Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Beyoncé: All The Major 2025 AMAs Snubs And Wins
The only thing I love more than a three-day holiday weekend is waking up to news about my favorite music celebs the next day. ICYMI, the American Music Awards (the Grammys’ younger, quirkier cousin) went down on Monday, May 26, and there were some surprising wins and losses on the music leaderboard.
The AMAs come at a lull in the season, long after the Grammys, iHeartRadio Music Awards, and the BBMAs, but before the MTV Video Music Awards and CMAs, which gives the in-betweener mainstream platform plenty of breathing room to try and gain music lovers’ attention. And this year, when fans tuned in (especially fans from a certain formerly country girlie’s standom), they may have been surprised by some of the winners on stage! Here’s a rundown of the AMAs 2025 winners and snubs to peruse instead of catching up on emails.
AMAs 2025 Winners
Artist Of The Year Winner: Billie Eilish
Billie beat Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Taylor Swift, and Zach Bryan for the big honor.
Best New Artist Winner: Gracie Abrams
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Benson Boone, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, and Tommy Richman lost to Gracie Abrams. Not a terrible surprise there, considering how much the music industry is feeling Gracie.
Album Of The Year Winner: Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard And Soft
This category was stacked: Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Charli XCX’s BRAT, Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us,
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Future & Metro Boomin’s We Don’t Trust You, Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet and Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department were all up for contention. But Billie’s third album took it away.
Song Of The Year Winner: Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”
The AMAs really said, “What do you say we keep these good vibes going,” to Billie Eilish!! “Birds of a Feather” took the crown over “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone, “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan, “Too Sweet” by Hozier, “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar, “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen, “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” by Shaboozey and “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims.
Favorite Soundtrack Winner: Arcane League of Legends (Season 2)
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Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and all of their besties apparently didn’t make the mark with Wicked! Instead, Arcane’s soundtrack won out over the Ozians, Hazbin Hotel, Moana 2, and Twisters: The Album.
AMAs 2025 Snubs: Who Lost
Chappell Roan
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Chappell didn’t win Best New Artist, like she did at the Grammys, and looking at all the contenders, I’d have easily had my money on her. Chappell Roan is having quite the moment, good and bad, after all.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé only took home one award at the AMAs (Favorite Female Country Artist), and she wasn’t even nominated for Song of the Year… when Texas Hold ‘Em and 16 Carriages were right there? Weirdo behavior, AMAs!
Wicked
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I’m sorry, how in the world is Wicked not winning every musical-related award? First, Zoe Saldaña’s spirited whispering in Emilia Pérez sweeps the Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy at The Golden Globes. Now it doesn’t deserve Favorite Soundtrack? My Spotify listening history BEGS to differ. Justice for Ariana and Cynthia!
Kendrick Lamar
Eminem beat Kendrick Lamar for Hip Hop Album and Hip Hop Artist when Kendrick just dropped the biggest-received rap album (with record-breaking singles like “Not Like Us”) in ages, thanks to GNX. Make that make sense. Weird way to finally force me to listen to The Death of Slim Shady, I suppose.
Did Taylor Swift win an AMA 2025?
Nope! Oh no, so sad, Taylor Swift was completely shut out of the AMAs for once. She was nominated six times, including AMA’s AOTY, Artist of the Year, and Favorite Female Pop Artist, but lost across the board to Billie and her latest pop masterpiece. Billie Eilish dynasty ender? I like the sound of that.
Topics: Award Shows, COWBOY CARTER, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Music, Sabrina Carpenter
Marissa Dow