Billie Eilish Reigns at the 2025 American Music Awards

Published 2 days ago• 4 minute read

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, 23, was nominated for seven categories and won every single one. These included:

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, with her 2024 album Cowboy Carter, won two major awards:

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, age 52, won his first American Music Awards since 2010. He took home:

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.

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:

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, 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:

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, 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.

The night featured a range of performances, including both established stars and newcomers:

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:

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.

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.