Music awards shows are a chance for people to come together, both in the room where it happens and from the comfort of their own living room. Every year, millions of people all around the world tune into live shows like the Grammys, the Brit Awards, and the MAMA Awards for a chance to catch a performance of their favorite song that year or to root for their favorite artists. The American Music Awards (AMAs) is one such awards show that's been around for just over half a century.

To me, awards shows have always fallen into two distinct categories: those that present themselves as more highbrow and generally well-respected (Oscars, Grammys, Tonys) and those that allow for more scandal and performative freedom or dramatics (MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards). Those in the latter category, including the AMAs, are often fan-voted, handing some of the power off to the people who care the deepest about the nominees. This aspect also makes it easier to pull the blame away from the show itself, since, after all, it's the fans who decide.

In 2022, ABC's rights to broadcast the AMAs expired, putting the show on hiatus after that year's ceremony. The hiatus lasted through 2024, when its new network, CBS, aired a 50th anniversary special and announced a 2025 return. I'm sure I won't be the first to tell you this, but the 2025 AMAs were a disaster. Prior to the time of writing this, I was unaware of the network change and hiatus. I decided to tune in this year because some of my favorite artists were nominated. The winners of the awards were the least of my disappointments.

Jennifer Lopez's 7-Minute Opening Number Got Things Off To A Rough Start

Beyond That, She Felt Like An Odd Hosting Choice

When I saw that Jennifer Lopez was the host for the 2025 AMAs, I was confused. Sure, she's a prominent figure in music, but there had to be other options more connected to today's music landscape. As a host, she was fine; she read her lines well from the prompter, announced performers without any major hitches, and kept the show rolling from start to finish. Unfortunately, her hosting abilities are the last thing on my mind.

The seven-minute opening number began with Lopez belting out the lyrics to one of her own hits, "Dance Again," like it was a Mariah Carey ballad, before going into a mash-up of 2024's biggest songs. Lopez isn't a bad performer by any means, but her dancing felt out of place in front of tracks like "DENIAL IS A RIVER" by Doechii and "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar.

The mash-up had a few clear sections, but nothing substantial to tie it all together. For example, she bent over to touch her toes with her back facing the audience at the end of "HOT TO GO," looking suggestively at the camera from between her legs as it transitioned painfully into "BIRDS OF A FEATHER." I understand that this number was intended to highlight all the songs that will remind us of 2024 in the future, but all it did was make me wonder if I really enjoy the music coming out today.

Today's Biggest Names In Pop Music Weren't Even There

Artists Like Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, & Taylor Swift Are On Tour Or Weren't Present

One of the weirdest parts about watching this show live was slowly noticing that no one I was watching it for in the first place was in the audience. Late May is the beginning of what I feel is peak touring season. Artists and bands are either well into their current tours or about to go on the road at the start of summer. This played a common theme in the number of acceptance videos that were played compared to the artists who actually walked on stage to accept their awards.

Billie Eilish won seven out of the seven awards she was nominated for, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year for "BIRDS OF A FEATHER."

When Gracie Abrams won New Artist of the Year, she accepted via acceptance video. When Billie Eilish did the same thing, I started to notice a pattern. Other nominees like Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Bruno Mars weren't present despite releasing some of the biggest songs in the world in 2024. The day after, I found out that Eilish had won every single category she was nominated in, something that should've been highlighted that night. Only a few of the bigger awards were even announced live, likely due to the winners not being there.

The Performers & Presenters Didn't Represent The Current State Of Music

It Felt Like An Odd Collection Of Performances From AMAs Past With 2025 Mainstream Music Sprinkled In

When I picked up on the artists who were absent, I couldn't stop focusing on those who were present. 2024 was a year that saw the rise of several prominent female pop artists, mold-breaking country releases, and Kendrick Lamar world domination. None of these themes were found at the AMAs. Instead, we saw performances by Gwen Stefani, Benson Boone, and Blake Shelton that only seemed to cater to some strangely specific audience who never switched the radio station over from Hits 1 and only listened to music as background noise.

This year's AMAs felt like another anniversary special.

Taylor Swift didn't win a single award after her monumental run of touring and music releases last year. The only rising pop star present was Reneé Rapp, who made her awards show debut with her latest single, "Leave Me Alone," one of the more enjoyable performances of the night for most. If anything, this year's AMAs felt like another anniversary special, showcasing performances from past ceremonies rather than focusing on the current state of music or its bright future.