Best Music From ’90s And 2000s Dominate The American Music Awards

(Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP via Getty Images)

The 2026 American Music Awards aired May 25 and proved what many fans have known all along — the best music lived in the past.

The show was a nostalgic blast featuring the best hits, bands, and music references of the 1980’s through to the 2000’s, and it just kept giving.

Unlike the Grammy Awards, where winners are chosen by industry professionals, the American Music Awards are decided entirely by fan voting. Fans cast ballots across genres ranging from country and alternative rock to K-pop, shaping a lineup that reflected their direct tastes and passions. This year’s show felt like a roll call from the past, packed with throwback moments that lit up the crowd and reinforced a clear message: audiences still gravitate toward  music that defined earlier eras.

Fans were treated to a goose bump-inducing, impromptu singalong to “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, an epic Pussycat Dolls performance, and the return of the legendary boy band, New Kids On The Block. And that was just the beginning.

Our host @IAMQUEENLATIFAH introduces @pussycatdolls‘ first #AMAs performance in 20 years… with a special cameo 👀 @googoodolls pic.twitter.com/zA4hh3ZXI9 —........

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