Afrobeats heats up AMAs
The American Music Awards nominations have amplified Afrobeats conversation, with artists like Burna Boy, MOLIY, Rema, Tyla and Wizkid appearing in category buzz and fans actively pushing votes — one fan post for Wizkid has about 1.6k likes. Social buzz around the nominations is driving voting campaigns and high engagement across platforms. ( )
The 2026 American Music Awards put Afrobeats back in a fan-voted spotlight on April 14, with Burna Boy, MOLIY, Rema, Tyla and Wizkid nominated for Best Afrobeats Artist. (theamas.com) The nominations opened voting the same day at VoteAMAs.com and through the American Music Awards Instagram account, with most categories closing on May 8 at 11:59:59 a.m. Pacific Time. The ceremony is set for May 25 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with Queen Latifah hosting on CBS and Paramount+. (theamas.com) The Best Afrobeats Artist field mixes three Nigerian stars — Burna Boy, Rema and Wizkid — with Ghana-born MOLIY and South Africa’s Tyla. Tyla also landed two more 2026 nominations, for Social Song of the Year and Best Music Video, both for “CHANEL.” (theamas.com) The category sits inside a larger American Music Awards expansion. In March, the show said its 52nd edition would feature 50 categories, including Best Afrobeats Artist and new genre buckets such as Best Americana/Folk Artist. (theamas.com) The awards use a two-step formula: nominees are selected from fan activity and market data, then winners are decided by fan votes. The American Music Awards said Billboard and Luminate tracked streaming, sales, radio airplay and tour grosses for eligibility from March 21, 2025, through March 26, 2026. (theamas.com) That setup gives organized fandom real leverage, and the rules are built for it. The American Music Awards says fans can vote on its website or by posting one valid promoted hashtag per Instagram comment on designated “VOTE HERE” posts. (theamas.com) Afrobeats already had a recent winner at this show. Tyla won Favorite Afrobeats Artist at the 2025 American Music Awards after being nominated alongside Asake, Rema, Tems and Wizkid. (theamas.com, (theamas.com)) This year’s ballot keeps the category visible while also pulling Afrobeats-adjacent songs into broader races. Tyla’s “CHANEL” appears outside the genre field, which gives fans more than one lane to campaign in before the May 25 broadcast. (theamas.com) For now, the nominations have turned one genre category into a live turnout test. The winner will be decided after three weeks of voting, not when the nominations were posted on April 14. (theamas.com)
