American Music Awards 2026: Taylor Swift Leads Nominations as Queen Latifah Returns to Host Las Vegas Ceremony
The 52nd American Music Awards returned to Las Vegas on Memorial Day Monday, with Taylor Swift leading the pack with eight nominations and Queen Latifah hosting for the first time in over 30 years.
The 2026 American Music Awards took over the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, bringing together the biggest names in music for a three-hour CBS/Paramount+ telecast. Queen Latifah returned as host, marking her first time as MC in over three decades, having last co-hosted the ceremony in 1995.
The Nomination Leaders
Taylor Swift emerged as the most nominated artist of the night with eight nods, including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for The Life of a Showgirl. Her single "The Fate of Ophelia" was also recognized in multiple categories, including Song of the Year, Best Pop Song of the Year, and Best Music Video, while "Elizabeth Taylor" earned a Song of the Summer nomination. Close behind Swift were Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, and first-time nominees Olivia Dean and Sombr, each securing seven nominations.
New Categories and First-Time Contenders
This year's ceremony introduced 12 new categories, expanding the awards landscape significantly. Among the additions were Breakout Tour, Breakthrough Album of the Year, and Best Throwback Song — the latter featuring a nomination for Black Eyed Peas' "Rock That Body." First-time nominees Olivia Dean and Sombr went head-to-head in several major categories, including New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Breakthrough Album of the Year.
Star-Studded Performances and Presenters
The AMAs featured a diverse lineup of performers, including Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Billy Idol, International Artist Award of Excellence honoree Karol G, Hootie & the Blowfish, Katseye, Keith Urban, Maluma, The Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes, Riley Green, Sombr, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, and Twenty One Pilots. Presenters throughout the night included Alysa Liu, Anthony Ramos, EJAE, Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias, GloRilla, Hannah Berner, Hilary Duff, Jason Derulo, John Legend, Josh Groban, Leon Thomas, Lisa Rinna, Mariah the Scientist, Matt Rife, Megan Stalter, Paul W. Downs, Melanie Martinez, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul, and Russell Dickerson.
Red Carpet Glamour and Reality TV Crossovers
The blue carpet drew not only music stars but also a wave of reality TV personalities. Early arrivals included Giggly Squad podcast co-host Hannah Berner, Summer House stars Jesse Solomon and Mia Calabrese, and Love Island USA cast members Amaya Espinal, Jana Craig, and Chelley Bissainthe. Also spotted were Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Lisa Barlow and Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Jesse Draper. Musical artists parading their best couture included EJAE, Rei Ami, John Legend, Linda Perry, Bebe Rexha, Nikki Glaser, Tinashe, Melanie Martinez, and Maluma.
Key Contested Categories
In the major categories, Artist of the Year nominees included Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, BTS, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift. The Song of the Year race featured Alex Warren's "Ordinary," Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas," a collaboration from EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami titled "Golden," Kehlani's "Folded," Leon Thomas' "MUTT," Morgan Wallen's "I'm The Problem," Olivia Dean's "Man I Need," Sabrina Carpenter's "Manchild," Sombr's "back to friends," and Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia." The Collaboration of the Year category saw BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman, David Guetta with Teddy Swims and Tones And I, Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, and Shaboozey with Jelly Roll all vying for the trophy.
