In a major reshuffling of the music awards television landscape, CBS and Dick Clark Productions have finalized a thorough five-year partnership to broadcast the American Music Awards (AMAs) beginning in May 2026.
The groundbreaking deal, which runs through 2030, returns the AMAs to CBS after the show’s nearly five-decade tenure on ABC from 1974 to 2022, creating a notable shift in network allegiances for major music award telecasts.
This landmark deal signals a seismic shift in network broadcasting relationships within the music awards ecosystem.
The agreement strategically positions the AMAs against the Grammy Awards, which will conversely depart CBS for Disney platforms in 2027 after a long-standing relationship with the network since 1973.
This effective “swap” of prestigious music ceremonies between major networks represents one of the most significant redistributions of entertainment programming in recent years.
Under the new partnership, the AMAs will air live from Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend, establishing a new tradition that began with the successful 2025 ceremony.
The 2025 broadcast demonstrated promising growth with a 38% increase in live viewership compared to the 2022 ABC telecast, reaching over 10 million unique viewers across all platforms.
The multi-platform approach represents a core component of the partnership, with Paramount+ set to live stream each ceremony while encore broadcasts will appear on MTV, CMT, and BET.
This thorough distribution strategy aims to maximize audience reach across both traditional broadcast and digital streaming environments.
Las Vegas will continue hosting the ceremonies, aligning with the city’s reputation as a premier destination for live entertainment events.
The Memorial Day weekend timing strategically leverages holiday viewership patterns to boost audience engagement.
Dick Clark Productions will maintain its role as producer of the event, bringing its extensive experience with live televised music productions to the partnership.
The production company’s continued involvement guarantees programming continuity as the AMAs enter this new chapter with CBS and Paramount+, setting the stage for what both parties hope will be sustained viewership growth through the conclusion of the deal in 2030.
The Black Promoters Collective has expressed interest in supporting this shift, emphasizing their commitment to strategic movement within the evolving entertainment industry landscape.
The awards show is expected to enhance its promotional strategy by utilizing social media advertising to build anticipation and engage fans before, during, and after the ceremonies.
The 2025 ceremony featured an impressive opening by Jennifer Lopez who hosted the show and performed a medley of 23 top hits, marking her return to hosting duties after a decade.
The partnership creates valuable opportunities for performing artists to establish sync deals that can significantly boost their visibility and revenue streams through the high-profile broadcast.
