BTS Is Coming Back to the AMAs After 4 Years Away

BTS is coming back to the American Music Awards, and ARMY is not ready. CBS and Dick Clark Productions announced that the supergroup will make a special appearance at the 52nd annual AMAs on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 — marking the first time the seven-member act has stepped onto an awards show stage in four years.

It’s a full-circle moment. BTS made their U.S. television performance debut at the very same show back in 2017, performing “DNA” and becoming the first Korean group ever to take the AMAs stage. They returned in 2021 and made history again, taking home the coveted Artist of the Year trophy — the first group to win that prize since One Direction in 2014-15, and the act that snapped Taylor Swift’s three-year run at the top. This year, both are back in the category.

In total, BTS has won 11 AMAs, putting them second only to Alabama — who hold a staggering 23 trophies — for the most wins by a group in the show’s history. They’ll have a chance to add to that tally with three nominations this time around: Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer for “Swim,” and Best Male K-Pop Artist. Fan voting is open now.

A Return Fueled by the Biggest Comeback in Years

The appearance isn’t just a one-off — it comes at the peak of what might be the most significant chapter of BTS’s career yet. All seven members completed their mandatory military service in South Korea before reuniting to release Arirang, their sixth studio album and their first LP in nearly four years. The record debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and held the top spot for three weeks — the first BTS album to do so — while racking up 641,000 total copies sold in its first week, the most by any group since Billboard began tracking streaming numbers in 2014. That includes 532,000 in pure album sales alone.

“Swim,” the album’s lead single, became their seventh No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Global 200. The group is currently in the middle of their extensive Arirang world tour, and this summer they’re also set to co-headline the first-ever halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final alongside Shakira and Madonna in July.

Safe to say, the timing of this AMAs appearance couldn’t be more loaded.

What Else to Expect on May 25

Queen Latifah — returning to host the AMAs for the first time in 30 years — will helm the night from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The show airs live coast-to-coast starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on CBS and Paramount+.

Taylor Swift leads all nominees with eight nods, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. Sabrina Carpenter, Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, and Sombr each follow with seven nominations.

The performance lineup is packed: Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Billy Idol, International Artist Award of Excellence recipient Karol G, Hootie & the Blowfish, Katseye, Keith Urban, Maluma, The Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes, Riley Green, Sombr, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, Twenty One Pilots, and more. Darius Rucker will also be honored with the Veterans Voice Award, as the show spotlights military and veterans service organizations throughout the night.

BTS’s specific role — whether they’re performing, presenting, or something else entirely — hasn’t been revealed yet. But given everything they’ve built toward this moment, whatever they’ve got planned, it’s going to be worth the wait.