How to watch 2025 AMAs for free: Time, streaming, nominations

Before the holiday weekend is over, it’s time for the 2025 American Music Awards.

The fan-voted ceremony will air live from Las Vegas tonight, making its TV return after three years off the air. It will air for the first time on CBS, and was moved from its typical November date to Memorial Day. CBS indicated that there is a plan in place to “pay tribute to our country’s troops.” Part of that will likely be the Veterans Voice Award honor, going to Zac Brown for his work with veterans.

Tonight, Janet Jackson will receive the Icon Award, while Rod Stewart is honored for his lifetime achievement in music.

Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees tonight with 10, while Post Malone follows closely behind with eight. Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey all recorded seven nominations.

Here’s everything you need to know to tune in to the American Music Awards tonight without cable (for free, too, we might add).

What time are the 2025 AMAs on tonight?

The 2025 American Music Awards start at 8 p.m. ET tonight, May 26.

How to watch and stream the 2025 AMAs for free:

To watch the AMAs for free, you’ll need a live TV streaming service with a free trial.

We recommend DIRECTV, which offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers and a number of different subscription options. When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $59.99/month and gain access to 90+ live channels including CBS.

You can also stream the AMAs for free with Hulu + Live TV (three days free) and Paramount+ with Showtime (one week free).

Who is hosting the AMAs tonight?

Jennifer Lopez will host the 51st AMAs; it marks her second time hosting after she emceed the 2015 awards.

2025 American Music Awards nominees:

There will be 37 AMAs given out this year; these are a few of the top prizes, but you can check out a full list here.

Artist of the Year:

• Ariana Grande
• Billie Eilish
• Chappell Roan
• Kendrick Lamar
• Morgan Wallen
• Post Malone
• Sabrina Carpenter
• SZA
• Taylor Swift
• Zach Bryan

New Artist of the Year:

• Benson Boone
• Chappell Roan
• Gracie Abrams
• Shaboozey
• Teddy Swims
• Tommy Richman

Album of the Year:

• Beyoncé – “Cowboy Carter”
• Billie Eilish – “Hit Me Hard and Soft”
• Chappell Roan – “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”
• Charli XCX – “Brat”
• Gracie Abrams – “The Secret of Us”
• Future and Metro Boomin – “We Don’t Trust You”
• Kendrick Lamar – “GNX”
• Post Malone – “F-1 Trillion”
• Sabrina Carpenter – “Short n’ Sweet”
• Taylor Swift – “The Tortured Poets Department”

Song of the Year:

• Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things”
• Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”
• Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”
• Hozier – “Too Sweet”
• Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
• Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars – “Die with a Smile”
• Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help”
• Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso”
• Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
• Teddy Swims – “Lose Control”

Who is performing at the 2025 AMAs?

Here’s who you can expect to see take the stage throughout the night.

• Benson Boone
• Blake Shelton
• Gloria Estefan
• Janet Jackson
• Jennifer Lopez
• Reneé Rapp
• Gwen Stefani
• Lainey Wilson
• Rod Stewart
• Becky G and Manuel Turizo
• Alex Warren

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post’s streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on each streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews