Photo: Leon Bennett/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty
Music lovers rejoice! The 2022American Music Awardsis almost here.
Marking its 50th anniversary, the annual award show will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Wayne Brady, 50, is serving as the night’s emcee for the star-studded evening.
Fan favoriteBad Bunnyis leading the ranks with eight nominations. If he were to win in all eight categories, he could tieMichael JacksonandWhitney Houstonfor the most awards in a single year. His latest albumUn Verano Sin Tiis up for favorite pop album and Latin album.
Pinkwill be taking the stage for anOlivia Newton-Johntribute, andLionel Richiewill be honored with the prestigious Icon Award.
Here is everything to know about the largest fan-voted award show.
Wayne Brady Will Host
Brady was announced as the hostfor this year’s ceremony on Oct. 24. He later opened up to PEOPLE about how he’s preparing for the big night.
“I was ecstatic,” Brady said of the moment he found out. “I actually lost my mind. That is one of the most amazing feelings. You feel like one of the cool kids in school.”
He continued, “Besides being a host, and besides being a musician, I just love music. So to be a music lover in the middle of music, all these musicians that you look up to and these new musicians that are paving the way and bursting onto the scene, it’s really a remarkable night to be a part of.”
Hosting the award show is a full-circle moment for the star, considering he hosted the preshow nearly 20 years ago. “I’ve got all these years of experience to pull from now,” he said.
As for how he plans to make it special? Wayne’s got an idea or two.
“I’m not going to say 100%, but odds are is we’re doing an opening number. I mean, in the award shows that I’ve hosted in the past I’m kind of known for being able to pull those out,” he says with excitement. “So we’re going to do a really cool opening number. And then at some point, I would love to be able to freestyle or do an improvisational piece using people from the audience, because as a fan, and as a music lover, and as a musician, to be able to improvise musically on the AMAs would be the highlight of my life.”
“And maybe there’ll be an opportunity to show off a few of myDancing with the Starsmoves later in the show,” says Brady, who is currently a contestant on the reality competition series.
Wayne Brady.ABC
Check out PEOPLE’s full AMAs coverage to get the latest news music’s big night.
And The Nominees Are…
Bad Bunny garneredthe most nominationsthis year with eight, whileBeyoncé,Taylor Swift, andDrakehave six each.
The latter three are all up for artist of the year, while Swift and Beyoncé will also go head to head for female pop artist and pop album.
Meanwhile,Adele,Harry StylesandThe Weekndeach have five nominations and are all included in the artist of the year category. All three also earned nods for favorite pop album, with30,Harry’s HouseandDawn FM.
First-time nominees at the award show are Jack Harlow, Tems, Latto, BLACKPINK, Anitta and Swedish House Mafia.
Swift currently holds the title for most wins in the artist of the year category with six total. She also holds the record for most AMA wins of all time with 34 total.
New categories this year are favorite K-pop artist, favorite afrobeats artist, favorite rock song and favorite rock album.
See the full list of nomineeshere.
Bad Bunny, Beyonce, Drake and Taylor Swift.Amy Sussman/Getty; Kevin Winter/Getty; Rich Fury/Getty; Terry Wyatt/Getty
Here Are the Performers
Carrie Underwood,Imagine Dragons, Yola and Pink willhit the stageat the event.
Tems, Wizkid and J.I.D will also be performing, whileD-Nicewill serve as the house DJ.
Pink, 43, will hit the stage with her upcoming single “Never Gonna Not Dance Again,” which was released on Nov. 4.
Pink is also set to performwhat’s sure to be an emotional tribute to late singer and actressOlivia Newton-John, whodied of breast cancer at age 73 in August. Throughout theGreasestar’s career, shereceived10 AMAs and co-hosted the show with Glen Campbell and Aretha Franklin in 1976.
Meanwhile, Underwood, 39, will perform her hit track “Crazy Angels” off her latest record,Denim & Rhinestones. Imagine Dragons will perform alongside rapper J.I.D, while Wizkid and Tems will each make their AMA performance debut.
Yola, 39, will perform her song “Break the Bough,” which has been named the AMAs song of the soul.
Furthermore,Stevie Wonderwill team up withCharlie PuthandAri Lennoxto perform a medley ofLionel Richie’s hit songs in honor of the former Commodores musician winning the AMAs Icon Award.
Who Are the Presenters?
Jimmie Allen,Meghan TrainorandDan + Shayare among the celebrities set to appear at the 2022 AMAs on Sunday, PEOPLE exclusively revealed on Friday.
Other presenters for the awards show include musiciansDustin Lynch,Ellie Goulding,Jessie James Decker,Kelly Rowland,Kim Petras,Latto,Melissa Etheridge,Sabrina CarpenterandSmokey Robinsonas well as actressesKarreuche Tran,Roselyn Sanchez,Niecy Nash-BettsandSheryl Lee Ralph, plus media personalityLiza Koshy.
Jimmie Allen, Meghan Trainor, Dan + Shay.Paras Griffin/Getty, Santiago Felipe/Getty, Terry Wyatt/Getty
An Esteemed Honor
Lionel Richiewas previously announced asthe recipient of the Icon Award— which will mark the “Hello” singer-songwriter’s 18th trophy from the annual ceremony.
“I’m immensely grateful for a career that has taken me to places I never imagined that I’d go, from arenas worldwide to studio sets to the AMA stage,” read a press statement from Richie, 73, who will become the only artist to appear on the fan-voted awards show in every decade since its 1973 inception.
Continuing his statement, the former Commodores member reflected on a notable moment from his decades-long career. “I can recall one of the first times I got to perform at the AMAs,” said Richie. “It was to sing ‘We Are the World’ among the most iconic musicians of my generation,so it is surreal to be receiving this recognition 36 years later.”
Where to Watch
The award show will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Fan voting for all awards is now open onVoteAMAs.com.
source: people.com
