CBS first broadcast the American Music Awards when the ceremony returned in 2025.
The 51st American Music Awards aired live on the CBS Television Network on May 26, 2025, after the ceremony’s two-year hiatus. The broadcast also streamed on Paramount+ in the United States. Jennifer Lopez hosted the event, which marked a major network change for a show long associated with ABC.
ABC had televised the AMAs for decades, beginning with the inaugural ceremony in 1974. The 2025 show was therefore not the first American Music Awards ever broadcast, but it was the first regular ceremony carried by CBS. A 2024 American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special had also aired on CBS, which can cause confusion about the ceremony’s formal return.
The 2025 event was produced by Dick Clark Productions, the company behind the awards. Its move to CBS reflected a broader partnership involving CBS and Paramount’s streaming platform, giving the revived show both a traditional broadcast outlet and a digital option.