State Champ Radio Awards
Page: 25
05/26/2025
Musicians showed off their style on the red carpet for the awards show’s first time being held on Memorial Day.
05/26/2025
Going into Monday night’s (May 26) American Music Awards, Kendrick Lamar leads all nominees with a total of 10 nods, including artist of the year, album of the year (GNX) and song of the year (“Not Like Us”) — but who will leave the night’s biggest winner?
Post Malone is runner-up with eight nominations, followed by Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey with seven nods. Six artists are tied with six nominations apiece: Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA and Taylor Swift.
You can follow along all night with Billboard below for our updating full winners list to see who comes out on top. The 2025 show — hosted by second-time emcee Jennifer Lopez — starts at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS.
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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 (new category)
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 & 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 (new category)
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 & 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”
Collaboration of the Year
Kendrick Lamar & SZA, “Luther”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Marshmello & Kane Brown, “Miles on It”
Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars, “APT.”
Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone, “Fortnight”
Social Song of the Year (new category)
Chappell Roan, “HOT TO GO!”
Djo, “End of Beginning”
Doechii, “Anxiety”
Lola Young, “Messy”
Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Tommy Richman, “Million Dollar Baby”
Favorite Touring Artist
Billie Eilish
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
Favorite Music Video
Benson Boone, “Beautiful Things”
KAROL G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With A Smile”
Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Favorite Male Pop Artist
Benson Boone
Bruno Mars
Hozier
Teddy Swims
The Weeknd
Favorite Female Pop Artist
Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan
Lady Gaga
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift
Favorite Pop Album
Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft
Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli xcx, Brat
Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet
Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department
Favorite Pop Song
Benson Boone, “Beautiful Things”
Billie Eilish, “Birds of a Feather”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile”
Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”
Teddy Swims, “Lose Control”
Favorite Male Country Artist
Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Post Malone
Shaboozey
Favorite Female Country Artist
Beyoncé
Ella Langley
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
Favorite Country Duo or Group
Dan + Shay
Old Dominion
Parmalee
The Red Clay Strays
Zac Brown Band
Favorite Country Album
Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter
Jelly Roll, Beautifully Broken
Megan Moroney, Am I Okay?
Post Malone, F-1 Trillion
Shaboozey, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going
Favorite Country Song
Jelly Roll, “I Am Not Okay”
Koe Wetzel & Jessie Murph, “High Road”
Luke Combs, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”
Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”
Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist
Drake
Eminem
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Tyler, The Creator
Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist
Doechii
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Sexyy Red
Favorite Hip-Hop Album
Eminem, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)
Future & Metro Boomin, We Don’t Trust You
Gunna, one of wun
Kendrick Lamar, GNX
Tyler, The Creator, Chromakopia
Favorite Hip-Hop Song
Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”
GloRilla, “TGIF”
GloRilla & Sexyy Red, “Whatchu Kno About Me”
Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA, “Luther”
Favorite Male R&B Artist
Bryson Tiller
Chris Brown
PARTYNEXTDOOR
The Weeknd
Usher
Favorite Female R&B Artist
Kehlani
Muni Long
Summer Walker
SZA
Tyla
Favorite R&B Album
Bryson Tiller, Bryson Tiller
PARTYNEXTDOOR, PARTYNEXTDOOR 4 (P4)
PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U
SZA, SOS Deluxe: LANA
The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow
Favorite R&B Song
Chris Brown, “Residuals”
Muni Long, “Made for Me”
SZA, “Saturn”
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti, “Timeless”
Tommy Richman, “Million Dollar Baby”
Favorite Male Latin Artist
Bad Bunny
Feid
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Tito Double P
Favorite Female Latin Artist
Becky G
KAROL G
Natti Natasha
Shakira
Young Miko
Favorite Latin Duo or Group
Calibre 50
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Firme
Grupo Frontera
Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda
Favorite Latin Album
