Disappointed by Swift’s absence and the lack of Reputation (Taylor’s Version) update, Swifties took to social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) to air out their frustrations.
“Mini ‘rant’ over, WHERE TF IS TAYLOR SWIFT, AND WHY DID THE AMA’S END EARLY,” wrote one user. “AND WHERE. IS. REP. TV.”
“Watched the entire AMAs and Taylor Swift didn’t even show up and announce ‘Reputation TV,’” penned another.
“Propaganda I unfortunately fell for: Taylor Swift announcing ‘Rep TV’ on the AMAs,” chimed another.
“How much did they pay Taylor Swift to drive AMA viewership up for her to announce NOTHING ,” sarcastically joked another.
Taylor Swift’s mission to own all of her masters is nearly over. The only pieces missing are the re-recordings of (or Taylor’s Version) her 2006 self-titled debut album and 2017’s Reputation.
In the eyes of fans, Shaboozey is a country music rookie. However, before his “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” success, Shaboozey’s career dated back to 2014. His love for the genre runs even further back.
But tonight (May 26), Shaboozey’s knowledge of country was put to the test. During the 2025 American Music Awards, Shaboozey took to the stage as a category presenter. Before handing off the award for Favorite Country Duo Or Group, co-presenter Megan Moroney informed Shaboozey of some country music history and the genre’s supposed founding family–the Carters.
“That same year, Favorite Female Artist went to Lynn Anderson, and this award [Favorite Country Duo or Group] went to the Carter family,” said the singer. “Who basically invented country music.”
But based on Shaboozey’s hilarious reaction (viewable here), he does not seem to agree with Moroney’s declaration. While Shaboozey is familiar with the Carter family as a Cowboy Carter collaborator of Beyoncé (Knowles-Carter), he appears to have some hesitation in crowning the other Carters (the Carter Family, Carter Sisters, June Carter Cash, or Carlene Carter).
Well, Shaboozey is going to need a double shot of whiskey soon now that the momentary facial reaction has sparked a viral debate across social platforms such as X (formerly Twitter).
Today (May 26), musicians from across genres descended onto Fontainebleau Las Vegas for the 2025 American Music Awards. The night is dedicated to crowning the year’s most impactful recording artists.
With Kendrick Lamar leading the pack with 10 nominations, Post Malone following with eight nods, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, as well as Shaboozey with 7 nods, the nominations are stacked. But the other most competitive title of the ceremony is best dressed.
Continue below to view some of our favorite red carpet looks from the 2025 American Music Awards. View the full nomination list here.
Benson Boone
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Benson Boone’s onstage fashionable inspiration draws from the late rock legends Little Richard and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. In short, most of the “Mystical Magical” singer’s looks are dripped in stones and are skin tight. However, Boone saved the theatrics for his performance. On the red carpet, Boone sported a simple yet sophisticated emerald green suit and cloud white blouse designed by David Yurman with matching jewelry from Yurman.
Ciara
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The AMAs’ dress code is up for interpretation. With the ceremony being held in Las Vegas, Ciara was the ultimate showgirl. Dripped in jewels, Ciara pulled a crystal-embellished strapless top and fringe skirt from Bronx and Banco’s Fall 2023 “La Bohème” collection, paired with Dolce & Gabbana metallic sandals.
Lainey Wilson
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Lainey Wilson is one of the biggest country music stars. So, the American Music Awards are a place to show off Americana fashion. Tonight that was a beautifully embroidered suit from Rahul Mishra.
Machine Gun Kelly
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If only for one night, Machine Gun Kelly decided to ditch his signature street wear uniform for a shirt and tie. While his past studded look was a topic of viral discussion, tonight MGK’s brought up another conversation–how well he can clean up.
Rebecca Black
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No, Rebecca Black isn’t lost at sea. Nor is she a runaway Navy bride. But given that the 2025 AMAs took place on Memorial Day, the singer’s stylist Dot found a way to pay homage to the armed forces, designed by Erik Charlotte.
