American Music Awards set May 25

CBS and Dick Clark Productions said the 52nd American Music Awards will air live on Monday, May 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS and Paramount+. The show is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will be hosted by Queen Latifah, according to the official AMAs announcement. Organizers also said BTS will make a special appearance, their first awards-show appearance in four years. Taylor Swift enters the ceremony as the leading nominee with eight nominations, including Album of the Year for “The Life of a Showgirl.” But People and E! News reported that Swift will not attend the ceremony despite leading the field. Billboard’s nominations list also identified Swift as the top nominee for the 2026 show. (theamas.com) ### When and where is the show? Monday, May 25, is the date set for this year’s ceremony, and the venue is the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. CBS and Paramount Press Express said the show will be carried on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+. Mashable’s viewing guide separately reported the same date, venue and distribution details. (eonline.com) Queen Latifah was named host in the AMAs announcement released this week. The official release described the event as the 52nd American Music Awards and said tickets were available through AXS. ### Why is BTS getting so much attention? BTS was confirmed on May 20 for what organizers called a “special appearance” on the broadcast. (paramountpressexpress.com) The official AMAs site said the appearance would mark the group’s first awards-show appearance in four years. Billboard and Deadline both reported the same booking after the announcement from CBS and Dick Clark Productions. (theamas.com) The group is also in contention for three awards, including Artist of the Year, according to Billboard and other entertainment reports surfaced after the announcement. The AMAs release identified BTS as 11-time American Music Award winners. ### What is happening with Taylor Swift? People and E! (theamas.com) News reported on May 22 and May 23 that Swift will not be in Las Vegas for the ceremony. E! News said it had confirmed that Swift would not attend the May 25 event. People’s report, reflected in syndicated pickup, said the singer is nominated for eight awards tied to her 2025 album “The Life of a Showgirl.” (billboard.com) Swift’s nominations include Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, according to Billboard’s nominations list and USA Today’s April roundup. Billboard noted that Swift is already the top winner in AMA history with 40 trophies. ### Who else is in the awards race? Billboard and Yahoo’s how-to-watch coverage said Swift’s eight nominations put her ahead of the field, with Sabrina Carpenter, Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean and Sombr close behind on seven each. (eonline.com) Rolling Stone’s nominations report also listed Swift atop the ballot for the May 25 ceremony. (billboard.com) The awards return on Memorial Day after last year’s show reached more than 10 million unique viewers across its CBS and Paramount+ premiere and cable encores, according to the official AMAs release citing Nielsen. ### What should viewers watch for on Monday night? The May 25 broadcast will put two separate storylines on screen: BTS returning for a live awards-show appearance and Swift competing in eight categories without attending. (yahoo.com) Organizers have already fixed the start time at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and Paramount+, with Queen Latifah hosting from Las Vegas. (paramountpressexpress.com) (theamas.com)