Bad Bunny, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Fuerza Regida, Dolido Pero No Arrepentido
Peso Pluma, ÉXODO
Rauw Alejandro, Cosa Nuestra
Tito Double P, INCÓMODO
Favorite Latin Song
Bad Bunny, “DtMF”
FloyyMenor X Cris Mj, “Gata Only”
KAROL G, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Oscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida, “Tu Boda”
Shakira, “Soltera”
Favorite Rock Artist
Hozier
Linkin Park
Pearl Jam
Twenty One Pilots
Zach Bryan
Favorite Rock Album
Hozier, Unreal Unearth: Unending
Koe Wetzel, 9 lives
The Marías, Submarine
Twenty One Pilots, Clancy
Zach Bryan, The Great American Bar Scene
Favorite Rock Song
Green Day, “Dilemma”
Hozier, “Too Sweet”
Linkin Park, “The Emptiness Machine”
Myles Smith, “Stargazing”
Zach Bryan, “Pink Skies”
Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist
Charli xcx
David Guetta
John Summit
Lady Gaga
Marshmello
Favorite Soundtrack
Arcane League of Legends: Season 2
Hazbin Hotel (Original Soundtrack)
Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) • Auliʻi Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson and Cast
Twisters: The Album
Wicked: The Soundtrack • Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Cast
Favorite Afrobeats Artist
Asake
Rema
Tems
Tyla
Wizkid
Favorite K-Pop Artist
ATEEZ
Jimin
RM
ROSÉ
Stray Kids
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Crunchyroll, the global brand fueling anime fandom, revealed the winners of the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards during a live ceremony held at Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo on Sunday (May 25). Creepy Nuts won best anime song for “Otonoke,” the opening theme from anime of the year nominee DAN DA DAN. Hiroyuki Sawano won best score for Solo Leveling, which won anime of the year.
The ninth annual Anime Awards was co-hosted for the third year in a row by voice actress Sally Amaki and entertainer Jon Kabira. The winners were revealed by celebrity anime fan presenters, including Grammy-winning singer Kacey Musgraves; Canadian director, musician, and actor Finn Wolfhard and American actor Gaten Matarazzo, both from the hit series Stranger Things; global superstar and anime collaborator J Balvin; Italian singer-songwriter Damiano David; musician and actor Rina Sawayama; Brazilian pop icon Pabllo Vittar; American snowboarder Chloe Kim; and screenwriter Zak Penn.
During the awards show, fans enjoyed performances from Creepy Nuts, the 2025 Anime Awards winning hip-hop duo, who performed “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” the opening theme from Mashle: Magic and Muscles. Rock band FLOW performed “DAYS” to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Eureka Seven; and LiSA, Spotify’s most streamed Japanese artist globally in 2020, performed three songs — “crossing field,” “Datte Atashino Hero,” and “gurenge,” the hit from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
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During the ceremony, Attack on Titan was awarded the Anime Awards’ first global impact award. The final film Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK premiered in late 2024, marking the end of the longstanding anime. Yuichiro Hayashi from MAPPA accepted the award on behalf of all the creatives who brought the series to life over the years.
This year, a record 51 million votes were cast by fans worldwide to celebrate their favorite series, films, and actors. The 2025 Anime Awards will be available to stream as video-on-demand shortly on Crunchyroll’s YouTube and Twitch Channels, along with SONY PICTURES CORE and the Sony Group Corp Japan and Global YouTube Channels.
“Fans form deep emotional connections to anime. These are not just series, films or songs, but rather works of art that help define the identity of anime fans,” Rahul Purini, president of Crunchyroll, said in a statement.
Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions supported Crunchyroll in the execution of the Anime Awards this year.
Here’s a complete list of 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards nominees and winners.
Anime of the Year
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
WINNER: Solo Leveling
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Anime Song
Abyss – Yungblud – Kaiju No. 8
Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts – MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
Fatal – GEMN -【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
LEveL – SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Solo Leveling
WINNER: Otonoke – Creepy Nuts – DAN DA DAN
The Brave – YOASOBI – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Best Score
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict- Shiro Sagisu
DAN DA DAN – kensuke ushio
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Evan Call
Look Back – Haruka Nakamura
WINNER: Solo Leveling – Hiroyuki Sawano
Film of the Year
HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle
WINNER: Look Back
Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain
My Hero Academia: You’re Next
SPY x FAMILY CODE: White
The Colors Within
Best Original Anime
BUCCHIGIRI?!
