Related Galleries
Dancing With the Stars Season 
The Good Doctor Season 2 
Grey's Season 15 Photos
1 of 15
American Music Awards 2017: Best and Worst Moments
MOST RESPECTFUL SHOW OPENING
Even though most modern award shows open with a hokey skit or song parody, Jamie Foxx kicked off Sunday’s broadcast with something much more timely and appropriate. After reminding viewers of the many tragedies that took place in 2017, Foxx introduced “some of our first responders who ran toward the danger, when it would have been so easy to run away.” Added bonus: This classy opening was followed by an equally classy “Everybody Hurts” duet from Pink and Kelly Clarkson.
BEST MONOLOGUE MOMENT
After enthusiastically hitting a wide range of topics, from Kelly Clarkson’s American Idol win to DJ Khaled’s sizable entourage, host Tracee Ellis Ross closed her monologue by praising the year’s wave of female empowerment. “This year in music has been a reflection of this year in our country,” she said. “A year where brave women have started a movement as we own our experiences, our bodies and our lives. Ya heard me?” Yas. Queen.
MOST BOTCHED INTRODUCTION
Just when Chris Hardwick had gotten us so excited for “Nick freakin’ Jonas!” to perform, Lea Michele had to fumble over the “Chains” singer’s name and mistakenly call him “Chris” at first. Consider our buzz killed.
MOST EGREGIOUS WARDROBE CHOICE
The only thing more puzzling than that T-Mobile commercial starring multiple Nick Cannons? The biker glam outfit that Cannon showed off while tossing to commercial. Project Runway host Heidi Klum also attended Sunday’s AMAs, and we like to imagine she said “auf Wiedersehen” to this look backstage.
MOST ANTICLIMACTIC PERFORMANCE
Selena Gomez’s first live showcase of new single “Wolves” was one of the evening’s most heavily hyped performances… only to be lip-synced from start to finish. Fortunately, the cool set design provided a perfect distraction from Gomez’s underwhelming time on stage. (Meanwhile, in other lip-syncing news…)
BEST REACTION FROM AN AUDIENCE MEMBER (PART 1)
Frankly, we can’t tell if This Is Us star Justin Hartley is loving or hating Christina Aguilera’s tribute to The Bodyguard — and therein lies the beauty of his pained-but-maybe-awestruck expression. (Honorable mention to Hartley’s costar Chrissy Metz for unabashedly fangirling over Xtina’s performance — but turn your phone horizontally, girl!)
BEST REACTION FROM AN AUDIENCE MEMBER (PART 2)
Who among us hasn’t made this goofy face upon realizing a camera was on them? Stars, they’re just like us!
ODDEST DISCLAIMER
Before launching into smash single “Feel It Still,” Portugal. The Man let viewers know that their performance wouldn’t feature any computers, “just live instruments.” Admirable approach to an awards show moment? Or not-so-subtle shade thrown at a decent chunk of industry entertainers? We’ll let you decide.
MOST ENDEARING ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
Full disclosure: We felt a little cheated that Lady Gaga wasn’t actually at the AMAs, but performing from her regularly scheduled concert in Washington D.C. But when the broadcast returned to the Capital One Arena, where Mother Monster received her award for Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist, her emotional reaction was so genuine, we just couldn’t stay mad.
BEST COLLABORATION
Here are two songs you didn’t expect to enjoy as a mash-up: Imagine Dragons’ “Thunder” and Khalid’s “Young Dumb & Broke.” And yet, when those two singles combined to form one at the AMAs, it resulted in one of the broadcast’s most compelling performances.
COOLEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Say what you will about Pink’s obsession with acrobatics, but it does lead to some pretty fantastic awards show moments. Case in point: the extremely cool visual of the pop star and her backup dancers floating down the side of the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles. (See, Portugal. The Man? Not everyone uses computers. Some people use hotels.)
MOST POIGNANT WIN
Given the July death of lead singer Chester Bennington, Linkin Park’s win for Favorite Alternative Rock Artist was especially meaningful. Keyboardist Mike Shinoda used his acceptance speech to honor his bandmate — “his memory, his talent, his sense of humor, his joy” — before reminding audience members to “take a moment to appreciate what you’ve got and make Chester proud.”
BEST THROWBACK
Don’t get us wrong: Kelly Clarkson’s performance of new single “Love So Soft” was positively divine, gloved backup dancers and all. But she also dusted off the 2003 jam “Miss Independent,” and it kinda got us hoping for a medley of Clarkson’s greatest hits. (Tell us you wouldn’t have died to see a reprise of that iconic, rain-soaked VMAs performance from 2005.)
BEST CAMEO
In the words of Chance the Rapper: Come back, Barack!
BEST FAMILY REUNION
Lifetime Achievement recipient Diana Ross closed out a medley of her greatest hits by bringing her grandchildren up on stage — and the youngest tot (pictured in the pink dress) had the cutest case of stage jitters that we’ve ever seen, evidenced by her blank stare at the audience. (One person who was not fazed by the size of the AMAs crowd? Ross’ grandson, who attempted to upstage his grandmother by lowering himself into a split behind her.)
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
Image: Courtesy of ABC
