American Music Awards: Billie Eilish dominates and Rod Stewart “flabbergasted” by surprise win
At the American Music Awards on May 26th, Billie Eilish was the star of the ceremony by taking home seven awards.
Jennifer Lopez hosted the AMAs, which were held at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Lopez had previously taken on this role, but the 2025 ceremony was her first time doing so since 2015. Lopez started the occasion with a medley featuring the 23 biggest hits of the last year, before the awards began to be handed out.
Eilish was nominated in a total of seven categories, winning each one, including the coveted ‘Artist of the Year’ as well as ‘Album of the Year’ and ‘Favourite Pop Album’ for Hit Me Hard and Soft. The star was also awarded ‘Favourite Touring Artist’, and ‘Birds of a Feather’ was crowned ‘Song of the Year’ and ‘Favourite Pop Song’.
Beyoncé had a successful evening with Cowboy Carter winning ‘Favourite Country Album’ and being named ‘Favourite Female Country Artist’, with Post Malone securing the respective male category.
Other notable winners include Gracie Abrams, who won ‘Best New Artist’ and Eminem, who dominated the hip-hop categories with his most recent album, The Death of Slim Shady.
Meanwhile, in the rock categories, Twenty One Pilots won ‘Favourite Rock Artist’ and ‘Favourite Rock Album’ for Clancy. Linkin Park were victorious in the ‘Favourite Rock Song’ category for ‘The Emptiness Machine’.
The American Music Awards also celebrated Janet Jackson with the ‘Icon Award’, who began her speech by saying, “I am so so honoured. I am so grateful. I mean, no disrespect in any way, but I don’t consider myself an icon.”
Jackson continued: “My family, myself, our dream wasn’t ever to be famous. We weren’t raised like that. We always had a special love for music, dancing, singing and fame came with the result of hard work and dedication. My story, my family’s story is truly an American story. This would have only happened in America.”
Jackson’s victory was announced last month. However, Rod Stewart, who arrived at the ceremony with five of his children, was surprised to learn on the night that he was the recipient of the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.
Stewart, who closed the show with ‘Forever Young, said upon winning the shock award: “I am absolutely flabbergasted, I didn’t know they were here, my children. When I started singing in the early 60s, well before all of you lot were here, the reason I got into it was because I had this burning ambition to sing. That’s all I wanted to do. I didn’t want to be rich or famous, and so many years later, I’m here.”
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