GIRLS BAND CRY
Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night
Metallic Rouge
WINNER: Ninja Kamui
Train to the End of the World
Best Continuing Series
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
WINNER: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
My Hero Academia, My Hero Academia Season 7
ONE PIECE
【OSHI NO KO】【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
SPY × FAMILY, SPY × FAMILY Season 2
Best New Series
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
WINNER: Solo Leveling
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Opening Sequence
Abyss – Yungblud – Kaiju No. 8
Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts – MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
Fatal – GEMN – 【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
LEveL – SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Solo Leveling
WINNER: Otonoke – Creepy Nuts – DAN DA DAN
UUUUUS! – Hiroshi Kitadani – ONE PIECE
Best Ending Sequence
Antanante – riria. – Ranma1/2
Burning – Hitsujibungaku – 【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
KAMAKURA STYLE – BotchiBoromaru – The Elusive Samurai
Nobody – OneRepublic – Kaiju No. 8
WINNER: request – krage – Solo Leveling
TAIDADA – ZUTOMAYO – DAN DA DAN
Best Action
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
DAN DA DAN
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Kaiju No. 8
WINNER: Solo Leveling
WIND BREAKER
Best Comedy
Delicious in Dungeon
KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3
WINNER: MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
My Deer Friend Nokotan
Ranma1/2
SPY × FAMILY Season 2
Best Drama
A Sign of Affection
DEAD DEAD DEMONS DEDEDEDE DESTRUCTION
WINNER: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
Pluto
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Isekai Anime
KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (season 2, Cour 2)
WINNER: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3
Shangri-La Frontier Season 2
Suicide Squad ISEKAI
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3
Best Romance
A Sign of Affection
WINNER: Blue Box
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Ranma1/2
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
The Dangers in My Heart Season 2
Best Slice of Life
Laid-Back Camp Season 3
WINNER: Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Mr. Villain’s Day Off
My Deer Friend Nokotan
Sound! Euphonium 3
The Dangers in My Heart Season 2
Best Animation
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
WINNER: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
Solo Leveling
Best Background Art
DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
WINNER: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Pluto
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Character Design
WINNER: DAN DA DAN
Delicious in Dungeon
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kaiju No. 8
The Apothecary Diaries
Best Director
Fuga Yamashiro – DAN DA DAN
Haruo Sotozaki – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
WINNER: Keiichiro Saito – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Megumi Ishitani – ONE PIECE FAN LETTER
Norihiro Naganuma – The Apothecary Diaries
Yoshihiro Miyajima – Delicious in Dungeon
Best Main Character
Frieren – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Kafka Hibino – Kaiju No. 8
Okarun – DAN DA DAN
Maomao – The Apothecary Diaries
Momo – DAN DA DAN
WINNER: Sung Jinwoo – Solo Leveling
Best Supporting Character
WINNER: Fern – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Himmel – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Jinshi – The Apothecary Diaries
Seiko – DAN DA DAN
Senshi – Delicious in Dungeon
Turbo Granny – DAN DA DAN
“Must Protect at All Cost” Character
WINNER: Anya Forger – SPY × FAMILY Season 2
Frieren – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Okarun- DAN DA DAN
Senshi – Delicious in Dungeon
Tokiyuki Hojo – The Elusive Samurai
Yuki Itose – A Sign of Affection
Best Japanese Voice Artist Performance: Aoi Yuki (Maomao) – The Apothecary Diaries
Best English Voice Artist Performance: Aleks Le (Sung Jinwoo) – Solo Leveling
Best Arabic Voice Artist Performance: Hiba Snobar (Anya Forger) – SPY × FAMILY Season 2
Best Brazilian Portuguese Voice Artist Performance: Charles Emmanuel (Sung Jinwoo) – Solo Leveling
Best Castilian Spanish Voice Artist Performance: Masumi Mutsuda (Sung Jinwoo) – Solo Leveling
Best French Voice Artist Performance: Adrien Antoine (Kafka Hibino) – Kaiju No. 8
Best German Voice Artist Performance: Daniel Schlauch (Monkey D. Luffy) – ONE PIECE
Best Hindi Voice Artist Performance: Lohit Sharma (Satoru Gojo) – JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 2
Best Italian Voice Artist Performance: Ilaria Pellicone (Kyomoto) – Look Back
Best Latin Spanish Voice Artist Performance: Miguel Ángel Leal (Eren Jaeger) – Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2
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Jennifer Lopez is set to host the 2025 American Music Awards, kicking off on Memorial Day, May 26. The show will feature a star-studded list of performers, including Benson Boone, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani and more.
