with seven nominations each. UPI separately reported Swift as the top nominee entering the show. (theamas.com) The AMAs describe themselves as a fan-voted awards show, and the official nominations release directs fans to vote through the awards’ voting channels. CBS also calls it the “world’s largest fan-voted award show” on its program page. ### Which performers and appearances are drawing the most attention? (theamas.com) BTS is scheduled to make a special appearance, UPI reported, marking the group’s first awards show appearance in four years. UPI said BTS is nominated for three awards this year: Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer for “Swim,” and Best K-pop Artist. (theamas.com) The AMAs announced a first wave of performers on May 7 that included Hootie & the Blowfish, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims and Twenty One Pilots. Additional lineup material on the AMAs site lists names including Melanie Martinez, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul, REI AMI and Russell Dickerson. (upi.com) ### What should viewers watch for on Monday night? Swift’s eight nominations give the show a clear awards race to watch, while BTS’ appearance adds one of the night’s biggest fan-driven draws. CBS says the live show will feature performances, collaborations and fan-powered results as the ceremony unfolds. (theamas.com) Monday’s next milestones are fixed: the AMAs begin at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, stream on Paramount+, and unfold live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with Queen Latifah hosting. (cbs.com) (theamas.com)