Grammy and Emmy Award winner Queen Latifah has signed on to host the 52nd American Music Awards set for Monday, May 25, 2026. The AMAs will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas and will be broadcast live on CBS beginning at 5pm PT/8pm ET.
The 2026 AMAs will mark Queen Latifah’s return as host after serving as a co-host for the 1995 awards show.
“I am so excited to return to the American Music Awards stage to host this year,” stated Latifah. “It’s been an incredible year for music and there is no better place to celebrate than in Vegas.”
The 52nd American Music Awards nominees will be announced on Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Voting begins on April 14 and wraps on May 8.
“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 earned an Oscar nomination for Chicago, a Screen Actors Guild award for Life Support, and was the first hip-hop artist to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Latifah’s film credits include Jungle Fever, Set It Off, Bringing Down the House, Hairspray, and Hustle. She starred in and executive produced The Equalizer which ran for five seasons on CBS.