The 2025 American Music Awards were held on Monday, May 26, 2025, at the brand-new Fontainebleau Las Vegas luxury resort. The show aired live at 8:00 PM Eastern / 5:00 PM Pacific on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ in the United States.
The AMAs are known as the world’s largest fan-voted music awards show, and this year’s event celebrated current chart-toppers, legendary artists, and American military veterans. The host was Jennifer Lopez, returning to host the AMAs for the first time in ten years, since her last appearance as host in 2015.
Key Takeaways
- Billie Eilish won all 7 of her nominations, including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year, becoming the night’s top winner.
- Janet Jackson and Rod Stewart received top honors, with Jackson earning the Icon Award and Stewart closing the show after accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award.
- The show honored U.S. veterans, awarding Zac Brown the first Veterans Voice Award and partnering with military charities for in-show fundraising.
Billie Eilish Wins Every Category She Was Nominated In
Billie Eilish, 23, was nominated for seven categories and won every single one. These included:
- Artist of the Year
- Album of the Year for Hit Me Hard and Soft
- Song of the Year for Birds of a Feather
- Favorite Touring Artist
- Favorite Female Pop Artist
- Favorite Pop Album for Hit Me Hard and Soft
- Favorite Pop Song for Birds of a Feather
Eilish was not at the ceremony because she was performing in Europe as part of her tour, but she did send in a video thanking her fans. Her clean sweep made her the most-awarded artist of the night and one of the most awarded in AMA’s history for a single year.
Beyoncé Breaks New Ground in Country Categories
Beyoncé, with her 2024 album Cowboy Carter, won two major awards:
- Favorite Female Country Artist
- Favorite Country Album
These were her first wins ever in the country music categories, marking a significant genre crossover in her career. The album Cowboy Carter had already gained attention for its mix of country and R&B, and the wins confirmed its impact among fans.
Eminem Wins First AMA in 15 Years
Eminem, age 52, won his first American Music Awards since 2010. He took home:
- Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist
- Favorite Hip-Hop Album for The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)
Though he didn’t attend the event, his two awards reflected a major return to form for the rapper. The Death of Slim Shady had been praised by fans and critics for revisiting his original alter ego while addressing current themes.
Jennifer Lopez Opens with a 6-Minute, 23-Song Medley
The show opened with a six-minute performance by Jennifer Lopez featuring a medley of 23 of the year’s most popular songs. Her dance routine included choreography to:
- Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather
- Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso
- Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ’Em
- Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us
- Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy)
She kissed both a male and a female backup dancer during the performance, sparking reactions on social media. Immediately after, she appeared in a silver Miss Sohee gown and teal opera coat to begin her monologue. Throughout the two-hour broadcast, Lopez changed outfits at least six times, averaging a wardrobe change roughly every 15 minutes.
Janet Jackson Returns with Her First Televised Performance in 7 Years
Janet Jackson, 59, received the Icon Award, introduced by Jennifer Lopez. Lopez previously appeared as a backup dancer in Jackson’s 1993 music video for That’s the Way Love Goes. Jackson performed:
- Someone to Call My Lover
- A short mash-up with Mariah Carey’s Shake It Off
- All For You
She wore a white jacket and baggy jeans and delivered her first TV performance since 2018. In her speech, she said:
“No disrespect in any way, but I don’t consider myself an icon. My family, myself, our dream wasn’t ever to be famous. We weren’t raised like that.”
She said she hoped her story would inspire other artists to follow their dreams. Jackson’s performance was met with a standing ovation.
Rod Stewart Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Rod Stewart, 80, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by five of his eight children: Ruby, Kimberly, Renee, Sean, and Liam. The award recognized his nearly 60-year music career. He said, “I’m absolutely flabbergasted. I didn’t know they were here—my children.”
He talked about how he began singing in the early 1960s, simply because he had a passion for music, not for fame or wealth. He then performed Forever Young, closing the show.
Performances From Both New and Legendary Artists
The night featured a range of performances, including both established stars and newcomers:
- Blake Shelton performed Stay Country or Die Tryin’ from his album For Recreational Use Only.
- Lainey Wilson debuted Somewhere Over Laredo, fresh from her European tour.
- Gwen Stefani, introduced by her husband, Blake Shelton, celebrated the 20th anniversary of her 2004 solo debut Love.Angel.Music.Baby.. She performed Swallow My Tears, The Sweet Escape, and Hollaback Girl.
- Benson Boone, 22, performed Mystical Magical wearing a purple floral suit. His trademark backflips drew cheers from the crowd.
- Reneé Rapp made her AMAs debut, performing Leave Me Alone from her upcoming second album.
- Alex Warren sang Ordinary, supported by a 40-person choir.
- Becky G and Manuel Turizo performed Que Haces live for the first time.
- Gloria Estefan, returning to the AMAs after more than 30 years, performed Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, La Vecina (No Sé Na’), and Conga to celebrate 50 years in music.
Veterans Honored Through Partnership with Easy Day Foundation
The AMAs partnered with the Easy Day Foundation, a Las Vegas nonprofit that supports military veterans. Country artist Zac Brown received the first-ever Veterans Voice Award for his support of veteran causes. Special tribute segments featured shout-outs to veterans in the audience.
A portion of ticket sales was donated to military charities, including:
- Bob Woodruff Foundation
- Boot Campaign
- Congressional Medal of Honor Society
- Fisher House Foundation
- The Folded Flag Foundation
- Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
- Team Rubicon
- UNLV’s Military and Veteran Services Center
Fans who donated $25 or more at org/boots were entered into a contest to win tactical boots signed by celebrities at the show. All proceeds went to support veteran reintegration programs.
Viral Moments on Social Media
Several moments from the show quickly went viral. One involved artist, Shaboozey, reacted to co-presenter Megan Moroney when she said the Carter Family “basically invented country music.” He paused, looked sideways, and laughed, which quickly became a viral meme.
SZA, who won Favorite Female R&B Artist, wore a dress that made it hard for her to reach the microphone. She laughed as she climbed the steps and thanked fans while catching her breath.
Fans of Taylor Swift had speculated she would announce Reputation (Taylor’s Version) during the AMAs. Clues included a new layout on her website spelling “AMAS” and the date “May 26” appearing in social posts. However, no announcement came, leading fans to vent disappointment online.
Full List of Winners
- Artist of the Year: Billie Eilish
- New Artist of the Year: Gracie Abrams
- Album of the Year: Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
- Song of the Year: Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
- Favorite Touring Artist: Billie Eilish
- Favorite Music Video: Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With a Smile
- Favorite Male Pop Artist: Bruno Mars
- Favorite Female Pop Artist: Billie Eilish
- Favorite Pop Album: Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft
- Favorite Pop Song: Billie Eilish – Birds of a Feather
- Favorite Female Country Artist: Beyoncé
- Favorite Country Album: Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter
- Favorite Male Country Artist: Post Malone
- Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist: Eminem
- Favorite Hip-Hop Album: Eminem – The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)
- Favorite Hip-Hop Song: Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
- Favorite Female R&B Artist: SZA
- Favorite Male R&B Artist: The Weeknd
- Favorite R&B Album: The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow
- Favorite Latin Artist: Bad Bunny
- Favorite Latin Album: Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
- Favorite Rock Artist: Twenty One Pilots
- Favorite Soundtrack: Arcane: League of Legends – Season 2
- Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist: Lady Gaga
