Where to Watch AMAs: Complete Guide to the 2026 American Music Awards

The American Music Awards returned for another high-profile Memorial Day broadcast, giving music fans a prime-time showcase built around live performances, fan voting, celebrity appearances and some of the biggest names in pop, country, rock, Latin, R&B and global music.

For viewers searching “where to watch AMAs,” the answer is straightforward in the United States: the 52nd American Music Awards aired nationally on CBS and streamed live through Paramount+ Premium, with additional live TV streaming options available through services that carry CBS. The 2026 ceremony took place on Monday, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with Queen Latifah serving as host.

The Quick Answer: Where to Watch the AMAs

For U.S. viewers, the main viewing options were:

TV channel: CBS
Live stream: Paramount+ Premium, fubo, DIRECTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and other services carrying CBS
Date: Monday, May 25
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Host: Queen Latifah

The AMAs were available through traditional cable or satellite TV on CBS. Cord-cutters could stream the show through live TV platforms carrying CBS, while Paramount+ Premium subscribers could watch the broadcast live. Some live TV streaming services offered free trials or promotional discounts for new users, though availability depended on the plan, market and timing.

Why This Year’s AMAs Drew Major Attention

The American Music Awards have long occupied a distinctive place in the entertainment calendar because they are built around fan response. Created by Dick Clark in 1974, the show determines nominees using fan engagement across streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and tour grosses. Winners are chosen by fan votes from around the world.

That fan-driven identity gives the AMAs a different energy from many industry-voted award shows. The ceremony is not just a reflection of critical recognition; it is a snapshot of what audiences are actually listening to, streaming, buying and supporting.

The 2026 edition continued that tradition with a large, cross-genre lineup and a host whose career spans music, film and television. Queen Latifah’s return as AMAs host carried added significance because it came three decades after her AMA hosting debut in 1995. She has built a career across rap, acting and television, with a Grammy win as well as Academy Award, Golden Globe and SAG nominations.

Streaming the AMAs Without Cable

For viewers without cable, streaming access was the central question. The easiest live-streaming route was Paramount+ Premium, which carried the CBS live broadcast. Paramount+ Essential users were expected to access the show after the live broadcast rather than during the live event.

Live TV streaming platforms also offered CBS access in many U.S. markets. These included fubo, DIRECTV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV in selected configurations or markets. Because local CBS availability can vary, viewers needed to confirm that CBS was included in their specific plan and ZIP code before subscribing.

For many viewers, free trials were the practical route to watching the AMAs without a long-term cable commitment. fubo and DIRECTV were highlighted as options offering trials or promotional discounts for new users, while Paramount+ Premium was the most direct streaming home for the live CBS broadcast.

Watching Outside the United States

International access was more complicated. The live U.S. broadcast was tied to CBS and Paramount+ in the United States, and there was no clear confirmed live national broadcast for several major international markets, including the UK, Canada and Australia. Paramount+ libraries differ by country, so having Paramount+ outside the U.S. did not necessarily mean access to the live AMAs broadcast.

For U.S. subscribers traveling abroad, some guides pointed to VPN use as a way to access a usual paid streaming service while overseas. Viewers should still follow the terms of the streaming service they use and avoid unauthorized streams.

What Time Did the AMAs Start?

The 2026 American Music Awards started at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, May 25. For West Coast viewers, that translated to 5 p.m. PT. Internationally, the time difference pushed the broadcast into early Tuesday in several regions, including the UK, Central Europe, India and Australia.

This timing mattered because the AMAs were presented as a live coast-to-coast event, meaning fans tuning in for performances, award announcements and red-carpet moments needed the correct local conversion.

Queen Latifah’s Role as Host

Queen Latifah anchored the night as host, bringing a multigenerational entertainment profile to a ceremony designed to blend established stars with newer chart forces. Her hosting role helped position the 2026 AMAs as both a contemporary music event and a legacy celebration.

The official AMAs announcement described the ceremony as a “multi-genre, cross-generational celebration of music,” returning to CBS and Paramount+ on Memorial Day from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Performers: A Cross-Genre Lineup

The 2026 AMAs performance lineup reflected the broad reach of the show. Fans were told to expect performances from artists and groups including KATSEYE, Riley Green, Hootie & the Blowfish and SOMBR.