Alex Warren‘s “Ordinary” is breaking some extraordinary records. The breakout hit from 2024’s You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1) recently eclipsed Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now Or Never” to claim the longest-running No 1. single by a U.S. male solo artist in the U.K.
Warren performed “Ordinary” at the 2025 American Music Awards with a choir, harpist, and moonlit stage. It’s anything but ordinary.
“I am so forever grateful for all the support and will never stop saying thank you,” Warren told Variety about his success. “I wouldn’t have any of this if it weren’t for my fans, so I am so appreciative.” As for what’s next, he teased, “We have a lot up our sleeves for the next few months. I teased a duet with Jelly Roll at Stagecoach called ‘Bloodline’ that we’ll have out soon, as the reaction to that has been amazing. I think that I’ve grown a lot with the songs I’m writing now, and that there’s so much more variety, but it’s all fitting together perfectly for this next project that we’re working on.”
You can watch Alex Warren (who announced new dates on the Cheaper Than Therapy Tour from August until October) perform “Ordinary” at the 2025 AMAs here.
Janet Jackson is one of the most influential musicians of all time. If you don’t believe it, look no further than affirming statements from Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, and Lizzo.
Today (May 26) the “Rhythm Nation” singer’s career impact was put on full display at the 2025 American Music Awards. While accepting the Icon Award, Janet Jackson humbly pushed back against the label.
“I don’t consider myself to be an icon,” she said after a dazzling medley performance. “My family, myself–our dreams were never to be famous. We weren’t raised like that. We always had special love for music, dancing and singing. Fame came with the result of hard work and dedication.”
Friend, actress, and producer Tasha Smith, as well as Janet’s background dancer, encouraged her to graciously wear the title. Instead, Janet took a moment to encourage others to pursue their passions. “My story, my family’s story, it’s truly an American story,” she added.
Users online have begun to praise Jackson for using the time on stage to uplift aspiring musicians around the world.
Watch Janet Jackson’s full Icon Award acceptance speech at the 2025 American Music Awards here. View the full winners list for the 2025 American Music Awards here.
Last week, Reneé Rapp ended a near year-long drought of new music with the release of her rebellious new single, “Leave Me Alone,” along with its risqué video. Tonight, on the American Music Awards, Rapp brought the rambunctious new song to life on stage, starting out in a tagged-up bathroom stall and exploding out to take over and demand the right to have fun.
“Leave Me Alone” is the first single from Rapp’s upcoming sophomore album, Bite Me, which drops on August 1 via Interscope. In a statement, Rapp explained that the album “encourages listeners to embrace every facet of their personality, the chaotic and the confident, and to be authentically, unapologetically themselves. It’s a raw, unfiltered, and vulnerable album about self-acceptance in its truest form, and like Rapp herself, creates a community for unfiltered self-expression.” Bite Me will be the singer’s first full-length release in almost two years, following her 2023 debut, Snow Angel.
Rapp’s relatively quiet year so far was well-earned; she spent much of 2024 on the (rightfully) chaotic press tour for the Mean Girls musical movie, made her Coachella debut, headlined a slew of festivals including All Things Go in New York City, and even guest-starred on Sesame Street. But it looks like she’s gearing up for a comeback, and put the whole world on notice at the AMAs.
Watch Reneé Rapp’s AMAs performance here and here.
Instead of picking a handful of musicians for a tribute set in her honor, the “Rhythm Nation” singer took to the stage. With a few of Janet’s trusted background dancers, she performed a medley of her greatest hits.
To open the dazzling performance, an audio clip to the cadence of “Control.” Although the song launched Janet into a new career pinnacle, she opted for two other tunes beloved by fans.
The first track Janet performed was 2001’s”Someone To Call My Lover.” Thanks to a growing trend on TikTok, the All For You song has been reintroduced to a new generation of pop music lovers.
For her last tune, Janet treated viewed to the album’s breakout title track, “All For You.”
