Photo Credit: CBS/Dick Clark Productions
After a short break in 2022, the American Music Awards are being revived in a new city on a new network. CBS will present the awards from Las Vegas this year.
Dick Clark Productions teased a return for the AMAs last year, with new details revealed this week. The awards show will air on Memorial Day, May 26 live in all time zones starting at 8 pm ET / 5 pm ET. Alongside the CBS airing, the awards show will also be streamed on Paramount+. No hosting details or location in Las Vegas have been announced.
The AMAs were on a break for 2023 and were originally set to return in 2024. However, what ended up returning was a 50th anniversary special celebrating the awards show’s history in October. That anniversary special averaged around 6 million viewers for its October 6 broadcast, which was a 54% increase over the 2022 AMAs on ABC. It was also the largest year-over-year growth of a music special or award show on TV.
Dick Clark Productions confirms the 50th anniversary special was the most-streamed AMAs in the show’s history, too. It racked up 65 million views across social media platforms in the week since it aired. The last time the awards show aired in 2022, Taylor Swift swept the awards with six wins and extended her record as the most-awarded artist in AMAs history. Wayne Brady hosted that special.
A video released by CBS showcased clips from stars including Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, Megan Thee Stallion, Shakira, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Olivia Rodrigo, and several others. Dick Clark Productions confirms this airing will “pay special tribute to our veterans through authentic performances and unforgettable moments.”
Dick Clark created the American Music Awards in 1974 for ABC after the network lost the rights to air the Grammy Awards to CBS. The awards show aired on the network until the contract expired in 2022—which ABC chose not to renew. The extended absence was due in part to needing to find a new network home, but also a lack of interest in awards shows in general. It’s no secret that awards events like the Grammys, Oscars, and Emmys viewership numbers have tumbled over the last decade.