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The singer will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to rock music, following in the footsteps of past recipients Diana Ross and Rod Stewart.
It's a fitting honor for Idol, who at 70 has achieved three Grammy nominations and established himself as a musical great and household name thanks in part to hits White Wedding and Dancing With Myself.
And Idol dressed the rocker part as he arrived to the ceremony in a black leather jacket, fuchsia top, and his trademark spiked hair.
His enthusiasm for the star-studded ceremony was palpable as he struck energetic poses and flashed massive, triumphant grins on the red carpet.
The 52nd American Music Awards (AMAs) are taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and will be hosted by Queen Latifah.
Pop icon Taylor Swift leads the nominations with a huge eight nods in categories including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for The Fate of Ophelia and Album of the Year for The Life of a Showgirl.
Swift holds the all-time record for the most AMA wins, with 40 trophies, and will be set to add to that impressive total on the night.
The Anti-Hero hitmaker is also nominated in the Best Music Video and Best Pop Song categories for The Fate of Ophelia, Song of the Summer for Elizabeth Taylor, Best Female Pop Artist and Best Pop Album categories.
If Swift wins all eight of her categories, she will tie both Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston for the most wins in one night.
Swift's protegee Sabrina Carpenter has landed seven nominations, and will face off against her mentor in several major categories, with her hit Manchild and successful album, Man's Best Friend recognized.
Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, and Sombr have all also landed seven nominations each, while Ordinary hitmaker Alex Warren and Lady Gaga have scored six nods.
First-time nominees include Sombr, Dean, Warren, Katseye, BigXthaPlug, Leon Thomas, PinkPantheress, Raye, Role Model, Sienna Spiro and Tate McRae.
Katseye, The Pussycat Dolls, Busta Rhymes, Billy Idol, and New Kids on the Block are among the star-studded performers list.
The list of presenters includes Alysa Liu, Hilary Duff, John Legend, Jason Derulo, Lisa Rinna, Ludacris, Mariah the Scientist, Matt Rife, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs, Melanie Martinez, Nikki Glaser, and Paula Abdul.
Karol G will receive the International Artist Award of Excellence while Hootie and the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker will be honored with the Veterans Voice Award in recognition of his support of military organizations.
The American Music Awards is the world's largest fan-voted award show honoring the world's most influential artists and their passionate fanbases.
Created by legendary producer and visionary Dick Clark and first awarded in 1974, the AMAs is known for delivering half a century worth of iconic performances, enduring moments that have defined and shaped pop culture, as well as a history of introducing audiences to breakthrough artists.
The AMAs will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 starting at 8pmET/5pmPT.
2026 American Music Awards nominations
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bad Bunny
Bruno Mars
BTS
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Cardi B – AM I THE DRAMA?
Fuerza Regida – 111xpantia
Justin Bieber – SWAG
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
Playboi Carti – MUSIC
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Tate McRae – So Close To What
Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman – All The Way
David Guetta, Teddy Swims, Tones And I – Gone Gone Gone
Morgan Wallen, Tate McRae – What I Want
PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson – Stateside
Shaboozey, Jelly Roll – Amen
SOCIAL SONG OF THE YEAR
Disco Lines, Tinashe – No Broke Boys
PinkPantheress – Illegal
Role Model – Sally, When The Wine Runs Out
Tyla – CHANEL
Zara Larsson – Lush Life
FAVORITE MALE POP ARTIST
Alex Warren
Benson Boone
Ed Sheeran
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
BEST POP SONG
Alex Warren – Ordinary
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – Golden
Olivia Dean – Man I Need
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
BREAKTHROUGH POP ARTIST
KATSEYE
SIENNA SPIRO
Zara Larsson
BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
sombr – I Barely Know Her
Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
BEST MALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Riley Green
Shaboozey
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Alex Warren – Ordinary
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – Golden
Lady Gaga – Abracadabra
RAYE – WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!