Taking place at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, here’s everything you need to know about the annual fan-voted awards show, including how to stream, who’s performing, and where to buy last-minute tickets. Keeping scrolling for more info.
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When Are the 2025 AMAs?
The American Music Awards will air live starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Monday, May 26, on CBS. You can stream the event live on Paramount+ With Showtime, DirecTV or fuboTV.
How to Watch the AMAs
The annual music awards show will be airing on CBS. Don’t have cable? There are plenty of streaming options to catch the show, including Paramount+ With Showtime. The current service plan costs $12.99/month or $119.99/year, while the Paramount+ Essential Plan currently costs $7.99/month or $59.99/year. However, the awards show will only be available to watch live with Paramount+ With Showtime. The streaming service does offer a seven-day free trial, which new users can activate once signing up.
Want to watch the AMAs online for free? FuboTV offers a seven-day free trial when you sign up for one of its plans. You’ll gain access to more than 200 live TV channels, so you can watch the AMAs live for free. After your free trial is over, you’ll be charged the subscription price based on the plan you choose or you can cancel at any time.
DirecTV also offers a five-day free trial and the live TV streaming service also includes CBS as part of its channel lineup. Use the free trial to stream the AMAs online free from your phone, tablet, computer or smart TV.
Who’s Performing at the AMAs?
Janet Jackson will receive the prestigious ICON Award and deliver her first live TV performance in seven years. Rod Stewart will also be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and perform on the AMAs stage for the first time in over two decades. Other performers include: Jennifer Lopez, Gloria Estefan, Benson Boone, Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Lainey Wilson, Reneé Rapp and more. See more of this year’s performers here.
How to Get Tickets to the American Music Awards
Want to attend the AMAs this year? You’re in luck. Fans can still score last-minute 2025 American Music Awards tickets through a variety of ticket sites, including Ticketmaster, StubHub and Vivid Seats, ahead of Monday night’s ceremony. It’s not too late to spend the long weekend in Vegas.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Alex Warren, whose hit ballad “Ordinary” has spent the last three weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 – and the last nine weeks at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart – is set to perform on the 2025 American Music Awards, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
The 51st AMAs are set to “kick off summer” from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Monday, May 26. The show will air live coast-to-coast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
This will be Warren’s first awards show performance, though a performance on the finale of the Netflix series Love Is Blind on March 9 is credited with giving “Ordinary” a critical boost. Warren is considered a likely Grammy contender for best new artist. The nominations for the 68th annual Grammy Awards will be announced later this year.
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Warren, 24, is one of three performers announced for the AMAs so far who are in their 20s, along with Benson Boone, 22, and Reneé Rapp, 25.
Jennifer Lopez will host the show for the second time. Sir Rod Stewart is set to receive a lifetime achievement award. Janet Jackson is set to receive an ICON Award. All three of these artists will also perform on the show, along with Gwen Stefani, Gloria Estefan, Lainey Wilson and Blake Shelton.
The American Music Awards is the world’s largest fan-voted awards show. Tickets to the show are available now on Ticketmaster.
Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s AMA contenders with 10 nominations, followed closely by Post Malone with eight nods, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey, with seven each.
Nominees are based on key fan interactions – as reflected on the Billboard charts – including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and tour grosses. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and Luminate, and cover the data tracking eligibility period of March 22, 2024, through March 20, 2025.
Fan voting is now closed, with the exception of collaboration of the year and social song of the year, which will remain open for web voting through the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast via VoteAMAs.com.
The AMAs and Easy Day Foundation, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit organization committed to helping veterans transition to civilian life, will partner to present several in-show moments that celebrate veterans while raising funds for a variety of national and local organizations.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Bono is tired of the broken bottles under children’s feet and bodies strewn across the dead-end street, so he called for the Israel-Hamas war to stop during U2‘s induction into the Ivor’s Fellowship Academy at the Ivor Novello Awards ceremony in London on Thursday (May 22).
The singer-songwriter’s message came as he introduced the band’s acoustic performance of its 1983 hit “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” about the January 1972 massacre that saw British soldiers fire upon protesters in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing 14 unarmed people.
