Music fans were left scratching their heads for a while. Usually, we're used to seeing the AMAs happen right when the holiday season starts to kick in, but the 51st annual show decided to flip the script entirely. If you've been looking for the American Music Awards of 2025 ceremony date, it already went down on Monday, May 26, 2025.
It was a Memorial Day move. Honestly, it kind of made sense once you saw the vibe they were going for. Instead of the usual chilly November night in Los Angeles, the show packed its bags and headed to the desert. The whole thing was broadcast live from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, specifically at the BleuLive Theater.
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The Memorial Day Shift: What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of people assumed the AMAs were just "late" because of the hiatus in 2023 and 2024. That's not really the case. Dick Clark Productions and CBS—which took over the broadcast rights from ABC—wanted to turn the show into the "official kickoff of summer."
Moving to May 26th wasn't just about the weather, though. It was a strategic play to align with Memorial Day. They even leaned into the holiday by dedicating part of the night to honoring U.S. troops and veterans. It felt different. Usually, these award shows are just about the glitz, but this had a bit more of a "community" feel to it, even if the glitter was still very much present.
Jennifer Lopez and the Las Vegas Energy
Jennifer Lopez was back. Can you believe it's been ten years since she hosted in 2015? She has this way of commanding a room—or a massive theater in Vegas—that's just hard to match. She didn't just stand there reading a teleprompter; she opened the show with a medley that reminded everyone why she's still a titan in the industry.
The venue change was also a huge deal. The Fontainebleau is brand new and flashy, and it gave the ceremony a "high-stakes" energy that's sometimes missing when a show stays in the same L.A. theater for twenty years.
Key Highlights from the Night
- Kendrick Lamar was the man of the hour with 10 nominations. Coming off a massive year (and that Drake beef), he basically dominated the conversation.
- Billie Eilish ended up being the night's big winner, taking home 7 trophies, including some of the top categories for Hit Me Hard and Soft.
- Janet Jackson received the ICON Award. It was her first TV performance in seven years, and basically every artist in the front row looked like they were about to cry.
- Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter proved that the "Summer of Pop" from 2024 had some serious staying power well into 2025.
Why This Specific Date Matters for Fans
If you missed the live broadcast, you've probably noticed that the way we watch these things has changed. Since the American Music Awards of 2025 ceremony date fell on a Monday, the streaming rollout was a bit specific.
It aired live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ with Showtime. If you were on the "Essential" plan (the one with ads), you actually had to wait until Tuesday to watch it on demand. This is the new reality of TV contracts. CBS has a multi-year deal now, and they’re treating the AMAs like a cornerstone of their spring lineup, especially since the Grammys are eventually moving over to ABC in 2027. It's a bit of a "network swap" chess game.
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What You Should Do Now
If you’re trying to catch up on what you missed or preparing for next year, there are a few things worth doing. First, don't go looking for the show on ABC; those days are over.
Check out the official AMAs YouTube channel for the Janet Jackson tribute. It’s easily the best ten minutes of the entire broadcast. Also, keep an eye on the late-May window for 2026. It looks like the Memorial Day tradition is here to stay. If you're a fan of fan-voted awards, make sure your social media accounts are ready to go by mid-April next year, as that's usually when the "Vote AMAs" window opens up.
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The transition to a spring show seems to have breathed some new life into the brand. Viewership was actually up—about 4.7 million people tuned in—which is the best the show has seen since 2019. It turns out people actually want to watch music awards when they aren't exhausted by five other ceremonies in the same month.