We love the Grammys, American Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards, but those are hardly the only ceremonies that honor music throughout the course of the year.
This list of music award shows includes shows that are entirely dedicated to music, plus some (like the Emmys, Oscars, and Golden Globes) which only have one or two music categories. Those shows are still appointment viewing for the diehard music fan!
We’ve also thrown in a few (like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony) which are technically not award shows, but are still hugely important ceremonies in the world of music.
Below, find our updated list of 2026 music award shows. When possible, we’ve noted the exact dates, though some of this year’s shows haven’t yet announced their exact dates.
This list only includes awards that have an actual ceremony. Online awards or other honors aren’t listed.
Note: Some key music award shows were canceled for 2025. As Hollywood Reporter learned, the CMT Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, and a few other shows were paused by Paramount last year due to a pending corporate merger. It remains to be seen whether they will be brought back in 2026.
2026 Music Award Shows
January 11: Golden Globes
Venerable movie and tv award show that has music categories for Best Song and Best Score.
January 23: She Rocks Awards
Created in 2012, this show honors trailblazing women in the music industry. The awards are livestreamed on Youtube.
February 1: Grammy Awards
Since 1959, the Grammys have been the preeminent music award ceremony, with more than 90 awards voted on by members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
February 19: Premio Lo Nuestro
A Univision broadcast recognizing the best in Latin music in 44 categories. The show airs live from Miami. This year’s top nominees are Bad Bunny, Carín León, Myke Towers, and Rauw Alejandro.
February 28: NAACP Image Awards
Since 1967, annual ceremony celebrating the best in black entertainment, including about a dozen music categories.
February 28: BRIT Awards
The British equivalent to the Grammys, the BRITs honor both British and foreign artists in numerous major categories.
March 15: Oscars (Academy Awards)
The Oscars honor some of music’s top songwriters with the Best Original Song and Best Original Score categories.
March 26: iHeartRadio Music Awards
The iHeart Awards give out more than 50 awards in all major genres, since 2014. It usually takes place in mid-March. This year’s top nominees are Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and Alex Warren.
March 27: Electronic Dance Music Awards
Created in 2022 (previously known as the Remix Awards), this ceremony rewards EDM acts like Martin Garrix, Tiesto, Dom Dolla, Diplo, Marshmello, and Zedd.
March 29: Juno Awards
Since 1970, Canada’s version of the Grammys, rewarding only Canadian artists.
May 7: Blues Music Awards
For more than 40 years, this ceremony has honored the best in blues music.
May 17: Academy of Country Music Awards (Amazon Prime Video)
The ACMs are considered one of the two big annual country music award shows. The show moves back to Las Vegas this year after three years in Texas.
May 25: American Music Awards (CBS)
Popular award show created in 1973 by Dick Clark to compete with the Grammys. The show will air on Memorial Day itself for the second straight year. It has moved to CBS after decades on ABC.
June 7: Tony Awards (CBS)
Since 1947, the Tony Awards have rewarded the best in musical theater. Every aspiring EGOT needs a Tony!
June 17: Las Culturistas Culture Awards (Bravo/Peacock)
This show curated by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers started 5 years ago as a podcast episode, and has become a real ceremony, with lighthearted nominees like “Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra Mirror House” and “the Gobi tent at Coachella.” It films on May 30 and will air on June 17, after airing in August last year.
June 28: BET Awards
Since 2001, Black Entertainment Television’s noteworthy ceremony rewarding the best in music, movies, and sports. Kevin Hart will host the 2025 show.
August 15: Stellar Gospel Music Awards
The 41st annual show for gospel music airs in August, usually a couple weeks after taping. Last year, it was hosted by BeBe and CeCe Winans.
September 3: Premios Juventud
The 23rd annual award ceremony rewards excellence in Latin music. It will take place from Spain this year. Carín León is the most-nominated artist this year, with 9 nods.
September 14: Prime Time Emmy Awards (NBC/Peacock)
Annual celebration of the best in television. There are currently 7 music categories. Comedian Nate Bargatze hosted last year.
September 16: Americana Music Honors & Awards
A critically-celebrated show honoring the best in Americana and folk music.
September 27: MTV Video Music Awards
The VMAs have rewarded the best in music video performances annually since 1984.
October 6: Dove Awards
The Gospel Music Association presents the 57th Annual Dove Awards on Oct. 6. They often air a few days after taping.
October 22: Billboard Latin Music Awards
Since 1994, the longest-running Latin music award show. Bad Bunny, Fuerza Regida, Rauw Alejandro, Karol G, Tito Double P and Peso Pluma are among the frequent nominees.