“I used to introduce this next song by saying it wasn’t a rebel song,” Bono began. “Believing in the possibilities of peace was then and is now a rebellious act — and some would say a ridiculous one. To believe peace was attainable between your country and ours, between our country and itself, was a ridiculous idea because peace creates possibilities in the most intractable situations, and lord knows theres a few of them out there right now.”
“Hamas, release the hostages, stop the war,” the Irish rocker continued. “Israel, be released from Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts. All of you protect our aid workers, they are the best of us!”
Hamas launched an attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 others as captives, with the Associated Press reporting that 58 are still being held. More than 53,000 people — mostly children and women — have been killed across Gaza in Israel’s retaliatory attacks. On Friday, Gaza’s health ministry said that at least another 60 have been killed in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours.
The band has been outspoken in its stances. In February, U2 shared a message of support for Ukraine, which has been fighting against an invasion by Russia launched thee years earlier. “All who believe in freedom and sense the jeopardy we Europeans now find ourselves in are not sleeping easily on this, the third anniversary of the invasion,” Bono captioned the Instagram post, which included a reading of Taras Shevchenko’s “My Friendly Epistle” accompanied by piano.
In January, President Joe Biden honored Bono with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, highlighting the rocker’s work as a “pioneering activist against AIDS and poverty.”
On Friday (May 23), 13 artists were presented with iHeartRadio Titanium Awards for reaching 1 billion spins of their songs across iHeartRadio stations in 2025 — and Billboard can exclusively reveal the new honorees. Artists that reached the milestone include: Benson Boone with “Beautiful Things”; David Guetta and Bebe Rexha with “I’m Good (Blue)”; Doja […]
Jennifer Lopez is set to host the 2025 American Music Awards, which will air live coast-to-coast on Memorial Day, Monday (May 26), and she’ll also open the show with a musical performance.
On Thursday (May 22), Lopez took a break from rehearsals to chat with Billboard about hosting and performing. She had a surprising revelation — “I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest” — but she will no doubt give the hosting gig everything she’s got, which is a signature J.Lo trait.
We discussed her debut performance on the show in 1991, as a backup dancer behind New Kids on the Block, a mid-performance slip in 2009 (ever the trouper, she was back on her feet instantly), and a tribute performance to salsa legend Celia Cruz in 2013 that she regards as one of her favorite performances she’s ever done.
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This year’s show will be held at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It’s Lopez’s second time hosting the AMAs; she first hosted the show 10 years ago. Other performers on this year’s show include Janet Jackson (who is set to receive the ICON Award), Rod Stewart (who is set to receive a lifetime achievement award), Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson and Reneé Rapp.
Here’s our conversation, with just light edits.
The AMAs went on the air when you were 4 and a half. Did you grow up watching the AMAs and the Grammys?
Absolutely.
Did they kind of feed your dreams?
Yes, they did, absolutely. You can’t help but watch those [shows], being an artist or not even knowing you’re an artist yet, and just be pulled in by the performances and the incredible moments that you see, and people kind of being celebrated for what they do. It was just always amazing to see which moments kind of put a mark on your mind when you’re watching TV and those awards shows. And I do think it makes people who are young artists believe that it’s something you can actually accomplish.
Do you remember specific artists who had that effect on you when you were a kid?
I remember watching with my mom. She was a huge Diana Ross fan, and I remember seeing Diana Ross on the AMAs and the Grammys. I remember seeing all the Motown artists. Tina Turner was also a big one for me.
You’re the fourth music star to solo-host the AMAs twice, following Lionel Richie, Diana Ross and Pitbull. I’d say you’re all in good company.
Oh wow. Yeah, that’s good company. That’s a nice group.
I watched all 10 of your previous AMAs performances the other day – nice work if you can get it – and you really commit. You go all out. It’s like one of your songs says, “Go hard or go home.” You go hard.
I do go hard. I enjoy performing and I enjoy kind of pushing myself out of my comfort zone to do different things. I started as a dancer, so my performances are very kind of dance-oriented because that’s who I am at heart. I feel like I am a singer and I am an actress and I love doing those things, but I think I came out of the womb dancing. And my mother was a dancer, so I think I picked that up from her.
