BTS to appear at 2026 American Music Awards

CBS and Dick Clark Productions said on May 20 that BTS will make a special appearance at the 52nd American Music Awards, adding the group to a live broadcast scheduled for Monday, May 25. The announcement sets up BTS’s first awards-show appearance in four years, according to the show’s organizers. The ceremony will air from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+ in the United States. Queen Latifah is set to host, according to the official AMAs site. ### When was BTS’s appearance announced, and what exactly was confirmed? May 20 was the date CBS and Dick Clark Productions publicly announced the booking on the AMAs’ official website. The release said BTS would make a “special appearance” on the show, but it did not describe the segment as a performance. (theamas.com) Deadline and other entertainment outlets matched that wording in follow-up coverage published the same day. The distinction matters because the AMAs separately released a performers list, and BTS was not listed there as part of the announced performance slate. ### Why is this appearance getting attention now? (theamas.com) BTS is returning to an awards-show stage after a four-year gap, according to the AMAs announcement. The group’s history with this show is part of the setup: the official release said BTS made its U.S. television performance debut at the AMAs in 2017 and performed again in 2021, when the group won artist of the year. (deadline.com) Rolling Stone and Yahoo’s entertainment coverage also framed the booking as a return moment for the group at a major U.S. televised awards show. The official AMAs release described BTS as 11-time American Music Award winners. ### What is BTS nominated for at this year’s show? (theamas.com) The AMAs release said BTS is nominated in three categories this year. Those nominations are artist of the year, song of the summer, and best K-pop artist, according to the official announcement and follow-up coverage. UPI’s report identified the song-of-the-summer nomination as “Swim.” The official AMAs post did not add more detail in the excerpt surfaced by search, but multiple reports agreed on the three-category total. (rollingstone.com) ### Who else is on the AMAs lineup? KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, New Kids on the Block, The Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes, Riley Green, sombr, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor and Twenty One Pilots are among the announced performers, according to the official “How to Watch” post and Billboard’s performers-and-presenters list. (theamas.com) Billy Idol is also set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, while KAROL G is slated to receive the International Artist Award of Excellence. (upi.com) Hannah Berner, Nikki Glaser, Lisa Rinna, Hilary Duff, John Legend, Ludacris and Anthony Ramos are among the presenters announced by the AMAs and Deadline. The show’s official materials also list Alysa Liu, Jason Derulo, Paula Abdul and Russell Dickerson among presenters. ### When and where can viewers watch? (theamas.com) Monday, May 25, is the air date for the live telecast from Las Vegas. The AMAs site says the show will air on CBS at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT and stream on Paramount+ in the United States. Mashable and Yahoo Entertainment separately published viewing guides with the same date, platform and channel details. (theamas.com) The next scheduled step is the live broadcast on Memorial Day, May 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with Queen Latifah hosting and BTS set for the billed special appearance. (theamas.com 1) (theamas.com 2)