October tbd: Bluegrass Awards
Presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Bluegrass Awards honor the best musicians and performers in the genre.
November 12: Latin Grammy Awards
Created in 2000, a ceremony created by the Recording Academy for the best in Latin music.
November 14: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction (HBO/Disney+)
HBO airs the annual induction ceremony with performances from the honorees.
November 14: Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards
Since 1988, annual celebration honoring kids’ favorites in music, movies, tv, and pop culture. It moves to November this year, from its previous May airdate.
November 18: CMA Awards
One of two major country music award shows. Created in 1967 and broadcast on ABC.
November 19: ARIA Music Awards
Australia’s awards for popular music, essentially the Aussie equivalent of the Grammy Awards.
November tbd: Los 40 Music Awards Santander
Begun in 2006 and formerly known as Premios 40 Principales, this show was created by Spanish radio station LOS 40. It rewards Spanish-language music from around the world, and has a series of International categories that honor English stars.
November tbd: Billboard Music Awards
Annual ceremony in dozens of categories held by the prominent charts company. The show has moved up its calendar to air in November rather than May.
December tbd: TikTok Awards
Brand-new award show honoring the best TikTok creators has one music category for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, which in the past has featured nominees like Sombr, Ravyn Lenae, Alex Warren, and Katseye.
Award Shows With Unknown Status
IN LIMBO: People’s Choice Awards
Since 1975, an annual fan-voted event honoring music, movies and tv performers. The show did not take place in 2025, for unexplained reasons. The future of this long-time award show is in doubt. A date for 2026 has not been confirmed. It used to take place in February.
IN LIMBO: People’s Choice Country Awards
New fan-voted show created in 2023, focusing only on country music. It airs on NBC and takes place at the Opry House in Nashville.
IN LIMBO: MTV Movie & TV Awards
Originally created in 1992 as the MTV Movie Awards, the show doesn’t feature any music awards but typically features several live music performances from top artists. The show was canceled for 2024 and 2025.
IN LIMBO: CMT Music Awards
Entertaining award show from the country music television network was canceled in 2025 but could return in the future. It previously aired in April.
IN LIMBO: Soul Train Awards
Since 1987, the Soul Train Awards have rewarded the best in R&B and hip hop music. This show is on indefinite hiatus.
IN LIMBO: BET Hip Hop Awards
Another BET award show, but this one is specifically for rap music. Created in 2006. This show is on indefinite hiatus.
IN LIMBO: MTV Europe Music Awards
Annual ceremony honoring the most popular artists and videos from around the world. The event is canceled for 2025, but could return in the future.
IN LIMBO: Latin American Music Awards
Fan-voted ceremony airing on Univision, first held in 2015. This show typically takes place in April, but it does not appear to be happening in 2025, as the event’s website and social media have not been updated and no announcement has been made.
IN LIMBO: Teen Choice Awards
Since 1999, ceremony dedicated to rewarding teens’ favorites in music and pop culture. Show has been on hiatus since 2019 for reasons unknown.
List of Music Award Shows for 2027
Here’s a partial list of expected major music awards in 2027. Most of the exact dates have not been announced yet, aside from the Grammys on February 7, 2027.
We will update this list as dates become available.
February 7: Grammy Awards
February 27: BRIT Awards
March 14: Oscars (Academy Awards)
March tbd: iHeartRadio Music Awards
April 4: Juno Awards
May 16: ACM Awards
June tbd: BET Awards
Awards Shows for Music Which Are Now Defunct
Q Awards – Annual awards by the respected UK rock magazine Q. They ran from 1990 through 2019, before Q magazine went out of business.
Radio Disney Music Awards – held from 2001 to 2019, rewarding kid-friendly artists. Appears to be discontinued since Radio Disney’s format change in 2021.
YouTube Music Awards – Took place in 2013 and 2015 and seem to have been discontinued since then.
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards – Ran from 1995 to 2001, produced by Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich. Nominations in music and film categories were based solely on commercial performance.
NewNowNext Awards – LGBT-themed awards presented in various pop culture categories. The awards were presented by Logo TV and ran from 2008 to 2013.
Alternative Press Music Awards – Awards for rock and alt acts, presented by the magazine from 2013 to 2017.
What are your favorite award shows for music?
Last Updated on August 12, 2026
Seems that the list is missing Billboard Latin Music Awards 2021.
I would literally give anything to go see all of those awards. Literally anything! Anybody willing to lone some money for a 16-year-old to go see her favorite celebrities?