I grew up watching variety shows and specials headlined by people like Ann-Margret and Mitzi Gaynor. There aren’t many places anymore for that kind of all-around entertainer. Awards shows are about it. Just about all 10 of your AMAs performances were big production numbers with big production values. They gave you a showcase to show what you can do.
Yeah, that is true. There’s different things as an artist. I do films as an actor and I do my shows and my touring for my music. Trying to kind of bring those things together is never an easy thing and you don’t get to do that, but I think when you’re hosting an awards show, you get to sing a little bit and dance a little bit and people get to feel your personality and your energy.
I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest. I think that’s why it’s taken me 10 years to do it again. I do get – believe it or not – shy and nervous, but I do remember having a great time doing it back then [in 2015]. I felt like it was a good time to give it another try.
What do you remember about the 1991 show when you were a dancer behind New Kids?
Oh my God, I remember that was such an exciting moment for me. I had been hired as a dancer. This is before I was acting and singing and doing my own music. I was hired to be a backup dancer for New Kids. Just the idea of being part of that was such a big deal. I was right in the middle, in the center, and it was exhilarating, to be quite honest. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe it and being around all the other artists and seeing some of the stars that I liked. It was so much fun.
You were just 21, and that was back when awards shows reached a massive audience.
Yeah, everyone in my neighborhood saw it. They couldn’t believe it was me. It was so much fun. It was a great moment.
In 2009, performing “Louboutins,” you did a dismount and fell on your backside, but what impressed me watching it was how quickly you were back on your feet. It was a split second. Do you remember that?
Of course I do. I just slipped and fell down for a second, but yeah, I got right back up. And it wasn’t as big a deal as everybody made it, but yes, I was a little bit hurt for a couple of days. That whole day I didn’t feel it because I had so much adrenaline, and the performance went so well.
In 2013, you did a tribute to Celia Cruz, in which you performed “Químbara,” “Carnaval” and “Bemba Colorá.” Did you know her?
I did not know her very closely, but I had met her. I was always such a huge fan of hers. Like the minute they asked me to do the Celia Cruz tribute, I knew exactly what songs I wanted to do. I knew exactly the type of number that I wanted to do. It was an amazing moment. I felt kind of her energy flowing through me. That’s probably one of my favorite performances of all time that I’ve done.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
U2, Robbie Williams, Charli xcx and Lola Young were among the artists celebrated at the 2025 Ivor Novello Awards on Thursday (May 22) at the Grosvenor Hotel in London.
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Awards were handed out to 22 songwriters and composers across 14 categories, with more than 70% of the honorees winning an Ivor Novello for the first time.
Songwriter of the year with Amazon Music was presented to Charli xcx in recognition of her zeitgeist-busting Brat record. The LP topped the Official Albums Chart in the U.K. and hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
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She was bested in the best album category by Trinidad-born musician BERWYN, who collected the prize for his emotive debut album, Who Am I, released on Sony Music Entertainment. The record, which reflects on the Romford-based rapper’s heritage and upbringing as an immigrant in the U.K., was also nominated for the Mercury Prize in September 2024.
U2 was inducted into the Ivors’ Fellowship Academy, becoming the first Irish act to do so. Previous inductees include Paul McCartney (2000), Elton John (2005), Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees (2006), Andrew Lloyd Webber (2012) and Kate Bush (2020). Bruce Springsteen became the first U.S. musician to enter the fellowship in 2024.
Following the announcement of his forthcoming album Britpop, Robbie Williams was awarded the PRS for Music Icon Award in honor of his extensive songwriting catalog. The former Take That star is currently tied with The Beatles with 15 No. 1 albums on the Official U.K. Charts, and with his 18 BRIT Awards, he is the most successful artist in that show’s history.
New names, including Lola Young and Myles Smith, also enjoyed success. The former collected the rising star award with Amazon Music following the breakout success of her song “Messy,” which held the No. 1 spot on the Official Singles Chart for four weeks. Smith, alongside co-writers Peter Fenn and Jesse Fink, earned the PRS for Music Most Performed Work prize for their megahit “Stargazing.”
Best song musically and lyrically was presented to Irish singer-songwriter Orla Gartland for her track “Mine,” while the San Soucis collected best contemporary song for its release “Circumnavigating Georgia.”
