The 2026 American Music Awards: Nominees, Snubs, and the Moments You Can’t Miss

The AMAs are packing up and heading to Vegas for Memorial Day, and yes, regular humans can actually buy a ticket and be in the room. Big room, too. Here is what you need to know without wading through promo-speak.

• Date and time: Monday, May 25, 2026 ( Memorial Day), live at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
• Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — the largest venue the show has ever used, after the AMAs moved from California to Nevada last year
• How to watch: CBS and Paramount+
• Host: Queen Latifah returns to the AMAs stage for the first time since 1995
• Tickets: On sale now via AXS — about $156 (upper level), around $259 (middle), and roughly $460 (floor). Doors at 3:30 p.m. local; be seated by 4:45 p.m. Late arrivals get in during commercial breaks.
• Voting: Open now at VoteAMAs.com and on the @AMAs Instagram. Voting closes Friday, May 8 at 11:59:59 a.m. PT, except Social Song of the Year and Tour of the Year, which stay open through the first 30 minutes of the live broadcast.
• Performers: Not announced yet. (The suspense is doing its thing.)

Queen Latifah is back at the mic

Three decades after she last emceed, Queen Latifah is hosting again. She did not undersell the Vegas factor:

"I am so excited to return to the American Music Awards stage to host this year. It ’s been an incredible year for music and there is no better place to celebrate than in Vegas."

Taylor Swift leads the pack (again)

CBS confirmed on April 14 that Taylor Swift tops the 2026 AMA nominations with eight, powered by her 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl. She is already the show’s all-time leader with 40 wins, and she is up for a fresh stack this year: Artist of the Year, Best Female Pop Artist, Album of the Year and Best Pop Album for The Life of a Showgirl, plus Song of the Year, Best Music Video, and Best Pop Song for "The Fate of Ophelia," and Song of the Summer for "Elizabeth Taylor."

Right behind her with seven nods each: Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and SOMBR. That is a tight race across some very different lanes, which should make the telecast more interesting than the usual victory lap.

New faces making noise

First-time nominees Olivia Dean and SOMBR are both in heavyweight company and directly competing for New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Breakthrough Album of the Year. Also new to the ballot: Alex Warren, BigXthaPlug, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, PinkPantheress, RAYE, Role Model, Sienna Spiro, Tate McRae, and more. Expect at least a couple of these to become yearly fixtures if this season is any indication.

Want in on the night?

Unlike most award shows, the AMAs are selling seats to fans. If you have ever wanted to be part of a live broadcast with all the hurry-up-and-wait energy (and a strong chance of a Taylor sighting), Vegas is open for business. Just remember: the show starts promptly for TV, and the ushers take that whole be-in-your-seat note seriously.