nominations are determined by commercial performance, winners by public vote
En una noche de lunes festivo en Las Vegas, la 52ª entrega de los American Music Awards convoca a la industria musical ante un veredicto que ya fue escrito por el público. Taylor Swift encabeza la ceremonia con más nominaciones que cualquier artista en la historia del evento, un hecho que dice menos sobre una sola noche y más sobre la manera en que el consumo masivo de música ha concentrado su atención en unas pocas figuras globales. Los AMAs, a diferencia de otros premios, no consultan a expertos ni a jurados: consultan a la gente, y esa distinción convierte cada resultado en un espejo fiel —aunque no siempre cómodo— de lo que el mundo realmente escucha.
- Taylor Swift llega al MGM Grand Garden Arena con ocho nominaciones históricas, convirtiendo la ceremonia en una pregunta sobre si alguien puede competir con ella o si la noche ya está decidida de antemano.
- Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean y Shaboozey empujan con siete nominaciones cada uno, recordando que la fragmentación del consumo musical moderno no deja espacio para un solo ganador absoluto.
- La presencia de Karol G como receptora del premio a la Excelencia en Artista Internacional señala el peso comercial ya innegable de la música en español dentro del mercado estadounidense.
- El cartel de actuaciones mezcla nostalgia —New Kids on the Block, Pussycat Dolls, Billy Idol— con el presente inmediato, una estrategia que revela la tensión de un show que intenta hablar a varias generaciones a la vez.
- La votación ya cerró: lo que ocurre esta noche no es una deliberación sino una revelación, y el público argentino podrá seguirla en vivo desde las 21 horas por Paramount+.
La 52ª edición de los American Music Awards se celebra este lunes 25 de mayo en el MGM Grand Garden Arena de Las Vegas, con Queen Latifah como conductora y transmisión global a través de Paramount+. La fecha coincide por segundo año consecutivo con el Memorial Day en Estados Unidos, y la ceremonia llega con Taylor Swift como figura dominante: ocho nominaciones, la cifra más alta en la historia del evento, que la colocan en la carrera por Artista del Año, Álbum del Año, Canción del Año y varias categorías pop.
No está sola en la cima. Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter y Shaboozey acumulan siete nominaciones cada uno, mientras que Alex Warren y Lady Gaga suman seis. La categoría Artista del Año reúne a nombres tan distintos como Bad Bunny, BTS, Kendrick Lamar y Justin Bieber, una convivencia que refleja cuánto se ha diversificado el consumo musical y cuánto ha perdido peso la idea de un gusto unificado.
La dimensión internacional ocupa un lugar central. Karol G, además de competir en tres categorías, recibirá el premio a la Excelencia en Artista Internacional y actuará en vivo. La ceremonia incluye por primera vez categorías dedicadas al K-pop, el Afrobeats y la música electrónica, reconociendo que la etiqueta 'música americana' abarca hoy territorios que antes le eran ajenos.
El cartel de actuaciones combina figuras del pasado —New Kids on the Block, Pussycat Dolls, Billy Idol— con artistas del momento presente, una mezcla que apunta a capturar audiencias de distintas generaciones. Los AMAs se distinguen de otros grandes premios porque sus ganadores no los eligen críticos ni jurados de la industria, sino el voto directo del público, lo que convierte cada estatuilla en una medida honesta —y a veces incómoda— del éxito comercial real. Para la Argentina, la transmisión en vivo comienza a las 21 horas del lunes.
The 52nd American Music Awards are happening tonight in Las Vegas, and Taylor Swift has arrived at the ceremony with more nominations than any artist in the event's history. Eight categories will feature her name on the ballot—Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Summer Song, Best Female Pop Artist, Best Pop Song, and Best Pop Album. She is, by any measure, the night's dominant figure.
The ceremony takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 25th, a Monday that coincides with Memorial Day in the United States for the second consecutive year. Queen Latifah will host the proceedings, which will stream globally on Paramount+. Last year's ceremony, hosted by Jennifer Lopez, drew more than 10 million viewers in the live broadcast. The AMAs operate differently from other major awards shows: nominations are determined by commercial performance—sales, streaming numbers, radio play—but winners are chosen by public vote, a system that has made the awards a genuine measure of what audiences actually listen to rather than what industry gatekeepers prefer.
Swift's dominance is striking, but she is not alone in the running. Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and Shaboozey each earned seven nominations. Alex Warren and Lady Gaga received six mentions each. The breadth of competition across genres reflects the fragmentation of modern music consumption: there is no single sound winning the night, no unified taste. Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, BTS, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift are all competing for Artist of the Year, a category so crowded it almost ceases to mean anything.
The international presence is notable. Karol G, the Colombian artist, appears in three nomination categories and will also receive the award for Excellence in International Artist. She will perform during the ceremony. Shakira, ROSALÍA, and other Latin artists compete across dedicated categories, reflecting the commercial weight of Spanish-language music in the American market. The ceremony has expanded to include K-pop categories, Afrobeats categories, and dance and electronic music categories—a recognition that "American music" no longer means what it once did.
The performance lineup spans generations and genres: Billy Idol, Busta Rhymes, Hootie & the Blowfish, Karol G, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, New Kids on the Block, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor, The Pussycat Dolls, and Twenty One Pilots will take the stage. Some of these names represent nostalgia—the Pussycat Dolls, New Kids on the Block—while others represent the current moment. The mix suggests an awards show trying to speak to multiple generations of listeners at once, a strategy that often satisfies no one completely but ensures broad viewership.
For viewers in Argentina, the ceremony begins at 9 p.m. local time on Monday evening. Paramount+ will carry the live broadcast, with on-demand access available starting Tuesday. The voting has already closed; what happens tonight is simply the revelation of what the public has already decided. Taylor Swift may walk away with multiple awards, or she may win none. The outcome will be determined not by critics or industry figures but by whoever bothered to vote—a democratic process that has made the AMAs, for better or worse, a genuine reflection of commercial success rather than artistic merit.
Citações Notáveis
The AMAs distinguish each year the best of American music, with nominations determined by commercial performance—sales, streaming, radio play—while winners are chosen by public vote.— American Music Awards structure
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why does it matter that Taylor Swift has eight nominations when the AMAs are decided by public vote anyway? Isn't that just reflecting what we already know?
It matters because the nominations themselves are a statement. They're based on sales, streams, radio play—pure commercial data. Eight nominations means she's not just popular; she's dominant across multiple formats and demographics. The public vote will decide if she wins, but the nominations tell you she's everywhere.
And the other artists with seven nominations—Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter—are they in the same position, or is eight genuinely different?
One nomination is a meaningful gap at this level. It suggests she's competing in categories where others aren't even in the conversation. But honestly, the real story isn't the gap between eight and seven. It's that there's no clear consensus winner anymore. Ten artists are competing for Artist of the Year. That fragmentation is the actual news.
Queen Latifah hosting—is that significant, or just a name?
It's a statement about who the AMAs think their audience is. Latifah is a rapper, an actress, a cultural figure from the '90s and 2000s. She bridges generations. That matters when you're trying to appeal to people voting for everything from K-pop to country to Latin music.
The public voting—does that actually change outcomes compared to what industry judges would pick?
Absolutely. Public voting rewards commercial success and fan engagement. A judge might pick the "best" album; the public picks the one they streamed most. Those aren't always the same thing. That's why the AMAs feel different from the Grammys or other awards.
What does Karol G getting the Excellence award tell you about the music industry right now?
That Latin music isn't a niche anymore. It's central. She's not just nominated; she's being honored separately, which suggests the AMAs see her as representing something bigger than any single category. That's recognition of market reality.