On Sunday night, CBS aired a two-hour special in celebration of the American Music Awards’ 50th anniversary. Filled with archival footage, celebrity interviews and musical performances, the special took viewers back in time over the last half-century of pop culture history.
What Are the American Music Awards?
The American Music Awards, better known as the AMAs, first premiered on February 19, 1974. The award show was founded by iconic TV producer Dick Clark to annually celebrate the top achievements in music. Since 2006, each award presented at the AMAs has been determined by popular vote: fans can vote for their favorite artists through Billboard’s website or on Twitter in the month leading up to the award show.
The show has had a star-studded list of past hosts including Jimmy Fallon, Tracee Ellis Ross, Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Lopez and Ciara.
In lieu of an award show in 2024, CBS announced that it would be airing a two-hour long special on October 6 in honor of the AMA’s 50th anniversary.
Highlights From the 50th Anniversary Special
The night included several star-studded performances, intermixed with video segments that recapped iconic moments in music and AMAs history. In one of the most talked-about performances of the evening, Jennifer Hudson paid tribute to Whitney Houston, singing “I Will Always Love You” and “I Loves You Porgy” in honor of the late singer.
The “Queen of Christmas” Mariah Carey also took the stage to perform two songs from her 10th studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi, “Don’t Forget About Us” and “We Belong Together.”
The night also included a celebration of boy bands. Presented by the Backstreet Boys’ own AJ McLean and NSYNC’s Lance Bass, the special included a segment dedicated to the boy bands that have captivated the music charts – and our hearts – over the last several decades. The segment was rounded off by K-pop group Stray Kids, who combined NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” with their original track “Chk Chk Boom” in a fan-favorite performance.
A recently single Jennifer Lopez also made an appearance during the AMAs special, albeit virtually. In a pre-recorded interview segment, Lopez reflected on hosting, performing and winning at past AMAs. “Winning a fan-voted award is incredibly special because it’s directly from the people that you make the music for,” she said. “It’s just a humbling experience.”
When Are the Next AMAs?
Though this year’s ceremony was replaced by the anniversary special, the American Music Awards are set to return to CBS in May 2025.
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