There were winners across the arts in film, television and video games. The soundtrack for The Substance by Raffertie won best original film score; John Konsolakis triumphed in best original video game score for Farewell North; and Vince Pope won in the best television soundtrack category for his work on True Detective: Night Country.
Bloc Party were on hand to be awarded the prize for outstanding song collection, though original members Matt Tong and Gordon Moakes (who left in 2013 and 2015, respectively) were not in attendance alongside frontman Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack.
The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers earned the special international prize, and Self Esteem, who recently issued her third LP, A Complicated Woman, won the Visionary Award with Amazon Music.
The Ivor Novello Awards were streamed live on Prime Video, continuing a partnership that began in 2023. See the full list of winners below.
Best Album
WINNER: Brat written by Charli xcx, A. G. Cook and Finn Keane; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Concord Music Publishing obo Alias Guild and Universal Music Publishing; Performed by Charli xcx
On Purpose, With Purpose written by Ghetts and TenBillion Dreams; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK; Performed by Ghetts
The Loop written and performed by Jordan Rakei; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway written by William Brown, Conor Dickinson, Jared Solomon and Lola Young; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs, Sony Music Publishing – Solomon Gouda and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Lola Young
Who Am I written and performed by BERWYN; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing
Best Contemporary Song
“Allergy” written by Felix Joseph, Alastair O’Donnell and Pa Salieu; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Pa Salieu
“Angel of My Dreams” written by Pablo Bowman, JADE, Steph Jones and Mike Sabath; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing, Sony Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing obo Hipgnosis Hits-Steph Jones Who Music-Vistaville Music; Performed by JADE
WINNER: “Circumnavigating Georgia” written and performed by Sans Soucis; Published in the UK by Sentric Music
“Double Standards” written by Ghetts, EMIL, Sampha Sisay and R-Kay; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Worldwide UK, Ditto Plus Music Publishing and Sony Music Publishing – Young Songs; Performed by Ghetts feat. Sampha
“How Black Men Lose Their Smile” written by Bashy, Toddla T and Linton Kwesi Johnson; Published in the UK by Downtown Music obo DLJ Songs, BMG Rights Worldwide UK and Universal Music Publishing obo L-K-J Music Publishers; Performed by Bashy
Best Song Musically and Lyrically
“Child of Mine” written and performed by Laura Marling; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing
“Genesis.” written by Rodney Jerkins, RAYE and Toneworld; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music and Kobalt Music Publishing obo Mohemmusic-Songs by Seventy 7 Music; Performed by RAYE
“In the Modern World” written by Grian Chatten, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan, Thomas Coll and Carlos O’connell; Published in the UK by Domino Publishing Company; Performed by Fontaines D.C.
“Messy” written by Conor Dickinson and Lola Young; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Day One Songs and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Lola Young
WINNER: “Mine” written and performed by Orla Gartland; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo San Remo Music
PRS for Music Most Performed Work
“As It Was” written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing and Concord Music Publishing obo These Are Pulse Songs; Performed by Harry Styles
“Houdini” written by Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Tobias Jesso Jnr, Dua Lipa and Kevin Parker; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Viking Jamz Publishing, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music obo Radical 22 Publishing; Performed by Dua Lipa
“Last Christmas” written by George Michael; Published in the UK by Warner Chappell Music obo WHAM! Music Limited; Performed by WHAM!
“Prada” written by D-Block Europe, Obi Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Uche Ebele (Da Beatfreakz), Jahmori “Jaymo” Simmons and RAYE; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing, Bucks Music Group Ltd obo Armada Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing obo Fat Pigeon (Publishing) Limited and Warner Chappell Music; Performed by Cassö, RAYE and D-Block Europe
WINNER: “Stargazing” written by Peter Fenn, Jesse Fink and Myles Smith; Published in the UK by Kobalt Music Publishing obo Songs by 308 Publishing-Where Da Kasz At, Lyric Global Copyright Services Crescendo obo Arcade Artists Publishing-Jesse Fink Publishing-Spirit One Music Crescendo and Sony Music Publishing; Performed by Myles Smith
Rising Star Award With Amazon Music
Bea and her Business
Liang Lawrence
WINNER: Lola Young
LULU.