Additional performers listed across the event coverage included Billy Idol, KAROL G, Keith Urban, Maluma, The Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, Twenty One Pilots and New Kids on the Block.

That range was central to the appeal of the broadcast. The AMAs are not limited to one genre or generation; they combine pop dominance, country crossover, K-pop and global pop momentum, Latin music, rock nostalgia and rising artists.

Special Honors Added to the Night

Beyond standard competitive categories, the 2026 AMAs included major special honors. Billy Idol received the Lifetime Achievement Award, Karol G was honored with the International Artist Award of Excellence, and Darius Rucker received the Veterans Voice Award.

Billy Idol’s honor was especially notable because it marked a major legacy moment for the punk rock figure. During the ceremony, he encouraged young musicians to “Find out who you are and be it.”

Key 2026 AMAs Nominees

The 2026 nominations reflected a crowded year in popular music. Taylor Swift led the field with eight nominations, while Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and SOMBR followed with seven each.

Artist of the Year

The Artist of the Year field included:

Bad Bunny
Bruno Mars
BTS
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Morgan Wallen
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift

New Artist of the Year

Nominees included:

Alex Warren
Ella Langley
KATSEYE
Leon Thomas
Olivia Dean
SOMBR

Album of the Year

The Album of the Year nominees included:

“AM I THE DRAMA?” — Cardi B
“Fuerza Regida” — 111xpantia
“SWAG” — Justin Bieber
“Mayhem” — Lady Gaga
“I’m the Problem” — Morgan Wallen
“The Art of Loving” — Olivia Dean
“MUSIC” — Playboi Carti
“Man’s Best Friend” — Sabrina Carpenter
“So Close To What” — Tate McRae
“The Life of a Showgirl” — Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

The Song of the Year nominees included:

“Ordinary” — Alex Warren
“Choosin’ Texas” — Ella Langley
“Golden” — The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami
“Folded: — Kehlani
“MUTT” — Leon Thomas
“I’m the Problem” — Morgan Wallen
“Man I Need” — Olivia Dean
“Manchild” — Sabrina Carpenter
“back to friend” — SOMBR
“The Fate of Ophelia” — Taylor Swift

Collaboration of the Year

The Collaboration of the Year nominees included:

BigXthaPlug & Bailey Zimmerman — “All the Way”
David Guetta, Teddy Swims & Tones And I — “Gone Gone Gone”
Morgan Wallen & Tate McRae — “What I Want”
PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson — “Stateside”
Shaboozey & Jelly Roll — “Amen”

Why the AMAs Still Matter

The AMAs remain important because they measure music popularity from the fan’s side of the industry. In an era shaped by streaming platforms, social media campaigns, global fandoms and genre-blending collaborations, fan-voted awards can reveal which artists have the most active and mobilized audiences.

The 2026 ceremony showed how wide the modern music landscape has become. A single awards night could include legacy rock, country stars, K-pop-linked performers, Latin music, pop heavyweights, internet-driven breakout acts and global fandom moments. That diversity is precisely why the search for “where to watch AMAs” spikes every year: the show draws multiple audiences at once.

What Viewers Should Know Going Forward

For future AMAs broadcasts, the best approach is to check three things before showtime: the official TV channel, whether the live stream is included in your subscription tier, and whether your local streaming package carries CBS.

CBS and Paramount+ were the core U.S. homes for the 2026 edition, but streaming rights, free trials and international availability can change from year to year. Viewers outside the U.S. should be especially careful, because Paramount+ availability in one country does not guarantee access to the same live events available in the United States.

Conclusion

The 2026 American Music Awards gave viewers a fan-powered music spectacle anchored by CBS, Paramount+ and a wide field of streaming TV options. Hosted by Queen Latifah from Las Vegas, the ceremony combined major nominees, live performances and special honors into one of the most searched entertainment broadcasts of the season.

For anyone asking where to watch the AMAs, the essential answer is clear: CBS for traditional TV viewers, Paramount+ Premium for direct live streaming, and live TV platforms carrying CBS for cord-cutters. The broader significance is just as clear: the AMAs remain a major cultural barometer for what music fans are streaming, voting for and celebrating right now.