Music awards exhibits are an opportunity for individuals to come back collectively, each within the room the place it occurs and from the consolation of their very own lounge. Yearly, hundreds of thousands of individuals all all over the world tune into stay exhibits just like the Grammys, the Brit Awards, and the MAMA Awards for an opportunity to catch a efficiency of their favourite music that yr or to root for his or her favourite artists. The American Music Awards (AMAs) is one such awards present that is been round for simply over half a century.
To me, awards exhibits have all the time fallen into two distinct classes: people who current themselves as extra intellectual and usually well-respected (Oscars, Grammys, Tonys) and people who enable for extra scandal and performative freedom or dramatics (MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards). These within the latter class, together with the AMAs, are sometimes fan-voted, handing a number of the energy off to the individuals who care the deepest concerning the nominees. This facet additionally makes it simpler to drag the blame away from the present itself, since, in any case, it is the followers who resolve.
In 2022, ABC’s rights to broadcast the AMAs expired, placing the present on hiatus after that yr’s ceremony. The hiatus lasted by way of 2024, when its new community, CBS, aired a fiftieth anniversary particular and introduced a 2025 return. I am positive I will not be the primary to let you know this, however the 2025 AMAs have been a catastrophe. Previous to the time of penning this, I used to be unaware of the community change and hiatus. I made a decision to tune on this yr as a result of a few of my favourite artists have been nominated. The winners of the awards have been the least of my disappointments.
Jennifer Lopez’s 7-Minute Opening Quantity Bought Issues Off To A Tough Begin
Past That, She Felt Like An Odd Internet hosting Alternative
After I noticed that Jennifer Lopez was the host for the 2025 AMAs, I used to be confused. Certain, she’s a outstanding determine in music, however there needed to be different choices extra related to immediately’s music panorama. As a number, she was high-quality; she learn her strains nicely from the prompter, introduced performers with none main hitches, and saved the present rolling from begin to end. Sadly, her internet hosting talents are the very last thing on my thoughts.
The seven-minute opening quantity started with Lopez belting out the lyrics to one in all her personal hits, “Dance Once more,” prefer it was a Mariah Carey ballad, earlier than going right into a mash-up of 2024’s largest songs. Lopez is not a nasty performer by any means, however her dancing felt misplaced in entrance of tracks like “DENIAL IS A RIVER” by Doechii and “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar.
Associated
2 Months After A Historical Grammys Run, Kendrick Lamar Is Still Dominating This Year’s Music Awards
Rapper Kendrick Lamar continues to show his contemporaries should not like him with the continued awards success of “Not Like Us” and his album GNX.
The mash-up had just a few clear sections, however nothing substantial to tie all of it collectively. For instance, she bent over to the touch her toes along with her again going through the viewers on the finish of “HOT TO GO,” wanting suggestively on the digicam from between her legs because it transitioned painfully into “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.” I perceive that this quantity was meant to focus on all of the songs that can remind us of 2024 sooner or later, however all it did was make me surprise if I actually benefit from the music popping out immediately.
As we speak’s Largest Names In Pop Music Weren’t Even There
Artists Like Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, & Taylor Swift Are On Tour Or Weren’t Current
One of many weirdest elements about watching this present stay was slowly noticing that nobody I used to be watching it for within the first place was within the viewers. Late Might is the start of what I really feel is peak touring season. Artists and bands are both nicely into their present excursions or about to go on the street in the beginning of summer season. This performed a typical theme within the variety of acceptance movies that have been performed in comparison with the artists who really walked on stage to just accept their awards.
Billie Eilish gained seven out of the seven awards she was nominated for, together with Artist of the Yr, Album of the Yr, and Track of the Yr for “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.”
When Gracie Abrams gained New Artist of the Yr, she accepted by way of acceptance video. When Billie Eilish did the identical factor, I began to note a sample. Different nominees like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Bruno Mars weren’t current regardless of releasing a number of the largest songs on this planet in 2024. The day after, I discovered that Eilish had gained each single class she was nominated in, one thing that ought to’ve been highlighted that night time. Just a few of the larger awards have been even introduced stay, probably as a result of winners not being there.
The Performers & Presenters Did not Symbolize The Present State Of Music
It Felt Like An Odd Assortment Of Performances From AMAs Previous With 2025 Mainstream Music Sprinkled In
After I picked up on the artists who have been absent, I could not cease specializing in those that have been current. 2024 was a yr that noticed the rise of a number of outstanding feminine pop artists, mold-breaking nation releases, and Kendrick Lamar world domination. None of those themes have been discovered on the AMAs. As a substitute, we noticed performances by Gwen Stefani, Benson Boone, and Blake Shelton that solely appeared to cater to some unusually particular viewers who by no means switched the radio station over from Hits 1 and solely listened to music as background noise.
This yr’s AMAs felt like one other anniversary particular.
Taylor Swift did not win a single award after her monumental run of touring and music releases final yr. The one rising pop star current was Reneé Rapp, who made her awards present debut along with her newest single, “Depart Me Alone,” one of many extra satisfying performances of the night time for many. If something, this yr’s AMAs felt like one other anniversary particular, showcasing performances from previous ceremonies fairly than specializing in the present state of music or its vibrant future.
