Queen Latifah to Host 2026 AMAs 30 Years After Debut
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- Queen Latifah will host the 2026 American Music Awards on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, 30 years after her 1995 AMAs co-hosting debut with Tom Jones and Lorrie Morgan.
- The ceremony airs live on Memorial Day on CBS and Paramount+, produced by Dick Clark Productions, with tickets available on AXS.
- Jennifer Lopez hosted the 2025 AMAs, where Billie Eilish swept seven awards including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year.
- Beyoncé won Favorite Country Album and Favorite Female Country Artist at the 2025 ceremony — her first AMA wins in the country category, despite 11 total AMA trophies.
- DCP CEO Jay Penske called Latifah 'a true powerhouse and trailblazer' with 'a dynamic presence and deep connection to both fans and fellow artists' in a statement.
- Latifah is developing a biopic produced by her Flavor Unit Entertainment, Will Smith's Westbrook Studios, and Jesse Collins' Jesse Collins Entertainment.
Why it matters: For CBS and Dick Clark Productions, landing Latifah — who 2024 was honored with a National Medal of Arts alongside Missy Elliott, Steven Spielberg, and Selena Quintanilla — gives the AMAs a heritage host as the franchise faces a post-2025 landscape where Eilish's sweep and Beyoncé's surprise country-category wins reshaped the narrative. The Memorial Day slot and Paramount+ simulcast are designed to maximize reach for a ceremony DCP is billing as a celebration of music's biggest names.