Fresh off a year of touring and a Las Vegas residency, Janet Jackson did not miss a step showing why she’s the blueprint to several generations of entertainers.
Watch Janet Jackson’s full performance at the 2025 American Music Awards here. View the full winners list for the 2025 American Music Awards here.
The 2025 American Music Awards returned with a star-studded list of nominees, performers, and presenters, as well as a powerhouse host, Jennifer Lopez. While Kendrick Lamar led all nominees, with ten nominations, the night was anyone’s to take, with Post Malone nominated for eight awards, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey tied for seven each, and a whole bunch of both breakout stars and established vets competing for America’s votes in one of the only fan-voted award shows currently airing. You can check out the full list of winners below.
Artist Of The Year
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan
Kendrick Lamar
Morgan Wallen
Post Malone
Sabrina Carpenter
SZA
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Beyoncé — Cowboy Carter
Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard And Soft
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli XCX — Brat
Gracie Abrams — The Secret of Us
Future & Metro Boomin — We Don’t Trust You
Kendrick Lamar — GNX
Post Malone — F-1 Trillion
Sabrina Carpenter — Short N’ Sweet
Taylor Swift — The Tortured Poets Department
Song Of The Year
Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”
Billie Eilish — “Birds of a Feather”
Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
Hozier — “Too Sweet”
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”
Collaboration Of The Year
Kendrick Lamar & SZA — “Luther”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Marshmello & Kane Brown — “Miles on It”
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
Rosé & Bruno Mars — “APT.”
Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone — “Fortnight”
Social Song Of The Year
Chappell Roan — “Hot To Go!”
Djo — “End of Beginning”
Doechii — “Anxiety”
Lola Young — “Messy”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Tommy Richman — “Million Dollar Baby”
Favorite Touring Artist
Billie Eilish
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Favorite Music Video
Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”
Karol G — “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Favorite Male Pop Artist
Benson Boone
Bruno Mars
Hozier
Teddy Swims
The Weeknd
Favorite Female Pop Artist
Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan
Lady Gaga
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop Album
Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard And Soft
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli XCX — Brat
Sabrina Carpenter — Short N’ Sweet
Taylor Swift — The Tortured Poets Department
Favorite Pop Song
Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”
Billie Eilish — “Birds of a Feather”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”
Favorite Male Country Artist
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Post Malone
Shaboozey
Favorite Female Country Artist
Beyoncé
Ella Langley
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Favorite Country Duo Or Group
Dan + Shay
Old Dominion
Parmalee
The Red Clay Strays
Zac Brown Band
Favorite Country Album
Beyoncé — Cowboy Carter
Jelly Roll — BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN
Megan Moroney — AM I OKAY?
Post Malone — F-1 Trillion
Shaboozey — Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going
Favorite Country Song
Jelly Roll — “I Am Not Okay”
Koe Wetzel & Jessie Murph — “High Road”
Luke Combs — “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist
Drake
Eminem
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Tyler The Creator
Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist
Doechii
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Sexyy Red
Favorite Hip-Hop Album
Eminem — The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)
Future & Metro Boomin — We Don’t Trust You
Gunna — one of wun
Kendrick Lamar — GNX
Tyler The Creator — Chromakopia
Favorite Hip-Hop Song
Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar — “Like That”
GloRilla — “TGIF”
GloRilla & Sexyy Red — “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME”
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA — “Luther”
Favorite Male R&B Artist
Bryson Tiller
Chris Brown
PartyNextDoor
The Weeknd
Usher
Favorite Female R&B Artist
Kehlani
Muni Long
Summer Walker
SZA
Tyla
Favorite R&B Album
Bryson Tiller — Bryson Tiller