SIENNA SPIRO – Die on this Hill
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
BigXthaPlug – I Hope You’re Happy
Megan Moroney – Cloud 9
Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem
Sam Barber – Restless Mind
Tucker Wetmore – What Not To
BEST MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Don Toliver
Kendrick Lamar
Playboi Carti
Tyler, The Creator
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
BEST HIP-HOP SONG
Cardi B – ErrTime
Drake – NOKIA
Gunna, Burna Boy – wgft
Playboi Carti, The Weeknd – Rather Lie
YKNIECE, Quavo, Metro Boomin, Breskii – Take Me Thru Dere
BEST MALE R&B ARTIST
Bruno Mars
Chris Brown
Daniel Caesar
PARTYNEXTDOOR
The Weeknd
BEST R&B SONG
Bruno Mars – I Just Might
Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller – It Depends
Kehlani – Folded
Leon Thomas – MUTT
Mariah the Scientist – BURNING BLUE
BEST MALE LATIN ARTIST
Bad Bunny
Junior H
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Tito Double P
BEST LATIN ALBUM
Fuerza Regida – 111xpantia
KAROL G – Tropicoqueta
Netón Vega – Mi Vida Mi Muerte
Peso Pluma, Tito Double P – DINASTÍA
ROSALÍA – Lux
BREAKTHROUGH LATIN ARTIST
Beéle
Kapo
Netón Vega
BEST ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ARTIST
Deftones
Linkin Park
The Marías
Sleep Token
Twenty One Pilots
BREAKTHROUGH ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ARTIST
Geese
Gigi Perez
sombr
BEST ROCK/ALTERNATIVE SONG
Noah Kahan – The Great Divide
Linkin Park – Up From The Bottom
sombr – back to friends – WINNER
Sublime – Ensenada
Tame Impala – Dracula
BEST MALE K-POP ARTIST
ATEEZ
BTS
ENHYPEN
Stray Kids
TOMORROW X TOGETHER
BEST FEMALE K-POP ARTIST
aespa
BLACKPINK
ILLIT
LE SSERAFIM
TWICE
BEST AFROBEATS ARTIST
Burna Boy
MOLIY
Rema
Tyla
Wizkid
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Alex Warren
Ella Langley
KATSEYE
Leon Thomas
Olivia Dean
sombr
SONG OF THE YEAR
Alex Warren – Ordinary
Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – Golden – WINNER
Kehlani – Folded
Leon Thomas – MUTT
Morgan Wallen – I’m The Problem
Olivia Dean – Man I Need
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
sombr – back to friends
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
TOUR OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter Tour
Kendrick Lamar, SZA – Grand National Tour
Lady Gaga – The Mayhem Ball
Oasis – Oasis Live ‘25 Tour
Shakira – Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour
BREAKOUT TOUR
Benson Boone – American Heart World Tour
Kali Uchis – The Sincerely, Tour
The Marías – Submarine Tour
Megan Moroney – Am I Okay? Tour
Sleep Token – Even in Arcadia Tour
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
BKATSEYE – Gnarly
ROSALÍA, Björk, Yves Tumor – Berghain
Sabrina Carpenter – Manchild
Taylor Swift – The Fate of Ophelia
Tyla – CHANEL
FAVORITE FEMALE POP ARTIST
Lady Gaga
Olivia Dean
Sabrina Carpenter
Tate McRae
Taylor Swift
BEST POP ALBUM
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Olivia Dean – The Art of Loving
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Tate McRae – So Close To What
Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl
BEST FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Ella Langley
Kelsea Ballerini
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Miranda Lambert
BEST COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP
Brooks & Dunn
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
Treaty Oak Revival
Zac Brown Band
BREAKTHROUGH COUNTRY ARTIST
Sam Barber
Tucker Wetmore
Zach Top
BEST COUNTRY SONG
BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman – All The Way
Ella Langley – Choosin’ Texas
Morgan Wallen – Just In Case
Russell Dickerson – Happen To Me
Shaboozey – Good News
BEST FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Doechii
GloRilla
Sexyy Red
YKNIECE
BREAKTHROUGH HIP-HOP ARTIST
EsDeeKid
Monaleo
PLUTO
BEST HIP-HOP ALBUM
Cardi B – AM I THE DRAMA?
Don Toliver – OCTANE
Gunna – The Last Wun
Playboi Carti – MUSIC
YoungBoy Never Broke Again – MASA
BEST FEMALE R&B ARTIST
Kehlani
Summer Walker
SZA
Teyana Taylor
Tyla
BREAKTHROUGH R&B ARTIST
Leon Thomas
Mariah the Scientist
Ravyn Lenae
BEST R&B ALBUM
Bruno Mars – The Romantic
Justin Bieber – SWAG
Leon Thomas – MUTT
Mariah the Scientist – HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY
Summer Walker – Finally Over It
BEST FEMALE LATIN ARTIST
Gloria Estefan
KAROL G
Natti Natasha
ROSALÍA
Shakira
BEST LATIN DUO OR GROUP
Clave Especial
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Firme
Grupo Frontera
Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda
BEST LATIN SONG
Bad Bunny – NUEVAYoL
benny blanco, Selena Gomez, The Marías – Ojos Tristes
Fuerza Regida – Marlboro Rojo
Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera – ME JALO
KAROL G – LATINA FOREVA
BEST ROCK/ALTERNATIVE ALBUM
Sleep Token – Even In Arcadia
sombr – I Barely Know Her
Tame Impala – Deadbeat
Twenty One Pilots – Breach
Zach Bryan – With Heaven On Top
BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Fred again..
ILLENIUM
John Summit
FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK
F1 The Album
Hazbin Hotel: Season Two
KPop Demon Hunters
Wicked: For Good
Charli xcx – Wuthering Heights
BEST AMERICANA/FOLK ARTIST
Lord Huron
The Lumineers
Mumford & Sons
Noah Kahan
Tyler Childers
BEST THROWBACK SONG
4 Non Blondes – What’s Up
Black Eyed Peas – Rock That Body
Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
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