Queen Latifah to Host 52nd American Music Awards

Queen Latifah is set to host the 52nd American Music Awards, taking place on May 25 in Las Vegas.

Latifah will serve as emcee 30 years after she first co-hosted the award show in 1995. “I am so excited to return to the American Music Awards stage to host this year,” said Latifah in a statement. “It’s been an incredible year for music and there is no better place to celebrate than in Vegas.”

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Like last year, Dick Clark Productions and CBS are bringing back the AMAs on Memorial Day, May 25, and will air the event live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT. The ceremony will also be streamed and made available on demand by Paramount+. Nominations for the AMAs will be announced on April 14, when fan voting will open and run through May 8. Additional details, including performers and presenters, will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are available now on AXS.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Queen Latifah back as host of the American Music Awards,” said Jay Penske, CEO of Dick Clark Productions. “A true powerhouse and trailblazer, she brings a dynamic presence and deep connection to both fans and fellow artists, making her the perfect choice to lead a night celebrating the biggest names and most defining moments in music.”

In 2025, the AMAs staged its first live ceremony since 2022, when they aired in the fall from Los Angeles on ABC. The 2022 show had a 0.6 rating among adults in the key 18-49 demographic and 3.53 million total viewers, a record low for AMAs viewership. But it made an impressive comeback last year, averaging 5.2 million viewers for its largest performance since 2019.

Variety parent company PMC owns Dick Clark Prods. in a joint venture with Eldridge.