The American Music Awards made a bold move this year, and it totally paid off! With pop superstar Jennifer Lopez as host and a brand-new venue in Las Vegas, the 2025 AMAs pulled in the biggest audience the show has seen since 2019. Talk about a comeback!
According to Nielsen, 4.86 million people tuned in on Monday night, making the AMAs the No. 1 broadcast of the evening. That’s a huge 38% jump from the last live show in 2022, which aired on ABC and was hosted by Wayne Brady. This time, the event aired on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+, giving fans more ways than ever to watch their favorite stars.
Big Changes, Big Rewards
This year’s ceremony shook things up in more ways than one:
- First time the show aired in the spring.
- First time on Memorial Day.
- First time it wasn’t held in Los Angeles.
- First time it aired on CBS.
- First time the runtime was cut down from three hours to just two.
And clearly, all those firsts worked! The fresh format brought in viewers of all ages — especially younger ones. Ratings showed a 91% increase among adults 18-34, plus strong gains in other age groups too.
Jennifer Lopez Shines as Host
With J.Lo running the show, it was bound to be a hit. She brought her signature energy, glamour, and a few jaw-dropping outfit changes to the stage. Fans couldn’t get enough, especially during her opening performance that had the whole internet buzzing.
The Internet Was Obsessed
Speaking of the internet — the AMAs exploded on social media. There were over 816,600 mentions across platforms, and over 100 million video views in the first 24 hours on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). The show created 9.2 billion potential impressions, meaning everyone was talking about it.
And let’s not forget Twitch! When YouTube star Kai Cenat made an appearance, the live stream peaked at 205,500 viewers. That moment alone sent fans into a frenzy.
Beating the Competition
The AMAs weren’t just the top show on Monday night — they outperformed other big specials too:
- CMA Country Christmas on ABC
- 50 Years of SNL Music on NBC
- CMA Fest on ABC
- Not bad for a show that completely reinvented itself!
Produced by the Pros
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is part of Penske Media Eldridge — the same group that owns Billboard. So it’s no surprise the show was full of music, star power, and unforgettable moments.
