Cardi B attends the 2018 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on Oct. 9, 2018 in Los Angeles.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images For dcpCardi B will host the 2021 American Music Awards, which are set to air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 21.
A five-time AMA winner, Cardi has three nominations at this year’s show – favorite female hip-hop artist and two nods for “Up” as favorite music video and favorite hip-hop song.
Cardi joins a long line of hip-hop stars to host or co-host the AMAs. Others include M.C. Hammer (1992), Will Smith (1994), Queen Latifah (1995), LL Cool J (2001), Sean Combs (2002) and Pitbull (2013-14).
This is the fifth consecutive year that a Black female star will front the AMAs. Cardi B follows actress Tracee Ellis Ross (2017-18), R&B star Ciara (2019) and actress Taraji P. Henson (2020).
Cardi, 29, performed “I Like It” at the 2018 AMAs with J Balvin and Bad Bunny. The smash went on to receive a Grammy nomination for record of the year. Last year, Cardi became the first female rapper to win favorite hip-hop song twice. (The category was introduced in 2016.) She had won in that category in 2018 with her breakthrough smash “Bodak Yellow” and won again last year with “WAP” (featuring Megan Thee Stallion).
"When I received the invite to host the AMAs, I was so excited,“ Cardi B said in a statement. "I'm ready to bring my personality to the AMAs stage! Thank you to Jesse Collins, ABC and MRC for making this happen."
“We are immensely excited to have the dynamic Cardi B bring her infectious energy to the American Music Awards as a first-time host,” said AMAs executive producer Collins. “She will excite the viewers, push the limits and deliver a show that will be remembered forever!”
Nominees are based on key fan interactions - as reflected on the Billboard charts - including streaming, album sales, song sales and radio airplay. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partner MRC Data, and cover the time period Sept. 25, 2020, through Sept. 23, 2021.
The 2021 American Music Awards is produced by MRC Live & Alternative and Jesse Collins Entertainment.
As the world’s largest fan-voted awards show, the AMAs will air globally across a footprint of linear and digital platforms in over 120 countries and territories.
The show will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 21, at 8:00 p.m. EST/PST on ABC and will stream the next day on Hulu.
Voting is now open and this year. For the first time ever, fans can vote for all AMA categories, once per category per day, globally on TikTok by searching for “AMAs” in-app. They can also access the voting hub by clicking here.
Tickets are now on sale now at www.axs.com.
London four piece Keo are on course to land their first UK Number 1 album with Put A Smile On For Me. After building a loyal audience over the past two years, the London band now lead this week’s Official Albums Chart update. Their debut record explores love, guilt, and self destruction.
Nothing But Thieves are close behind at Number 2 with their fifth album, Stray Dogs. The Southend band are hoping for a second straight Number 1 after Dead Club City reached the top in 2023. Taylor Swift is at Number 3 with The Life Of A Showgirl, helped by the expanded The Encore edition. Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In sits at Number 4, while Soft Cell’s Danceteria opens at Number 5. It is the synth pop duo’s final album together following Dave Ball’s death last year.
Europe could reach Number 9 with Come This Madness, giving the Swedish rock band its first UK Top 10 album in four decades. A 30th anniversary reissue of Alice In Chains’ MTV Unplugged is at Number 13 in the midweek update, with Orbital’s Glastonbury 1994 set at Number 14. Julia Jacklin is heading for her first Top 40 album as The Gem reaches Number 18, while Suede’s Coming Up returns at Number 23 after its 30th anniversary physical release.
Also on track for Top 40 places are Nessa Barrett’s Tough Love at Number 29, the companion soundtrack to LINKIN PARK: UNSHATTER at Number 30, and Dublin band Gurriers’ Nobody’s Coming To Save You at Number 31. Blondshell, Kneecap, Tina Turner, and Leon Bridges also appear in the lower half of the midweek chart.
The official positions will be announced when the final Albums Chart is published on Friday.
