K-pop supergroup BTS opened the 52nd American Music Awards on May 25, 2026, with a pre-recorded performance of “Hooligan” filmed during their ARIRANG World Tour stop in Las Vegas. The seven-member band — RM, j-hope, Jimin, Jung Kook, SUGA, V and Jin — appeared in slick black outfits, flanked by masked dancers, performing amid red lighting and fog in a sequence that echoed the track’s music video. The AMAs had announced the appearance five days earlier. The prerecorded clip was drawn from their May 24 Allegiant Stadium show; the band had kicked off a four-night residency in Las Vegas on May 23 with further dates on May 27 and 28. BTS are nominated for Artist of the Year, Best Male K-Pop Artist and Song of the Summer for “Swim.” Their comeback album Arirang was released in March after the members completed mandatory military service; its lead single “Swim” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in April, while “Hooligan” has reached the Hot 100 top 40. BTS also have further North American dates planned later in the year.

Sonny Rollins, the towering tenor saxophonist nicknamed the "Saxophone Colossus," died on Monday at his home in Woodstock, New York. He was 95. The announcement, posted to his website and confirmed by his publicist Terri Hinte, gave no immediate cause of death; Rollins had been largely housebound in recent years with health problems and had been diagnosed previously with pulmonary fibrosis. A central figure of the post‑war bebop and hard‑bop eras, Rollins recorded more than 60 albums as a leader and wrote standards including "St. Thomas" and "Oleo." His 1956 Saxophone Colossus and his solitary practice on the Williamsburg Bridge, which led to the 1962 album The Bridge, are among the defining episodes of a career that included collaborations with Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and others, occasional crossover work with the Rolling Stones, multiple Grammys, a National Medal of Arts and recognition as an NEA Jazz Master. Survivors include a nephew, Clifton Anderson, and nieces Vallyn Anderson and Gabrielle DeGroat.

KATSEYE delivered a high‑energy, heavily choreographed performance of their new single “Pinky Up” at the American Music Awards in Las Vegas on May 25, emerging from a giant pink teddy bear amid a tea‑party set and bright pink visuals. The five‑member lineup — Daniela, Lara, Megan, Sophia and Yoonchae — performed while member Manon remains on hiatus. The group took home the AMA for New Artist of the Year and was also nominated for Best Music Video for “Gnarly” and Breakthrough Pop Artist. “Pinky Up” debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Formed through a Hybe–Geffen joint venture and launched via the Dream Academy competition and Netflix docuseries Pop Star Academy, KATSEYE has rapidly expanded its profile after a breakout year that included a Coachella set and a viral single. The group is slated to release the Wild EP on Aug. 14 and will embark on the Wildworld Tour Sept. 1 in Dublin, with dates across Europe and North America.

Three original Pussycat Dolls — Nicole Scherzinger, Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt — reunited at the 2026 American Music Awards on May 25 for a high-energy medley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Dressed in coordinating red leather/latex, the trio performed hits including “Buttons,” “When I Grow Up,” their new comeback single “Club Song,” and closed with 2005 smash “Don’t Cha” alongside guest rapper Busta Rhymes (with hypeman Spliff Star). The appearance follows the group’s March 2026 reunion announcement and the release of “Club Song,” but comes amid controversy and logistical setbacks: the PCD Forever Tour’s North American leg was largely canceled earlier in May, while former members Carmit Bachar, Jessica Sutta and Melody Thornton said they were not contacted about the reboot. Despite cancelled U.S. dates, the group plans to perform at the OUTLOUD/WeHo Pride festival on June 6 and continues to promote scheduled European and U.K. dates through October. The AMAs performance, produced by Dick Clark Productions, offered a televised boost to the Dolls’ comeback while spotlighting unresolved lineup and touring challenges.

Sombr, the 20-year-old pop-rock singer, dominated the 2026 American Music Awards on May 25 in Las Vegas with a dramatic, rain-soaked performance of 'Homewrecker' that followed his acceptance of the night’s first trophy. Minutes earlier he won Best Rock/Alternative Song for 'Back to Friends' and is among the night’s most-nominated artists with seven nods, including Song of the Summer, New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Breakthrough categories and Best Rock/Alternative Album for I Barely Know Her. Television and press coverage highlighted the performance’s onstage downpour and Sombr’s theatrical smudged eyeliner finale. 'Homewrecker' is his highest-debuting single, peaking at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, and comes amid a breakout year that included appearances at the Grammys, Coachella, the BRITs and the VMAs. Sombr is set to launch a 39-date You Are the Reason Tour on July 22 in Mexico City, with stops across North America and a November 24 finale at Madison Square Garden.

Chicago punk band Rise Against and Boston’s Dropkick Murphys will co-headline a Live Nation‑produced tour of Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia in late November and early December 2026. The run opens in Ōtautahi Christchurch (Wolfbrook Arena) on Nov. 21 and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland (Spark Arena) on Nov. 24, then moves to Australia: John Cain Arena, Melbourne (Nov. 26); Meltdown at The Entertainment Grounds, Gosford (Nov. 28) alongside The Living End and Jebediah; Riverstage, Brisbane (Nov. 29); Sydney Opera House Forecourt (Dec. 1); and Red Hill Auditorium, Perth (Dec. 4). Mastercard presales begin May 27 (12pm local), Live Nation presales May 28 (12pm local) and general tickets go on sale May 29 (1pm local). Both bands released studio albums in 2025 that charted internationally, and the itinerary includes stadium and landmark outdoor venues across both countries.