Rod Stewart delivered an animated performance of “Forever Young” to the American Music Awards 2025 on Monday evening when he received the AMA prize in Lifetime Achievement Award.
Before his set, the five children of Rock & Roll Hall of Famer took the stage to honor their father. A later video was played to present the extent of Stewart’s career.
“When I started singing the early 1960s, long before one of you was there, the reason why I entered, it was because I had this burning ambition to sing,” he said. “That’s all I wanted to do, I didn’t want to be rich or famous, and I am here a few years later, taking this wonderful prize.”
“I would like to thank all the musicians I played with, all my influences,” he said, praising Sam Cooke, David Ruffin and Muddy Waters.
After accepting the honor, Stewart sang his 1988 “Forever Young” piece, dancing through the scene while his dancers and musicians who accompany him led an optimistic and high enthusiasm performance.
Monday evening, marked Stewart’s return to the Ama, his first appearance during the awards ceremony in more than two decades since his last interpretation of “What a Wonderf World” of Louis Armstrong during the show in 2004.
Jennifer Lopez obtained a double service on Monday, acting as an animator of the evening and one of the many artists of the prize ceremony program. Alongside Lopez, Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson and Reneé Rapp also went on stage.
Janet Jackson gave his first television performance in seven years to the AMA 2025 when it was honored in the Icon Prize. Previously, the singer “That’s the way way love” received the Billboard Music Awards Icon Award in 2018, where she interpreted a mixture of “Nasty”, “If” and “Throb”.
Billie Eilish won the artist of the year and Eilish Hit me Hard and sweet won the album of the year while “Birds of a Feather” won the song of the year at home. Gracie Abrams was crowned new artist of the year. Before Monday evening, Kendrick Lamar led the nominees for this year with 10 nominations, followed closely by Post Malone, Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey.
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