Queen Latifah brought the 2026 American Music Awards to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 25, broadcasting live across CBS and Paramount+. The ceremony favored global pop dominance and early 2000s nostalgia, with BTS taking home the fan-voted Artist of the Year award despite their recent hiatus for mandatory military service.
This marks the second time the South Korean group has claimed the AMAs’ top honor, having previously won in 2021 right before their enlistment period began. The full sweep of the night was documented by Yahoo Lifestyle, which verified the comprehensive list of 2026 AMA winners including BTS, Katseye, Billy Idol, and Karol G. Following the global trend, Colombian superstar Karol G accepted the International Artist Award of Excellence and officially secured the trophy for Best Latin Album.
Rising pop act Katseye walked away with the Best New Artist award following a highly stylized live performance. The group delivered their hyper-pop track “Pinky Up” on a brightly designed teahouse-themed set. Older generations secured plenty of screen time shortly after. Billy Idol delivered a fiery performance to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award, telling younger viewers to “find out who you are and be it.” Country singer Darius Rucker was also honored with the Veterans Voice Award.
Unannounced legacy acts hijacked the second half of the ceremony. Fans were caught completely off guard when Fergie reunited with the Black Eyed Peas for a highly anticipated surprise set. That energy continued straight into another pop shocker, with The Pussycat Dolls appearing in matching red latex alongside Busta Rhymes, exactly 20 years after their first appearance.