05/20/26
BTS to Make First Award Show Appearance in Four Years at the 52nd AMAs
Queen Latifah Will Host The Star-Studded Annual Special, Which Airs Live on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT on CBS and Paramount+
Los Angeles, CA – May 20, 2026 – Today, CBS and , the world’s largest owner and producer of televised live event entertainment programming, announced that 11-time American Music Award winners BTS will make a special appearance at (AMAs). This marks a homecoming for the pop royalty, who made their U.S. television performance debut at the 2017 American Music Awards, becoming the first Korean group to perform on the show. They have a chance to add to their trophy collection this year, with three nominations for Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer, and Best Male K-Pop Artist.
The band’s lead single “SWIM” from their fifth studio album ARIRANG debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album itself claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 immediately upon release, extending its Top 10 streak to an eighth consecutive week. “SWIM” remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 for four weeks, with all 13 vocal tracks from the album charting on the tally for that same eight-week period. ARIRANG sets the record as the only album in history to chart all vocal tracks for an eighth consecutive week, marking the biggest debut of 2026 so far as a landmark album of its time.
The star-studded special will kick off summer with host Queen Latifah live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the largest venue in the show’s history, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The show will air live coast to coast on CBS Television Network and Paramount+* at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT, and feature performances from Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Billy Idol, International Artist Award of Excellence recipient KAROL G, Hootie & the Blowfish, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, The Pussycat Dolls + Busta Rhymes, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, Twenty One Pilots, and more! Darius Rucker will receive the Veterans Voice Award Presented by USAA’s Honor Through Action. Tickets for the star-studded must-see show are now available on .
As one of music’s most anticipated nights of the year, the 52nd American Music Awards returns to CBS and Paramount+* to honor the most influential artists and songs of today alongside unforgettable performances and special moments in a multi-genre, cross-generational celebration of music.
Nominations for the 52nd American Music Awards were announced last month. Taylor Swift leads with eight nominations, followed by Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and SOMBR with seven each. Fan voting has concluded for all awards other than Social Song of the Year and Tour of the Year, which will remain open through the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast. Fans can vote for these two awards via and the Instagram profile.
This Memorial Day, the American Music Awards is proud to spotlight our nation’s heroes and help amplify the vital work being done in support of the veteran community, honoring the enduring spirit of service in partnership with leading Military and Veterans Service Organizations – Blue Star Families, Bob Woodruff Foundation, Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Easy Day Foundation, Fisher House Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation, Invictus Games Foundation, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Semper Fi & America’s Fund, Team Rubicon, and the USO. To learn more, visit .
About the American Music Awards:
- Celebrating the year’s most iconic music, the American Music Awards is the world’s largest fan-voted award show, honoring today’s most influential artists and their passionate fanbases.
- Created by legendary producer and visionary Dick Clark and first awarded in 1974, the American Music Awards is known for delivering half a century worth of iconic performances and enduring moments that have defined and shaped pop culture, as well as a history of introducing audiences to breakthrough artists.
- One of 2025’s most-watched television specials according to Nielsen, last year’s top-rated 51st American Music Awards reached over 10 million unique viewers across its CBS and Paramount+ premiere on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, and encores on MTV, CMT, and BET. The CBS broadcast marked the show’s largest audience since 2019 with a +38% increase over its last live airing in 2022 on ABC.
- Airing for the first time on Memorial Day, the 2025 AMAs kicked off summer with host Jennifer Lopez, who returned to host a decade after her AMAs . She opened the 51st American Music Awards in spectacular fashion, . Performances included ICON Award recipient Janet Jackson; Alex Warren, Becky G and Manuel Turizo, Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson, Reneé Rapp, and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Rod Stewart.
- The American Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions.
For the latest news, exclusive content, and updates, follow the AMAs:
Hashtag: #AMAs
About Paramount, a Skydance Corporation
Paramount, a Skydance Corporation (Nasdaq: PSKY) is a leading, next‐generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct‐to‐Consumer, and TV Media. The Company’s portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, CBS – America’s most‐watched broadcast network, CBS News, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Pluto TV, and Skydance’s Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Sports divisions. For more information please visit
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About Dick Clark Productions
Dick Clark Productions (DCP) is the world’s largest owner and producer of televised live event entertainment programming including “The Golden Globes,” the largest awards show in the world to celebrate the best of film, television and podcasting, “American Music Awards,” “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” the No. 1 entertainment special in America, “Golden Eve,” “Academy of Country Music Awards,” “Billboard Music Awards,” “Rising Stars of Country Music,” Emmy®-winning series “So You Think You Can Dance,” and “American Bandstand,” the iconic and groundbreaking cultural phenomenon that defined a generation. Dick Clark Productions also possesses one of the world’s most extensive and unique entertainment archive libraries with more than 60 years of award-winning shows, historic specials, performances, and legendary programming. Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Corporation. For more information, please visit
About MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez as well as Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, U2, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also has been home to annual events including the Academy of Country Music Awards, the Billboard Music Awards, the Latin GRAMMY Awards, iHeartRadio Music Festival, Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Championship and Frozen Fury NHL pre-season games hosted by the Los Angeles Kings.
*Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.
About BTS
BTS, an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” are a GRAMMY-nominated South Korean band that has been capturing the hearts of millions of fans globally since their debut in June 2013. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. Gaining recognition for their authentic and self-produced music, top-notch performances, and their deep connection with fans, the band has established a legacy as 21st century pop icons breaking countless world records. While imparting a positive influence through activities such as the LOVE MYSELF campaign and the UN ‘Speak Yourself’ speech, the band has mobilized millions of fans across the world (named ARMY), earned six No.1 Billboard Hot 100 singles since 2020, and performed multiple sold-out stadium shows across the world. They were also named TIME’s Entertainer of the Year 2020. BTS are 5-time GRAMMY nominees (63rd to 65th GRAMMY Awards) and have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards like the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards (Artist of the Year 2021) and MTV Video Music Awards. Released in March, 2026, BTS’ massively successful fifth studio album ARIRANG debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with its lead single “SWIM” also debuting at No. 1. The group has since launched their ‘BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG,’’ marking a powerful new chapter that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
