What award show is this weekend (early May 2025)
As of the first week of May 2025, the primary major televised award show in the U.S. is the Billboard Music Awards, scheduled for Sunday, May 4, 2025, airing live on NBC. The ceremony typically takes place in Las Vegas and honors chart performance across genres. Other ceremonies in late April and May—such as the iHeartRadio Music Awards and global events like the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity—occur nearby but follow different schedules. This guide explains what is airing this weekend, how to watch, and how to confirm timing in your time zone.
Why schedules vary by region and year
Award show dates shift annually based on network planning, awards season pacing, and competitive positioning. Early May often hosts the Billboard Music Awards as a counterprogramming option. Regional awards, industry honors, and international festivals also cluster in spring, which can create the perception of multiple shows overlapping. Networks announce lineups and air dates months in advance, but local time zones and streaming windows can change how and when you see the event.
How to find the award show on TV tonight
- Check your local listings: Use a TV listings site or app (such as NBC.com, your cable guide, or a service like Zap2it) and set your location to see channel and time.
- Network schedule: Visit the programming page for NBC (or the relevant network) to confirm primetime and late-night variants of the ceremony.
- Reminder settings: Enable notifications on your TV provider app or streaming platform so you are alerted when the show becomes available to play.
How to watch the Billboard Music Awards live
In the United States, the primary window for the Billboard Music Awards is live on NBC in the Eastern Time Zone. Streaming typically appears on the NBC app, Peacock Premium, and authenticated TV Everywhere partners. If you are outside the Eastern Time Zone, check for the corresponding local time. International viewers can look to the official YouTube stream, regional broadcasters, or authorized OTT services that carry NBC programming where permitted.
| Date | Ceremony | Network (U.S.) | Typical Time (ET) | Status (early May 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, May 4, 2025 | Billboard Music Awards | NBC | 8:00 PM | Scheduled |
Key categories to look for
The Billboard Music Awards highlight chart metrics across Top Artists, Top New Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, and genre-specific fields such as Top Hot 100 Song and Top Radio Song. Competitive categories include Top Collaboration and Top Tour, while some honors are announced during pre-telecast segments. The show is structured to emphasize data-driven milestones rather than purely peer-voted craft categories.
Other ceremonies nearby in late April and May
In the weeks surrounding the first weekend of May, several other ceremonies occur:
- iHeartRadio Music Awards: Often held in April or early May, with a pop-focused set of categories and host-driven segments.
- Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity: A global festival in late June; while not a traditional awards show, it announces key Lions winners across creativity and media.
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and other guilds: Their awards cycles run at different times and are typically not clustered in early May.
Verify the show in your time zone
Because local time shifts the apparent date, a ceremony scheduled for Sunday evening Eastern Time can appear Saturday night or late Sunday night depending on where you are. Use your TV provider’s schedule or the network’s website to map the event to your clock. If you watch via streaming or cellular data, confirm data allowances and any regional restrictions that could block the live feed.
Frequently asked questions
- Which award show is most likely to air this weekend in early May 205? The Billboard Music Awards on NBC is the major televised show scheduled for that weekend.
- Can I stream the ceremony if I do not have cable? Yes, through the NBC app and Peacock Premium with an authenticated TV Everywhere login or eligible streaming package.
- Are tickets for the Billboard Music Awards still available? Availability varies; check the official show page for updates on audience tickets or virtual access options.
- What are the main award categories at the Billboard Music Awards? They include Top Artist, Top New Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Hot 100 Song, Top Radio Song, Top Collaboration, and Top Tour.
- What should I do if the show time changes? Recheck the network’s schedule the day before the event and update your recording or streaming plans accordingly.