How to watch the 2026 American Music Awards for free: Paramount+ streaming deals
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Best ways to view AMAs at a glance:
Another way to watch for free
YouTube TV
7-day free trial, then $67.99 per month for your first 3 months
Another way to watch for free
Fubo Sports
5-day free trial, then $45.99 for your first month
The 2026 American Music Awards (AMAs) — the world’s largest fan-voted music awards show — returns on Memorial Day. Live at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the awards will honor the most popular songs and artists of the past year. That includes Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Olivia Dean, Kendrick Lamar, Alex Warren, SOMBR, RAYE, and Taylor Swift.
It’s sure to be a night full of talent, packed with great performances and tributes. And, of course, some big winners and upsets. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the AMAs live at home.
When are the American Music Awards?
52 AMAs will take place on Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day), at 8 pm ET (5 pm PT). Queen Latifah will host the awards live in Las Vegas.
What channel are the AMAs on?
For the second year in a row, the AMAs will be broadcast live on CBS for those with cable. And because we’re in broadcast season, CBS broadcast Paramount+ will also simulcast the awards show with Paramount+ Premium category only. The Paramount+ Essential plan will only get you access to essential broadcasts the day after the awards broadcast.
How to watch the American Music Awards live without cable
For those who no longer have cable or access to their local CBS network, you’ll have a few different options to tune in live and for free.
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The easiest way to watch is to subscribe to Paramount+ Premium. The broadcaster itself no longer offers a free trial, but if you sign up with Prime Video, you’ll get seven days of free streaming.
You can also choose a live TV streaming service that broadcasts your local CBS channel, which will let you watch for free on a trial basis if you just signed up. Scroll through for an explanation of the best ways to watch the American Music Awards live and for free.
As noted above, Paramount+ no longer offers a seven-day trial for new subscribers. But if you have an Amazon Prime account, you can still get a free week of streaming with the Paramount+ Premium add-on. That will allow you to easily tune in to free AMAs.
If you can’t get a free trial, the only way to save money on a Paramount+ Premium subscription is to choose the annual plan over the monthly plan. Normally $13.99 per month, the price drops to $11.67 per month if you pay a year in advance. That’s about 17% in savings.
7-day free trial, then $13.99/month
$139.99/year (save $27.89)
Although more expensive than Paramount+, YouTube TV will also give you live access to local channels, including CBS, so you can listen to the AMAs as they happen. And if you’ve never signed up before, you’ll get a 10-day trial to watch for free. Just set a reminder to cancel before the 10 days are up, or you’ll get hit with $67.99 in your bank account. After three months, that price jumps back to the full cost of $82.99.
10-day free trial, then $67.99 per month for 3 months