Nia Smith
Best Original Film Score
Fly Me to the Moon composed by Daniel Pemberton; Published in the UK by Sony Music Publishing obo Apple
Hard Truths composed by Gary Yershon; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Thin Man Films
Kneecap composed by Michael ‘Mickey J’ Asante
WINNER: The Substance composed by Raffertie; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Universal Pictures Music
The Zone of Interest composed by Mica Levi; Published in the UK by Domino Publishing Company
Best Original Video Game Score
Empire of the Ants composed by Mathieu Alvado and Mark Choi
WINNER: Farewell North composed by John Konsolakis
Flock composed by Eli Rainsberry
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II composed by David Garcia Diaz
The Casting of Frank Stone composed by Boxed Ape
Best Television Soundtrack
Black Doves composed by Martin Phipps; Publishing in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Maisie Anthems
Mary & George composed by Oliver Coates; Published in the UK by SATV Publishing
Rivals composed by Jack Halama and Natalie Holt; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo Walt Disney Music Company
WINNER: True Detective: Night Country composed by Vince Pope; Published in the UK by Universal Music Publishing obo T-L Music Publishing
Until I Kill You composed by Carly Paradis; Published in the UK by BMG Rights Management UK obo Veti Music Publishing
PRS for Music Icon Award
Robbie Williams
Songwriter of the Year with Amazon Music
Charli xcx
Outstanding Song Collection
Bloc Party
Special International
Brandon Flowers
Visionary Award with Amazon Music
Self Esteem
Miley Cyrus is just over a week away from releasing her next album, Something Beautiful. But before she does, she’s reflecting on all the steps she needed to take to get to this moment, from taking control of her sobriety to winning a Grammy for her smash hit “Flowers.”
In an interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe posted Wednesday (May 21), the pop star opened up about how cutting out substances didn’t just change her life for the better, but ultimately paved the way for her to find unprecedented success with her Endless Summer Vacation album. “I’ve learned this about myself over the years,” she told Lowe. “The sobriety is like, that’s like my God. I need it, I live for it. I mean that it’s changed my entire life.”
Cyrus also got candid about how her attempt at sobriety around the time of her 2020 album Plastic Hearts went awry. “I know I needed to fall one more time,” she explained. “I just, I had to. It just never would have happened this way. I just never would have been sitting here. There were times in that section … I’m not proud of them. Definitely not my best moments, not some of my best work, any of that. But it all led me to writing ‘Flowers,’ which then was some sort of key right into the lock of all healing.”
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Released in 2023 as the lead single from Endless Summer Vacation, “Flowers” spent eight weeks atop the Hot 100 — completely blowing past the run of Cyrus’ only other No. 1 single so far, “Wrecking Ball,” which remained at the chart’s summit for three weeks in 2013. The self-love anthem would go on to win the Hannah Montana alum her first-ever Grammys — best pop solo performance and record of the year — at the 2024 ceremony.
In her interview with Lowe, Cyrus said that earning the Recording Academy recognition was just as “healing” as writing and releasing the song had been. “I think somewhere inside of me, I needed maybe to hold a trophy and just feel for a moment that I have something that I can hold in my hands that feels like a true achievement,” she explained. “And so at the Grammys, that’s why I went, it was actually for healing.”
The moment was particularly fateful as Cyrus says she originally wasn’t even going to go to the Grammys. In addition to suffering from extreme performance anxiety at the time, she also confided in Lowe that she was afraid to acknowledge to herself at the time just how much she wanted to win.
“There was somewhere that I was avoiding this, the fact that it did matter to me somewhere,” she shared. “And so once I received my Grammy, I was like, look, when you Google me, it says ‘Miley Cyrus, a Grammy Award-winning artist.’”
Pretty soon, Google will also say that Cyrus has released nine albums, with Something Beautiful set to drop on May 30. Led by singles “More to Lose,” “End of the World,” “Prelude” and its title track, the LP doubles as a visual album, with its accompanying film hitting theaters for one night only in June.
Two days prior to her Apple Music interview, the “We Can’t Stop” vocalist also unveiled the Something Beautiful tracklist, featuring collaborations with Brittany Howard and Naomi Campbell.
Watch Cyrus’ full Zane Lowe interview below.
