Queen Latifah is set to host the 52nd American Music Awards. Latifah has a long history with the AMAs, having co-hosted the show in 1995 with Tom Jones and Lorrie Morgan. Jennifer Lopez hosted last year’s show.
The 52nd American Music Awards returns to CBS and Paramount+ on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the largest venue in the show’s history. Tickets are now available on AXS.
“I am so excited to return to the American Music Awards stage to host this year,” Latifah said in a statement. “It’s been an incredible year for music and there is no better place to celebrate than in Vegas.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome Queen Latifah back as host of the American Music Awards,” said Jay Penske, CEO, Dick Clark Productions. “A true powerhouse and trailblazer, she brings a dynamic presence and deep connection to both fans and fellow artists, making her the perfect choice to lead a night celebrating the biggest names and most defining moments in music.”
Queen Latifah, 56, is a Grammy-winning artist and Oscar-nominated actress whose career spans music, film, television, and production. She hosted the Grammy telecast in 2005 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2024. Notably, she had previously won at both of those awards, having won a Grammy for best rap solo performance for “U.N.I.T.Y.” in 1995 and having received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023. She has also won a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, three Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards) and two NAACP Image Awards. In 2006, she became the first hip-hop artist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her cultural impact was further recognized with the National Medal of the Arts in 2024.
Nominations for the 52nd American Music Awards will be announced on Tuesday, April 14. Fan voting opens the same day, April 14, and will remain open until May 8.
Last year’s 51st American Music Awards, airing on Memorial Day for the first time, reached over 10 million unique viewers across its CBS and Paramount+ premiere and encores on MTV, CMT, and BET. The CBS broadcast marked the show’s largest audience since 2019 with a +38% increase over its last live airing in 2022 on ABC.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
