The American Music Awards returned after a three-year hiatus, taking place at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Voted entirely by fans, the awards were broadcast live on CBS on Monday (May 26). Billie Eilish was the biggest winner of the night, securing all seven of her nominations. She was followed by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, who each received three accolades.
Performers included host Jennifer Lopez, Lainey Wilson, Renee Rapp, Benson Boone, Gloria Estefan, Bale Shelton, and Gwen Stefani, as well as Icon Award recipient Janet Jackson and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Rod Stewart.
But the ceremony featured plenty of moments that sparked conversation beyond the awards themselves.
From influencers getting ignored on the red carpet to a pre-recorded performance, here are 10 of the most awkward, cringeworthy, or criticized moments from the 51st American Music Awards.
#1 Gwen Stefani’s fake “live performance”
OH! 👀 pic.twitter.com/gcQulY4C52
— Hilary🌵✨🤍 (@hilaryphuffman) May 27, 2025
#2 Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt’s air kiss
#3 SZA leaving little to the imagination in a revealing dress
The 35-year-old Saturn singer flashed her bedazzled breast covers while accepting the awards for Favorite Female R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Song.
SZA wore a black mermaid-style dress featuring a plunging neckline that showed off her curves.
“And this is how you dress to impress……said not one normal person,” one viewer commented on the risqué look.
The star, born Solána Imani Rowe, was also nominated for Artist of the Year, Collaboration of the Year, Favorite Hip-Hop Song, and Favorite R&B Album.
Image credits: sourcesza / X
#4 Benson Boone doing a flip, again
Benson Boone does a signature flip during his #AMAs performance. pic.twitter.com/IbB46EzRZK
— Variety (@Variety) May 27, 2025
#5 The most famous stars failing to show up
For an awards show returning to the air for the first time in three years, fans expected to see far more A-listers at the Fontainebleau Resort.
Notable absences included Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Chappell Roan, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift—all of whom were nominated in two or more categories.
“The worst ‘award show’ I’ve ever watched. Not announcing the biggest categories is such a scam,” one viewer fumed online.
“By far the most boring AMAs I’ve seen in YEARS. Hardly any artists there to begin with and really none I listen to besides Benson Boone. What a bummer!” agreed someone else.
“Where are the FAMOUS people? Is this the influencer music awards?” quipped another observer.
Image credits: Shirlaine Forrest / Getty Images
#6 James Charles not getting attention on the red carpet
not a single camera flash i’m cryinggg #AMAs pic.twitter.com/xnjY6P0e07
— welp. (@YSLONIKA) May 26, 2025
#7 Jennifer Lopez’s lesbian kiss with one of her dancers
Jennifer Lopez kissing her dancers during the #AMAs opening performance. pic.twitter.com/wGEYJRLge3
— Jennifer Lopez Updates (@JLopezUpdate2) May 27, 2025
#8 Nikki Glaser’s jokes about aging in showbiz
Nikki joked about aging in show business as she took the stage to present the award for New Artist of the Year, which went to 25-year-old Gracie Abrams.
“J.Lo, my dream is to play your mom in a movie one day,” she said, adding that she was honored to present the award because “it exemplifies one of the most important qualities the industry looks for in an artist: newness.
“As someone who just turned 35 in March—2019, my warning to all of the nominees tonight is, do not age,” the comedian said. “The industry hates that.”
“But, luckily you all now have the secret recipe for not aging,” she concluded, “Money.”
Many viewers found Nikki’s jokes awkward and not on par with her Golden Globes roasts. Later in the ceremony, the comedian sparked online chatter when Benson Boone appeared to ignore her as he approached the crowd during his performance.
#9 Shaboozey’s tense moment with Megan Moroney over the origins of country music
Shaboozey’s face when Megan Moroney read the teleprompter saying the “Carter family, who basically invented country music” #AMAs pic.twitter.com/V7wBhh1gdp
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 27, 2025
#10 Streamer Kai Cenat announcing awards on Twitch
yeah…. i get why taylor doesnt want to announce anything here LMAO https://t.co/DLITXnN56b
— rohan 💜 (@rohandbatc) May 27, 2025