The celebratory evening will include performances from Gladys Knight, Kane Brown, Mariah Carey, Green Day, Jennifer Hudson, Stray Kids, Brad Paisley, RAYE and more.
While the AMAs will officially return in May 2025, CBS and Dick Clark Productions will present the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. The two-hour event will celebrate half a century of music and the legacy of the AMAs through star-studded performances and never-before-seen footage.
EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson is set to honor 22-time AMA winner Whitney Houston with a tribute performance, and Gladys Knight, who performed at the very first AMAs in 1974, will return for an encore performance of “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Other musical acts include Kane Brown, Mariah Carey, Green Day, Stray Kids, Brad Paisley and RAYE.
At a Glance: How to Watch the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special
- When Sun. Oct. 6 at 5 p.m PT/8 p.m. ET
- Channel CBS
- Stream online DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Paramount+
How to Watch the AMAs 50th Anniversary Special: Date, Time
The show will air live on CBS on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 5 p.m PT/8 p.m. ET. Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers can livestream the event on Paramount+ (and watch it on-demand). Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to watch on-demand the day after the special airs.
How to Stream the AMAs 50th Anniversary Special Online Without Cable, Including for Free
Cord-cutters can watch the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special on Paramount+: live for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers and next day on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers. You can also watch the show on any live TV streaming service that carries CBS, including DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.
Select streamers are offering free trials and limited-time discounts, allowing you to livestream the award show for free; keep reading to learn more about each option.
DirecTV Stream
Watch the AMAs 50th Anniversary Special for free on CBS with a five-day free trial to DirecTV Stream, which starts at $79.98 per month for the Entertainment + Sports Pack. The cable streamer offers more than 90 channels, including CNN, NBC, Disney Channel, E!, MSNBC, Nickelodeon and HGTV.
Other plans offer over 125-160 channels, with prices ranging from $88.99 to $99.99 per month. Learn more about package options and ways to save here.
Hulu + Live TV
Watch the AMAs 50th Anniversary Special for free on CBS with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, starting at $76.99 per month. Available with or without ads, the live TV streamer also carries ABC, NBC, Fox and 90 other major cable news, entertainment and sports channels.
Fubo
Fubo carries CBS and offers a seven-day free trial, allowing new subscribers to watch the 2024 AMAs 50th Anniversary Special for free.
The cable streamer carries over 200 other news, entertainment and sports channels, and subscriptions start at $79.99 per month for the Pro package, which is currently on sale for $49.99 for the first month. You can record over 1,000 hours of TV shows, movies, games and more (including Monday, Thursday and Sunday night football) and watch later on your smartphone, tablet or TV.
Other plans include the Elite package (301 channels for $99.99 monthly and currently on sale for $69.99 for the first month) and the Premier tier that comes with 322 channels, NFL RedZone, Showtime and 4K quality for $109.99 monthly and currently on sale for $79.99 for the first month.
Paramount+
Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers can watch the the event live on Paramount+. The Paramount+ With Showtime bundle is $12.99 per month (or $119.99 per year) and includes a seven-day free trial, allowing you to livestream the 2024 AMAs for free. This plan is ad free, except for live TV and a few shows.
Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to watch on-demand the day after the special airs. The ad-supported Essential plan is $7.99 per month (or $59.99 annually) and also includes a seven-day free trial.
When you opt for the annual plan, Paramount+ Essential comes out to $5 per month and Paramount+ with Showtime comes out to $10 per month.