How to watch American Music Awards 2026 outside the USA on May 25th
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The 52nd American Music Awards return to Las Vegas on Monday, May 25th, 2026 for Memorial Day, with Queen Latifah hosting from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The show airs live coast to coast on CBS at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT and streams live on Paramount+ Premium in the United States.
Music's biggest fan-voted night has a packed lineup. BTS make their first awards show appearance in four years, Billy Idol receives the Lifetime Achievement Award, Karol G picks up the International Artist Award of Excellence, and Darius Rucker is honored with the Veterans Voice Award. Performers include Twenty One Pilots, KATSEYE, Maluma, The Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes, New Kids on the Block, and many more.
There is one problem for everyone watching from outside the US: the live AMAs stream is geo-restricted to the United States. Paramount+ in Canada, the UK, and Australia does not carry the live US feed, and no other country has confirmed a live national broadcast for 2026. A VPN solves this by connecting you to a US server so you can use your Paramount+ Premium subscription, or a US live TV service that carries CBS, from anywhere in the world.
Where to watch the American Music Awards 2026
In the United States, the AMAs air free with an antenna on local CBS affiliates and live on Paramount+ with the Premium plan at $13.99/month. Paramount+ ended its free trial after the January 15th, 2026 plan refresh, so new subscribers pay from day one. Cord-cutters can also watch live on Hulu + Live TV at $89.99/month, YouTube TV at $82.99/month, or Fubo (Pro from $84.99/month). Each of these services carries CBS in most US markets.
Outside the United States, the live broadcast is not officially available. Paramount+ Canada, Paramount+ UK, and Paramount+ Australia all run separate libraries and have not announced live coverage of the AMAs for 2026. No Canadian, UK, or Australian linear channel has picked up the show this year either. The reliable way to watch live from any of these regions is to connect to a US server with a VPN and stream through Paramount+ US with an account that has a US-registered payment method.
For local start times, 8:00 PM ET on May 25th converts to 5:00 PM PT in the US, 1:00 AM BST on May 26th in the UK, 2:00 AM CEST on May 26th in Central Europe, 5:30 AM IST on May 26th in India, and 10:00 AM AEST on May 26th in Australia.
How to watch the American Music Awards 2026 outside the USA
The AMAs live stream on Paramount+ is geo-locked to the United States. Paramount+ checks your IP address and blocks the live CBS feed if you are not in the country. A VPN changes your virtual location to a US city, so the platform lets the live stream through. You need a Paramount+ Premium account with a US payment method, or login credentials for a US live TV service that carries CBS. See our roundup of the best VPNs for streaming for the full comparison.
- Choose a VPN. We recommend NordVPN for the AMAs. It uses the fast NordLynx protocol for smooth HD live coverage, and supports Smart DNS for compatible smart TVs.
- Install the VPN app. Download NordVPN on your device of choice, such as Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire TV, or a router for smart TV coverage.
- Connect to a US server. Open NordVPN and pick a US city close to your account's billing address. If the stream does not load, switch to a different US server and retry.
- Open Paramount+ and sign in. Go to Paramount+ in your browser or open the Paramount+ app, log in with your US Premium account, and clear cookies or use a private window if the site still detects your real location.
- Start the American Music Awards live stream. Find the AMAs live event on the homepage from 8:00 PM ET on May 25th and keep the VPN connected for the full broadcast.
Top 3 VPNs to stream the American Music Awards 2026
The VPNs below have been tested by Cybernews for live US streaming, including CBS and Paramount+. All three handle live HD playback without stutter and unblock US geo-restricted services reliably.
- NordVPN – best overall for streaming. NordVPN starts at $3.49/month and runs with NordLynx, delivering around 83% of our tested baseline speeds. Smart DNS support, a large US server presence, and consistent unblocking of Paramount+, CBS, and US live TV services make it the strongest pick for watching the AMAs from abroad. Read our full NordVPN review for the full breakdown.
- Surfshark – best budget option. Surfshark starts at $2.49/month with unlimited simultaneous connections and 4,500+ servers across 100 countries. The modern WireGuard protocol holds around 82% of baseline speeds in our tests, which is enough for smooth HD coverage of a three-hour awards broadcast across phone, laptop, and TV at the same time. See our Surfshark review for more.
- Proton VPN – best for privacy. Proton VPN starts at $2.99/month and operates 20,300+ servers across 148 countries from Switzerland's strict privacy jurisdiction. A solid free plan and reliable streaming performance make it a good fit for fans who want extra privacy while watching the AMAs. Our Proton VPN review covers the technical detail.
Who is performing at the 2026 American Music Awards
Special honorees who will perform
Billy Idol (Lifetime Achievement Award, his first ever AMAs performance), Karol G (International Artist Award of Excellence), and Darius Rucker (Veterans Voice Award).
Headline performers
Alex Warren, Becky G, Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Manuel Turizo, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, and Twenty One Pilots.
Country lineup
Hootie and the Blowfish, Keith Urban, and Riley Green.
K-pop and global pop
KATSEYE, Maluma, and SOMBR.
Throwback hip-hop and pop staging
The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes and New Kids on the Block.
Special appearance
BTS will make their first awards show appearance in four years, although the AMAs have framed it as a special appearance rather than a full performance.
The producers may add more performers in the days before the broadcast, so the lineup above reflects what has been officially announced as of late May 2026.
Who is nominated at the 2026 American Music Awards
Taylor Swift leads the field with eight nominations, the most of any artist this year, followed by Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and SOMBR with seven each. Alex Warren and Lady Gaga round out the top nominees with six apiece.
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, BTS, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift.
New Artist of the Year
Alex Warren, Ella Langley, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, Olivia Dean, and SOMBR.
Album of the Year
Bad Bunny (*Debí Tirar Más Fotos*), Cardi B (*AM I THE DRAMA?*), Fuerza Regida (*111xpantia*), Justin Bieber (*SWAG*), Lady Gaga (*Mayhem*), Morgan Wallen (*I'm the Problem*), Olivia Dean (*The Art of Loving*), Rosé (*rosie*), Sabrina Carpenter (*Man's Best Friend*), and Taylor Swift (*The Life of a Showgirl*).
Song of the Year
Alex Warren, "Ordinary"; Morgan Wallen, "I'm the Problem"; Olivia Dean, "Man I Need"; Sabrina Carpenter, "Manchild"; and Taylor Swift, "The Fate of Ophelia".
Collaboration of the Year
BigXthaPlug and Bailey Zimmerman, "All the Way"; David Guetta, Teddy Swims, and Tones And I, "Gone Gone Gone"; PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, "Stateside"; and Shaboozey and Jelly Roll, "Amen".
