Keith Urban and Hootie & The Blowfish Set to Rock the 2026 AMAs
The volume for this year's American Music Awards has turned up! Keith Urban and Hootie & The Blowfish are two of the newest musical acts added to the award show's performance lineup.
Hootie & The Blowfish's appearance is especially significant. The group, which made headlines in 1996 after winning the AMA for Pop/Rock New Artist, will return to the AMA stage nearly three decades later. The band is set to perform hits from their debut album, Cracked Rear View, which helped them achieve their first AMA trophy, along with pop culture fame and music industry success. In celebration of the album's 30-year anniversary in 2024, Hootie & The Blowfish reflected on its legacy with Billboard.
"It seems to resonate in people's lives in a very big way," said guitarist Mark Bryan. "Those stories like [it 's] their wedding song or they say, 'It got me through my father's death,' always keep coming back to us, and it never gets old. What a great full-circle way as a songwriter to know that you've connected with people. As a songwriter and musician, you can't ask for more. It's such a dream come true to have made an album that has connected on such a level with people like that."
Urban is scheduled to perform a song from his 13th studio album, Flow State, set for release on June 12. Alongside fellow musicians such as Dolly Parton and Michael McDonald, the country superstar was also inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in April. Amid his recent career success, the former American Idol judge has made headlines for his 2025 divorce from Nicole Kidman and a rumored rift with his daughters, Faith Margaret and Sunday Rose.
Keith Urban and Hootie & the Blowfish join KATSEYE, Teddy Swims, Riley Green, Maluma, Twenty One Pilots, and sombr, with more performers to be announced. Additionally, actress/rapper Queen Latifah will host the star-studded event.
The 52nd American Music Awards will air live on CBS and stream live on Paramount Plus, May 25.
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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 3:05 PM.