Viewers Call AMAs 2025 the 'Worst Awards Show Ever' – Here's Why

Netizens are upset with the American Music Awards organization for focusing more on the show than on the details the public wants to know. However, news outlets provided full coverage of the information.

On May 26, 2025, the American Music Awards (AMAs) took place in Los Angeles, California, where some of Hollywood's biggest musical stars attended as nominees, guests, and performers. Although the awards ceremony returned from a two-year hiatus with a bang, not all netizens were impressed with the show, as many cited their qualms with the lack of focus on who walked away as winners.

The 2025 AMAs' vibrant return to television was a glitzy production that was as ambitious as it was star-packed. Broadcast live coast to coast on Memorial Day from Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the ceremony was helmed by global superstar Jennifer Lopez, who returned to host for the first time in a decade.

Wasting no time, Lopez launched the evening with a jaw-dropping medley of twenty-three of the year's biggest hits, delivered with her signature blend of energy, choreography, and style. From that moment on, the show unfolded as a non-stop spectacle, leaning heavily into showmanship and nostalgia.

While viewers were treated to a slew of performances — from Blake Shelton's AMAs debut with "Stay Country or Die Tryin'" to Lainey Wilson's premiere of "Somewhere Over Laredo" — it was Billie Eilish who undeniably dominated the night.

The multi-talented artist swept all seven categories in which she was nominated. Other big winners included Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, SZA, The Weeknd, Post Malone, Eminem, and Twenty One Pilots, all of whom took home multiple trophies.

The night also paid homage to musical legends and causes close to the heart. Janet Jackson received the prestigious ICON Award, introduced by Lopez, who once danced in Jackson's legendary 1993 music video for "That's the Way Love Goes."

Jackson electrified the stage with a medley of hits, while her friend and co-star Tasha Smith presented her with the award.

Meanwhile, Sir Rod Stewart was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and surprised by a heartfelt family appearance before closing the show with his classic anthem "Forever Young."

The ceremony also spotlighted the veteran community, as Zac Brown received the inaugural Veterans Voice Award for his advocacy efforts, with several tributes woven throughout the broadcast in partnership with the Easy Day Foundation.

On their official website, the AMAs initially spotlighted a few winner highlights before finally placing the full 2025 honoree list at the end of their editorial write-up. What sets the AMAs apart from many other industry accolades is the organization's fan-powered approach.

Winners are determined entirely by public vote, with nominees selected based on measurable fan engagement. This includes streaming figures, album and song sales, radio airplay, and tour grosses — all metrics tracked by Billboard.

It's a system designed to reflect the voice of the people, ensuring that those crowned at the AMAs have genuinely resonated with audiences worldwide. Yet, with so much emphasis placed on celebrating fan-fueled success, many viewers were left questioning why the show gave so little attention to the very results of those interactions.

Following the broadcast, social media platforms lit up with sharp-tongued critiques as viewers took to the internet to voice their discontent. A shared frustration over the omission of major award announcements dominated much of the discourse.

One netizen exclaimed, "Literally just give us the winners. You are completely spitting on us fans by giving us this half done award show. How can you not announce album of the year and song of the year, THE MOST IMPORTANT TWO NOMINATIONS. [sic]."

Echoing that sentiment, another person lamented, "I'm speechless! At least post the winners. Wasted time voting for nothing." Others turned their attention to the show's structure, which they felt leaned more toward musical performances than actual award presentations.

"Congrats on the winners, but this was the worst award show I've seen. We were there to watch the AMAs AWARD show. Not the AMAS concert home video. Respectfully [sic] try again," opined someone else.

A different viewer criticized, "Hardly any awards announced. Mostly older musician performers. Almost no nominees in attendance. Worst awards show ever."

Others noticed a surprising number of no-shows among the nominees and wondered aloud about the event's direction. Disappointed by what they described as a major letdown, one person even indicated they were unfollowing the official social media pages of the AMAs altogether.

While the AMAs drew criticism for under-delivering on key announcements during the live show, news outlets like CBS stepped up to provide what many fans felt the broadcast lacked — clarity, recognition, and full transparency.

Their coverage not only spotlighted the standout performances of the night but also gave due attention to the achievements of every winner across genres and categories.

Leading the nominations this year was Kendrick Lamar, who, despite ten nods — including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year — walked away with just one award for Favorite Hip-Hop Song. Post Malone followed closely with eight nominations and ultimately secured two wins: Favorite Country Song and Favorite Male Country Artist.

Meanwhile, Eilish claimed top honors like Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop Album, Song of the Year, Favorite Female Pop Artist, and more.

Taylor Swift, already the most decorated AMA artist in history, entered the race with six nominations but left empty-handed. Her absence from the ceremony also left rumors of a major album announcement unfulfilled.

The coveted New Artist of the Year title went to Gracie Abrams, while Chappell Roan, though nominated in multiple categories, did not clinch a win. In pop categories, Mars took home the Favorite Male Pop Artist award.

Beyoncé secured two wins in the country division, including Favorite Female Country Artist and Favorite Country Album for "COWBOY CARTER."

In hip-hop, Eminem was named Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist and took home Favorite Hip-Hop Album for "The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)," while Megan Thee Stallion claimed the title of Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist.

Latin music was represented with wins from Bad Bunny, Becky G, Shakira, and Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda. Tyla took home the win for Favorite Afrobeats Artist, while RM triumphed in the competitive K-pop category.

Other notable victories included The Weeknd for Favorite Male R&B Artist, SZA for both Favorite Female R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Song with "Saturn," and Lady Gaga and Mars for their collaboration "Die With A Smile," which also won Favorite Music Video.

Meanwhile, Twenty One Pilots dominated the rock categories with wins for both Favorite Rock Artist and Album, while Linkin Park's "The Emptiness Machine" secured Rock Song of the Year.

On the electronic front, Lady Gaga claimed the title of Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist, while the "Arcane: League of Legends" Season 2 soundtrack took home the award for Favorite Soundtrack.

In the end, while the AMAs may have stumbled in real-time delivery, outside platforms ensured that every artist who earned the fans' vote received their due spotlight, proving once again that even in the absence of proper on-stage recognition, music's biggest stories still find their voice through the press.