American Music Awards Will Not Air This Year After Getting Replaced by Billboard Music Awards

It is likely that fans will not see the American Music Awards this year as it is expected to go on a one-year hiatus.

The AMAs are usually held on Sunday, November 19, but it’s been announced that the Billboard Music Awards will be rescheduled this year to that same date.

Several sources report that both events have yet to secure a broadcasting partner, leading producer Dick Clark Productions, a subsidiary of Penske Media Corp., to determine which show to support. According to insiders, the reasoning behind the decision was likely to promote the in-house brand of PMC, which owns Billboard.

In addition, ABC, a long-time partner of the American Music Awards, was not informed of the change until it was made public on March 15. A source familiar with the matter says that no agreements have been reached regarding the renewal of a contract for the AMAs.

Regarding the BBMAs, sources verify that NBC, which has been broadcasting the show since 2018, did not acquire the rights to air it this year. Instead, NBC is concentrating on expanding its People’s Choice Awards franchise, which includes the new People’s Choice Country Awards scheduled for September.

Dick Clark created the AMAs for ABC after the network lost the rights to broadcast the Grammys to CBS. By the mid-1980s, the AMAs had grown into a significant competitor to the Grammys, attracting more viewers in some years, especially during the height of Michael Jackson’s popularity. Initially held in the winter, either in January or February, from 1974 to 2003, the AMAs added a second show in November 2003, and it has continued to air during that month since.