PartyNextDoor — PartyNextDoor 4 (P4)
PartyNextDoor & Drake — Some Sexy Songs 4 U
SZA — SOS Deluxe: LANA
The Weeknd — Hurry Up Tomorrow
Favorite R&B Song
SZA — “Saturn”
Chris Brown — “Residuals”
Muni Long — “Made For Me”
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti — “Timeless”
Tommy Richman — “Million Dollar Baby”
Favorite Male Latin Artist
Bad Bunny
Feid
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Tito Double P
Favorite Female Latin Artist
Becky G
Karol G
Natti Natasha
Shakira
Young Miko
Favorite Latin Duo Or Group
Calibre 50
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Firme
Grupo Frontera
Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda
Favorite Latin Album
Bad Bunny — DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Fuerza Regida — Dolido Pero No Arrepentido
Peso Pluma — ÉXODO
Rauw Alejandro — Cosa Nuestra
Tito Double P — INCÓMODO
Favorite Latin Song
Bad Bunny — “DtMF”
FloyyMenor X Cris Mj — “Gata Only”
Karol G — “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Oscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida — “Tu Boda”
Shakira — “Soltera”
Favorite Rock Artist
Hozier
Linkin Park
Pearl Jam
Twenty One Pilots
Zach Bryan
Favorite Rock Album
Hozier — Unreal Unearth: Unending
Koe Wetzel — 9 lives
The Marías — Submarine
Twenty One Pilots — Clancy
Zach Bryan — The Great American Bar Scene
Favorite Rock Song
Green Day — “Dilemma”
Hozier — “Too Sweet”
Linkin Park — “The Emptiness Machine”
Myles Smith — “Stargazing”
Zach Bryan — “Pink Skies”
Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist
Charli XCX
David Guetta
John Summit
Lady Gaga
Marshmello
Favorite Soundtrack
Arcane League of Legends: Season 2 Hazbin Hotel (Original Soundtrack) Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Twisters: The Album Wicked: The Soundtrack
Benson Boone’s hit song “Mystical Magical” has become a breakout pop smash for the star singer, so it’s only right that it’s the song he brought to perform for the 2025 American Music Awards. He brought his usual dazzle, decked out in a bedazzled nudie suit and hitting his signature falsetto, delighting the AMAs crowd with another one of his trademark backflips.
“Mystical Magical” is the second single from Boone’s upcoming second album, American Heart, which is due on June 20. He announced the album during his Coachella debut performance, flashing the revealing cover art and release date on the screens behind him. The performance came after he delivered a standout performance at the 2024 Grammys, solidifying his meteoric rise, which has continued right into early this year, with his American Heart Tourselling out in just nine seconds and prompting one heck of a reaction from Benson himself.
Of course, no breakout is complete without inspiring some haters. Even there, Benson Boone is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, making it a point to call out his detractors. He challenged them on TikTok to “at least have a good reason for it,” pointing out how few had actually presented valid criticism he could actually use to improve.
You can check out Benson Boone’s 2025 AMAs performance here, here, or here.
Despite suffering a rehearsal injury that required stitches, Jennifer Lopez’s 2025 AMAs-opening performance didn’t slow down a bit. Opening with a thrilling vocal showoff to her Pitbull collaboration, “Dance Again,” the performance quickly transformed into a showcase of the former Fly Girl’s dance chops, as she ran through high-energy choreography set to many of the songs that garnered much of the public’s attention for the past few months, including Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up” and Chappell Roan’s “Hot To Go,” along with an eyebrow-raising segment in which she kissed all her dancers.
J. Lo, who was doing double duty as the show’s host, didn’t even have time to catch her breath between gigs; presenter Tiffany Haddish noted that she’d just danced to 23 songs in just six minutes. The performance could have been a calculated effort to recalibrate the public’s expectations of the star after a rough year, but it just might have worked thanks to how much work she put into it.
It might not have been lost on anyone that in the past 12 months, J. Lo had divorced from Ben Affleck for the second time, after canceling her arena tour. But with her AMAs performance, it looks like she’s refocusing on the skills that got her here, and looking to add some impressive new ones.
You can watch snippets of the performance here, here, and here.
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,” sarcastically joked another.
