THE AMAs
Here’s the funny thing about BTS being at the AMAs this year: they’re in the middle of a four-night sold-out run at Allegiant Stadium that’s literally six miles away. The Las Vegas Strip is lit up red for them. And on Memorial Day Monday, they’re walking onto an awards stage they basically conquered five years ago — only this time, they took two whole concert nights off to do it. That’s how much this show means to them.
So let’s talk about why. Because BTS and the American Music Awards have a history that’s honestly kind of wild.
The Quick Backstory
BTS didn’t just attend the AMAs. They’ve been a fixture of the show since 2017 — and they’ve collected 12 trophies along the way.
It started small. In 2017, BTS became the first Korean group to perform on a major U.S. awards show, debuting “DNA” at the AMAs. ARMY camped out for days. People who’d never heard of them watched anyway. Cut to the next morning — the album had jumped on iTunes, and the conversation about K-pop in the West shifted permanently.
Then came 2018, and they actually won something. Then 2019. Then 2020. Then 2021 — the year everything peaked.
In 2021, BTS became the first Asian act in history to win Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. Full stop.
— The night that changed everything
Beating Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Drake, Ariana Grande, and Olivia Rodrigo for the night’s biggest prize. They also took home Favorite Pop Song for “Butter” and Favorite Pop Duo or Group. President Moon Jae-in personally tweeted them congratulations. It was that kind of night.
The BTS x AMA Trophy Cabinet
First Korean group to perform at a major U.S. awards show. Performed “DNA.” No win — yet — but a historic moment.
Their first AMA trophy. They’d win this same category three years running.
Favorite Social Artist (again), Favorite Duo or Group – Pop/Rock, and Tour of the Year. The global concert powerhouse era begins.
Favorite Social Artist (3-peat) and Favorite Duo or Group – Pop/Rock (2-peat). Plus a remote performance of “Life Goes On” and “Dynamite” from Seoul that closed out the entire show.
First Asian act in AMA history to win the night’s top prize. Also took Favorite Pop Song for “Butter” and Favorite Pop Duo or Group. Performed “Butter” and “My Universe” with Coldplay.
Favorite Pop Duo or Group — 4 consecutive years, the most ever in the category. Plus inaugural winner of the brand-new Favorite K-Pop Artist award. Then military enlistment began.
While the group was on hiatus, RM won Favorite K-Pop Artist as a solo artist. The trophy count quietly kept growing.
First group AMAs appearance in 4 years. Three new nominations. Six miles from where their own stadium is sold out for four nights.
What They’re Nominated For This Year
Three categories. And one of them is the big one.
Up against Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift, and more. They won this in 2021 — and they’re back to defend.
“SWIM” — the title track from ARIRANG. Hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March. Held the top spot on Global 200 for four weeks.
A category the AMAs added in 2022 to formally recognize K-pop. BTS as a group hasn’t competed here before.
The Concert Schedule Tells You Everything
BTS is in Las Vegas for four nights at Allegiant Stadium — May 23, 24, 27, and 28. Notice anything missing? May 25. The night of the AMAs.
That’s not coincidence. That’s a scheduling decision. They moved an entire tour stop’s rhythm around this show. For an artist who’s been performing in stadiums every other night for a year, taking a Monday off is a statement: this matters.
And the AMAs venue is the MGM Grand Garden Arena, six miles south of Allegiant Stadium on the Strip. The same Strip that’s currently lit up red in their honor for the BTS The City ARIRANG citywide event. The same Strip where their pop-up at Caesars Palace has been drawing lines around the block. It’s basically a BTS town for two weeks straight, and the AMAs slot in perfectly.
What to Watch For
Here’s what we’ll be watching live on Monday night:
- DateMonday, May 25, 2026 (Memorial Day)
- Time8:00 PM ET · 5:00 PM PT
- WhereMGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
- WatchCBS · Paramount+
- HostQueen Latifah (last hosted in 1995 — 31 years ago)
- BTS NominationsArtist of the Year · Song of the Summer · Best Male K-Pop Artist
- BTS AppearanceSpecial appearance confirmed — first in 4 years
- Will they perform?Network has only confirmed “special appearance” — ARMY is reading every line of every press release
- Most nominationsTaylor Swift (8) · Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, Sombr (7 each)
The KpopWave Take
If you told 2017 BTS that ten years later, the city of Las Vegas would turn red for them, the Strip would shut down for their citywide event, they’d headline four sold-out stadium nights, and they’d casually pause it all to walk into the AMAs for a “special appearance” with three nominations including Artist of the Year — they probably would’ve laughed at you.
But here we are. And the funny thing about return tours is they tend to reveal who actually has staying power and who didn’t. BTS came back from a 3-year hiatus, dropped a No. 1 album, sold out a world tour in minutes, got booked for a World Cup Final halftime show, and now they’re collecting AMA nominations like they never left. Some bands disappear during military service. BTS just paused.
Monday night, six miles from their own sold-out stadium, they’ll find out if AMA voters agree.