Billboard Music Awards sets new date for 2020 edition
The Billboard Music Awards, originally scheduled for April 29 but delayed by the pandemic, have a new date: Oct. 14. More good news: Kelly Clarkson, who was originally announced as returning host six months ago, is still on board.
This will be Clarkson’s third consecutive year as host of the BBMAs — her first since winning her first Daytime Emmy Award. On June 26, Clarkson took the award for outstanding entertainment talk show host for the first season of her hit talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
“I’m thrilled to be back with my Billboard family,” Clarkson said in a statement on Feb. 25, when she was first announced as host. “I love being part of an event that celebrates our greatest artists and entertains our fans. This a night of music that you won’t want to miss!”
The 2019 Billboard Music Awards aired on May 1, 2019 and easily won the night. The show averaged a 2.1 rating in adults 18-49 and eight million viewers, according to “live plus same day” ratings from Nielsen Media Research. Numbers crunchers reported that it was NBC’s top-rated in-season Wednesday in 18-49, excluding the Olympics, since Dec. 7, 2016.
Last year’s BBMAs featured performances from Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Madonna and Maluma, BTS with Halsey, Ciara, Lauren Daigle, Dan + Shay with Tori Kelly, Jonas Brothers, Khalid, Panic! at the Disco, Paula Abdul and Icon Award recipient Mariah Carey.
Clarkson will become just the third person to host or co-host the BBMAs three or more times. Comedian Kathy Griffin co-hosted the show three years running from 1998-2000. Rapper Ludacris hosted the 2014 show and co-hosted the show the following three years.
Clarkson knows what it’s like to be a BBMA nominee. She received five nominations, including artist of the year, at the 2005 show.
Clarkson received a Music Powerhouse award at the 2017 Billboard Women in Music event.
Clarkson is also a three-time Grammy winner. She was the first artist to win twice for best pop vocal album (with Breakaway and Stronger). Adele has since equaled the feat (with 21 and 25).
Clarkson’s many other awards include four American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards, one Country Music Association Award and – lest we forget – two Golden Raspberry Awards. She won those dubious honors in 2003 for her big-screen flop From Kelly to Justin.
Clarkson co-starred in the hastily packaged film with Justin Guarini, who was runner-up on American Idol the year she won the competition.
Billboard Music Awards nominees and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
The 2020 Billboard Music Awards is produced by dick clark productions, which is owned by MRC Entertainment, the parent company of Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter.
