Live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the 52nd American Music Awards red carpet delivered a wave of couture moments, with a star-studded turnout including Queen Latifah, Paula Abdul, Chrissy Teigen, Karol G and many others, as photographers captured outfits and fashion highlights in a ongoing arrivals gallery.
BTS delivered a moody onstage performance of Arirang’s “Hooligan” at the 2026 American Music Awards in Las Vegas, featuring red lighting and masked backup dancers as part of their four-night Allegiant Stadium residency; they’re also nominated for three AMAs, including Artist of the Year, amid a busy comeback and world tour.
BTS turned Las Vegas into a full-on ARMY celebration, selling out four Allegiant Stadium shows as part of their Arirang World Tour, delivering a production-heavy, in-the-round show that blends Korean culture with new material like FYA and fan favorites, including a mash-up of Fire, while the city hosted a red-lit activation and the group prepared a special AMA appearance with two more Vegas shows slated for May 27–28.
BTS wowed Las Vegas on Night 2 of the Arirang World Tour at Allegiant Stadium, delivering a two-hour, in-the-round show that fused the new track ‘FYA’ with hits like ‘Fake Love,’ ‘Mic Drop,’ and ‘Idol,’ plus two surprises, ‘Black Swan’ and ‘Spinebreaker.’ The production blends Korean culture with a 360-degree stage and a city-wide ‘BTS The City’ activation that lit the Strip red and sparked fireworks as ARMY Bombs illuminated the venue. The four-Night Vegas run continues with additional shows, and BTS is set for a special American Music Awards appearance, with three AMA nominations also highlighted in the piece.
The 2026 American Music Awards, hosted by Queen Latifah in Las Vegas and airing on CBS/Paramount+, opened with a BTS performance and features a slate of live performances and fan-voted winners, with THR updating the results in real time as Taylor Swift leads with the most nominations.
The 2026 American Music Awards took place in Las Vegas on May 25, with Taylor Swift leading nominations at eight and Queen Latifah returning as host. A wide range of artists won across categories, including HUNTR/X’s EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami for Song of the Year (“Golden”); SZA winning Best Female R&B Artist; KAROL G winning Best Latin Album for Tropicoqueta; and sombr earning Best Rock/Alternative Song for “back to friends.” The show highlighted Swift’s ongoing AMA dominance while others like Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and Alex Warren alsosecured multiple nods.
The 52nd American Music Awards will air May 25, 2026 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, live coast-to-coast on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, with Queen Latifah hosting. The show features a star-studded lineup including Billy Idol, Karol G, Darius Rucker with Hootie & the Blowfish, a live BTS appearance, and performances by artists such as KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, New Kids on the Block, The Pussycat Dolls + Busta Rhymes, Twenty One Pilots, and more. Presenters include Alysa Liu, Anthony Ramos, Hilary Duff, John Legend, Paula Abdul, and others. There will be red-carpet livestreams, an Entertainment Tonight special, a Veterans’ Voice Award presented by USAA, and fan voting for Social Song of the Year and Tour of the Year.
At the first Enhanced Games in Las Vegas, athletes competed under a framework that allowed banned substances to push peak performance, backed by tech investors and a telehealth venture; headlined by Hafthor Björnsson and with attention on a swimmer who reportedly set a world record and earned big prize money, the event sparked renewed debate about doping rules, sponsorship, and the commercialization of sport.
R&B singer Ray J's MMA debut ended in a second‑round knockout by Supa Hot Fire at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas; despite training with MMA legends, he couldn't secure the win and later hinted at financial disappointment from the fight.
CBS Los Angeles will air a live American Music Awards red-carpet special from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, hosted by Kalyna Astrinos and Grae Drake, with Queen Latifah serving as host for the night; the 4–5 p.m. PDT red-carpet broadcast on CBS LA streams on CBS News Los Angeles and leads into the AMAs on CBS stations and Paramount+ after the red carpet. Taylor Swift leads with eight nominations, followed by Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean and Sombr, with performers including Billy Idol, Keith Urban, Teyana Taylor, Hootie and the Blowfish, New Kids on the Block, The Pussycat Dolls, and a surprise BTS appearance after their military service.
The 2026 American Music Awards air tonight on CBS and Paramount+ from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, featuring performances by Billy Idol (receiving a lifetime achievement award), Keith Urban, Teyana Taylor, Hootie and the Blowfish, New Kids on the Block, The Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes, and BTS; Queen Latifah hosts; Taylor Swift leads nominations with eight, with Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter and Sombr close behind with seven. Voting remains open for select categories through the first half hour of the show.
Trump-era tariffs reduced Canadian visitors to Las Vegas by about 17% last year, helping drive a 7.5% drop in overall tourism in 2025; Democrats are highlighting the Canada-to-Vegas drop in Nevada battleground races, while Republicans point to some early 2026 improvements and other positives like Governor Lombardo. Las Vegas is responding with promotions and marketing to lure back Canadian travelers amid broader inflation and cost‑of‑living concerns.
Former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel won his amateur MMA debut at Brand Risk 14 in Las Vegas, stopping social media influencer Bob Menery in 2:15 of the first round with elbows and punches, and both indicated they have no plans for a rematch.
Las Vegas will host the Enhanced Games, a controversial inaugural event where competitors may use performance-enhancing drugs under medical supervision; backed by Donald Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital and Peter Thiel, the venture also plans to sell enhancement products like peptides, despite criticism from WADA and the IOC. The event features Olympic medalists and aims to draw a large audience, with participants including Fred Kerley, James Magnussen, and Cody Miller.
Las Vegas hosts the Enhanced Games this Sunday, a PED-friendly competition funded by investors including Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr., offering a $25 million purse and $1 million for world-records. Organizers released drug-use data showing about 90.5% of tested athletes used substances across five categories (testosterone, HGH, stimulants, metabolic modulators, and more) under FDA oversight. The event has drawn sharp criticism from IOC/WADA and has led to bans from Olympic- or World Athletics-sanctioned events, though supporters push it as a transparent, medicalized showcase of performance enhancement.