The 2026 American Music Awards somehow managed to feel both wildly entertaining and completely chaotic at the same time. Hosted by Queen Latifah, the ceremony leaned heavily into nostalgia, surprise reunions, internet-favorite artists, and fandom-driven moments that basically defined modern pop culture in 2026. And honestly, some moments genuinely worked. Others felt like the show was held together with glitter, panic, and pure fan service.
The biggest winners of the night were obviously BTS.
The group completely dominated the AMAs from start to finish, opening the ceremony with “Hooligan,” winning Song of the Summer for “SWIM,” taking home Best Male K-Pop Artist, and eventually closing the night by winning Artist of the Year.
Every single time the members appeared on screen, the audience basically exploded.
It was their first major awards show appearance in four years, and the AMAs knew exactly how important that was. The entire show honestly revolved around BTS energy.
Another massive standout was Billy Idol, who closed the ceremony with what was probably the best performance of the night.
At 70 years old, Billy Idol somehow brought more energy than half the younger lineup combined.
Loved that @HootieTweets #AMAs performance! ❤️
— American Music Awards (@AMAs) May 26, 2026
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After accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award, he performed “Eyes Without a Face” and “Dancing With Myself,” instantly waking up a ceremony that Entertainment Weekly described as “fairly snoozy” at times.
And honestly, they were not wrong.
The night also leaned heavily into reunion culture.
The Pussycat Dolls returned in full red latex chaos mode for their first AMA appearance in 20 years, performing “Buttons,” “When I Grow Up,” “Don’t Cha,” and a brand-new single called “Club Song.”
Then came Fergie reuniting with Black Eyed Peas after years apart, which instantly became one of the most nostalgic moments of the night.
The crowd reaction alone felt like 2010 Tumblr and YouTube culture had suddenly returned from the dead.
Meanwhile, KATSEYE continued their massive breakout year with a surreal “Pinky Up” performance involving giant teddy bears, floating stuffed animals, and pure internet-core chaos.
They also won New Artist of the Year, proving their rise is becoming impossible to ignore now.
But the AMAs also had several genuinely weird decisions.
One of the biggest complaints online was the show giving away Song of the Year within the first half hour.
Which honestly makes zero sense for one of the biggest awards of the night.
Still, at least the award went to HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters for “Golden,” which most people agreed deserved the win anyway.
Another awkward moment came from the presentation skit featuring the cast of Hacks.
Despite Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs usually being hilarious, the segment reportedly fell completely flat with random jokes that barely landed.
And then there was the strange handling of New Kids on the Block.
The legendary boy band only got to perform one song, “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” despite fans desperately wanting a full medley of classics like “Step by Step” and “Hangin’ Tough.”
Honestly, giving New Kids on the Block one song at a nostalgia-heavy awards show feels almost disrespectful.
One of the funniest recurring themes of the night was how heavily the AMAs relied on nostalgia acts to keep the audience energized.
Hootie & the Blowfish.
Billy Idol.
Pussycat Dolls.
Fergie and Black Eyed Peas.
New Kids on the Block.
Even the Goo Goo Dolls got a massive sing-along moment after Queen Latifah walked into the crowd and started singing “Iris” with the audience.
And weirdly enough, it worked.
Because despite all the messy pacing, awkward comedy bits, and random category choices, the 2026 AMAs still managed to feel fun in a very chaotic way.
Not polished.
Not particularly organized.
But entertaining.
And honestly, that might be exactly what award shows need right now.