The 2025 American Music Awards revealed just how quickly a once-iconic event can lose its connection to both artists and audiences when it fails to adapt. What should have been a celebration of music’s biggest names and moments instead highlighted a growing divide between the show and the community it claims to serve.
The absence of major performers, visible backstage confusion, and minimal fan engagement were not isolated problems but symptoms of a deeper identity crisis threatening the AMAs’ brand.
When the Stars Stay Home, the Brand Crumbles
Several of the biggest names in music, including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan, didn’t show. Their absence was not accidental nor the result of scheduling conflicts—it was value perception. These artists calculated that appearing on this stage no longer aligned with their brand equity.
The show built its reputation on star power and exclusive access. Celebrity endorsement is a form of brand validation, and when the validators opt out, the credibility gap becomes visible. In today’s fragmented attention economy, presence equals relevance. Absence is a message. When top performers stay away, it not only diminishes the entertainment value but also signals to fans that the event no longer matters. It erodes trust in the brand promise.
Lacking Production Quality and Backstage Drama Becoming Public
The 2025 ceremony marked the AMAs’ debut on CBS after years on ABC. This transition should have been an opportunity to refresh and redefine the event, but instead, the production felt like a diluted version of a once-vibrant show. There was no clear theme, no fresh identity, and no compelling message to set the tone. Instead of capitalizing on the new platform to innovate, the show defaulted to a formula that felt tired and disconnected.
There’s no such thing as off-camera anymore. Viewers caught glimpses of missed cues, awkward transitions, and clear signs of backstage confusion. In a digital environment where everything gets shared instantly, losing control of the narrative is more damaging than ever. The AMAs let the audience see the cracks and had no plan to manage the fallout.
Production quality is a part of the brand identity. Audiences are interpreting raw moments in real time and assigning meaning to them. Whether it’s technical failure or on-air tension, these moments don’t just reflect poor execution; they suggest deeper disorganization and fading relevance. When poor production quality is visible, it doesn’t instill confidence in your audience.
A Fan-Voted Show That Forgot the Fans
For a program that markets itself as fan-voted, the actual fan experience was surprisingly passive. Interactive elements were minimal, social media integration was weak, and moments that could have created emotional connections felt forced or missing altogether. In today’s entertainment environment, audience participation is essential to engagement and loyalty. The AMAs missed the opportunity to bring fans into the center of the experience, leaving them feeling like bystanders rather than active contributors to the event’s energy and excitement.
Fixing this will take more than optimism
The AMAs have work to do, and it starts with being honest. That means acknowledging what didn’t work and being clear about what needs to change. A polished recap or vague commitment to “listening” won’t cut it. The audience wants transparency and a reason to stay invested.
The team behind the show also needs to do the hard work of repairing its relationships with artists. That happens in private, not through press releases. They need to ask what went wrong, why people didn’t show, and what would make them want to return. That kind of outreach takes time, trust, and a willingness to change.
The format itself also needs a serious rethink. It should be built with digital culture in mind, not just broadcast tradition. That means collaborating with creators, leaning into unpredictability, and making space for moments that are meant to be shared. The kind of segments that go viral not because they’re shocking, but because they feel real.
The AMAs can’t rely on their legacy to carry them forward. Cultural relevance has to be earned again and again.
If your brand is facing a crisis of credibility, now is not the time to wait it out.
Contact Red Banyan to find out how we help organizations rebuild trust, reconnect with their audience, and come back stronger than before.
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