The Best, Worst and Most Oops Moments of the 2026 AMAs

The AMAs, hosted by Queen Latifah on May 25, featured buzz-worthy presenters, nostalgia-inducing performances and more

The American Music Awards are back with a bang!

Queen Latifah hosted the 2026 awards ceremony in Las Vegas on May 25, featuring performances by BTS, Sombr, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Teyana Taylor and more. The star-studded evening honored the best in music from all over the world and across every genre. Most of the night went on without a hitch, with several show-stopping moments bringing the audience to their feet, but like every live event, there were a few flubs and a couple eyebrow-raising choices.

Read on to catch up on everything you missed from the 2026 AMAs, from throwback performances to surprise reunions and more.

01 of 10

Oops, Watch the Heel: Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen had to "heel" from a tricky situation on the red carpet when her stiletto got caught in her floor-length orange gown. Her husband John Legend, along with another woman on the carpet, knelt to untangle the dress's hem. The wardrobe malfunction left Teigen laughing — and left a few beads on the ground, too.

02 of 10

Oops: Sombr's Timeline

While accepting Best Rock/Alternative Song for "Back to Friends," Sombr gave a well-intentioned, inspirational speech about chasing your dreams.

"Two years ago, I was sitting in my living room, watching this show, wanting nothing more than to be on this stage," he recalled.

The problem is, two years ago, the AMAs weren't on air! The awards show took a hiatus between 2022 and 2025.

03 of 10

Fastest and Most Honest: Rei Ami

Song of the Year winner Rei Ami (alongside her fellow HUNTR/X member EJAE) gave a breathless, impassioned speech thanking KPop Demon Hunters fans for the memories and the memes. She sped through her notes for one reason: "I'm going to make this quick because I have to pee so bad," Rei admitted.

04 of 10

Best Surprise: Black Eyed Peas Reunite

After skipping the red carpet, four members of the Black Eyed Peas — will.i.am, Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap — had the crowd going crazy when they arrived to accept Best Throwback Song for "Rock That Body."

The "Fergalicious" singer's rare onstage appearance included a shout-out to her 12-year-old son Axl, as well as a thank-you to fans for making the trending song cool enough for Axl to add to his playlists.

05 of 10

Best Nostalgic Night: The Pussycat Dolls! New Kids on the Block!

The 2026 AMAs were a momentous occasion for '90s and early-aughts enthusiasts, with performances from Hootie & the Blowfish (nearly 30 years since their last American Music Award), The Pussycat Dolls, Busta Rhymes and New Kids on the Block. If that's not enough throwbacks, Paula Abdul, 4 Non Blondes' Linda Perry and Hilary Duff also attended as presenters.

06 of 10

Hostess with the Mostest: Queen Latifah

Thirty-one years after her first time hosting the AMAs, Queen Latifah returned to the awards ceremony, and she brought the energy that the show needed. She cracked jokes — like how most of BTS is younger than her last AMAs gig — and, as expected, aced the crowd work. Latifah had the audience cheering for presenters like BTS, chanting along to Ludacris, singing The Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" and more over the three hours.

07 of 10

Most Committed to the Bit: Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs

Hacks costars Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs never break character. The duo, who play coworkers Jimmy and Kayla in the HBO comedy, are known for their wacky outfits on the red carpet and for their even wackier bits as presenters.

Presenting Best Rock/Alternative Album at the 2026 AMAs, the two portrayed too-cool-for-school rockers, with Stalter going topless in a long wig and Downs putting on a vocal affect. For a casual viewer, it's a confounding scene, but for anyone familiar, they have to be commended for going all-in.

08 of 10

And the Crowd Went Wild: BTS

Nobody received a warmer welcome to the AMAs than the seven members of BTS. Between their four stadium concerts in Las Vegas, RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, V, Jimin and Jungkook dominated the conversation at the ceremony from the jump.

They kicked off the program with a satellite performance of "Hooligan" at Allegiant Stadium, and later in the show, they entered the venue to present Best Female R&B Artist to SZA. As they made their way up to the stage, the camera cut to dozens of fans, "ARMYs," falling over themselves in the crowd to catch a glimpse of the idols.

The K-pop superstars also took home Song of the Summer and their second Artist of the Year award, which they previously won in 2021.

09 of 10

Worst Head Mic Placement

Don't get us wrong, we love a dynamic performance — and that's what Karol G and Teyana Taylor delivered. Karol, the recipient of the International Artist Award of Excellence, sang "Ivonny Bonita" under moody lighting, while Taylor included a cameo from Missy Elliott in her performance of "All of Your Heart" and "Open Invite." Still, we wish those headset microphones were raised a bit higher.

10 of 10

True Icon: Billy Idol

Billy Idol accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award for his 50 years as a pioneer of the punk rock scene, and in his inspiring speech, he thanked his fans for allowing him to live out his dreams.

"When I started out in punk rock, back in 1976, we thought it may only last about six months. Let alone 50 years!" he said. "But we were doing it for the love and because music was the only thing that gave us a sort of feeling of freedom."

He continued, "To any kid out there who loves rock and roll or any music of any kind, … if you're inspired to create that sense of freedom and pursue a life of art, all I can say is pick an instrument. Find out who you are and be it."

"Now Steve [Stevens], show them what a hit song sounds like, will you?" the punk rocker shouted before sending the ceremony off with a rousing performance of his hits "Eyes Without a Face" and "Dancing with Myself."

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