K-pop acts and breakout newcomers dominated the 52nd American Music Awards in Las Vegas. BTS won Artist of the Year, KATSEYE was named New Artist of the Year and Sabrina Carpenter took Album of the Year at the May 25 ceremony at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Queen Latifah hosted, returning to the AMAs 31 years after co-hosting in 1995, and the show introduced new award categories while adding a Memorial Day Salute partnership with veterans groups. The telecast aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+.

The 52nd edition of the American Music Awards leaned into a crowded, global pop moment and rewarded both established superstars and rising acts. What played out across an evening of performances and presentations was a clear tilt toward crossover K-pop success and a healthy mix of genre winners from rock to Afrobeats.

K-pop and the night of multiple wins

K-pop made headline news from the first awards. BTS took home Artist of the Year, the top prize of the evening, a win that showed the group’s continued global reach. KATSEYE, one of the ceremony’s breakout names, was named New Artist of the Year and also won Best Music Video for "Gnarly." The singing voices credited as HUNTR/X, EJAE, Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna, captured Song of the Year for "Golden," the lead track from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack.

Forbes and other outlets reported that BTS, KATSEYE, Sabrina Carpenter, Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Sombr and the singing voices of HUNTR/X each finished the night with three wins apiece, making them the most decorated acts of the evening. Those multiple-win nights were spread across both marquee categories and the new awards added this year, amplifying the sense that the AMAs aimed to recognize mainstream hits alongside more niche achievements.

Genre categories mixed mainstream and alternative tastes. Sabrina Carpenter won Album of the Year for Man's Best Friend, a victory that landed her among the night's heavy hitters.

Sombr dominated the rock lane, taking Best Rock/Alternative Song for "back to friends" and Best Rock/Alternative Album for I Barely Know Her, while Twenty One Pilots earned Best Rock/Alternative Artist and delivered the television debut of their song "Drag Path." Collaboration of the Year went to PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson for "Stateside," and Social Song of the Year was awarded to Tyla for "CHANEL." The KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack was named Best Soundtrack.

Across pop, country, R&B, Latin and Afrobeats categories, winners ran the gamut of current radio staples and emerging sounds. Shakira's Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour was named Tour of the Year, and Zara Larsson's Midnight Sun took Breakthrough Album of the Year. Those results reflected the AMAs’ intention to balance commercial success with discovery.

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New categories, a Memorial Day Salute, and special honors

Organizers introduced 12 new award categories this year. The slate included Song of the Summer, Best Vocal Performance, Best Throwback Song and Best Americana/Folk Artist, along with multiple Breakthrough awards designed to spotlight rising acts. The additions broadened the ceremony's reach and gave the producers extra moments to showcase newer talent alongside established stars.

That said, the broadcast also incorporated the AMAs Salute initiative tied to Memorial Day. This Salute program partnered with a group of military and veterans service organizations, including the USO, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. This partnership framed several onstage moments and tributes during the show, giving the telecast an explicit link to the holiday.

Three special honors were announced before the broadcast. Karol G received the International Artist Award of Excellence, a recognition of her global impact. Billy Idol was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Darius Rucker was recognized with the Veterans Voice Award, an honor that tied directly to the Salute initiative.

The red carpet drew a broad celebrity presence. Attendees photographed for the event included Katseye, Karol G, Billy Idol, Teyana Taylor and Paula Abdul, among others, a collection of images published in a photo gallery by Entertainment Weekly. Those photographs captured both fashion moments and industry face time, elements the AMAs still use to punctuate the television event.

For viewers who missed the live telecast, the full ceremony was available on Paramount+ and on CBS, while Entertainment Weekly and other outlets posted red carpet galleries and photo highlights. The combination of broadcast and streaming distribution meant fans could catch performances and awards on multiple platforms after the show ended.

Look, on stage and off, the show felt like both a celebration and a recalibration. The new categories created extra prize lanes for breakout performers, while the Salute initiative and the pre-broadcast honors reinforced the ceremony's broader cultural framing. Commercial winners sat beside genre picks, and global artists shared the stage with longstanding American stars.

Television debuts and first-time performances also gave the night a few appointment-viewing moments. Twenty One Pilots’ television debut of "Drag Path" served as one such moment, and other onstage performances across genres helped cement the AMAs as a place where artists can both mark a career milestone and introduce new work to a wide audience.

In that sense, the 52nd AMAs mirrored the music business at large: established returns, rising names, and a clear drive to fold international success into the U.S. awards conversation.

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Billy Idol was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Originally reported by forbes.com.

This article was created with AI assistance.