14 Moments from the American Music Awards You Don't Want to Miss

From Pink and Kelly's epic opener to the buzz around BTS, we have the rundown
By Kate Hogan
November 19, 2017 11:45 PM

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TRACEE ELLIS ROSS'S HOSTING & OUTFIT CHANGES

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Slipping into an astounding number of epic outfits, Ross hosted the show with energy, charm and the right mix of fangirl-dom.

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PINK & KELLY CLARKSON'S OPENING DUET

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After an emotional introduction from Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne honoring first responders nationwide, the superstars teamed up (for the first time ever) to sing R.E.M.'s classic "Everybody Hurts."

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DIANA ROSS'S RED CARPET ARRIVAL

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The Lifetime Achievement Award honoree was obviously proud of her honor, so much so that she brought all of her children and grandchildren along to watch the big show.

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ALL OF THE PERFORMANCES 

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Nick Jonas was one of the evening's earlier entertainers, singing his single "Find You," but Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Alessia Cara and a handful of other stars brought down the house, as well.

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BTS'S BIG DEBUT

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The seven-member South Korean boy band is already a huge international hit, but hadn't yet performed on American TV — until Sunday night. The guys sang and danced to their single "DNA," much to the delight of their thousands of crying, screaming fans inside (and outside) the Microsoft Theater.

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CHRISTINA AGUILERA'S WHITNEY HOUSTON TRIBUTE

One of the night's most emotional moments came from Christina Aguilera, who dutifully honored the 25th anniversary of The Bodyguard and its late star, Whitney Houston, with a medley of Houston hits from the film.

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DJ KHALED'S SON'S ARRIVAL

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The producer's 1-year-old son Asahd continued his Hollywood reign, watching Dad win the AMA for Favorite Song Rap/Hip-hop from his front-row seat.

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SELENA GOMEZ'S RETURN

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In her first performance since her kidney transplant, Gomez — with new blonde hair — performed her latest single, "Wolves," bringing the drama with fake blood and smoke machines.

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THE STRANGER THINGS KIDS

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Because their presence at an awards show is always a highlight, even when they're just there to present.

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PINK'S GRAVITY-DEFYING PERFORMANCE

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To sing "Beautiful Trauma," Pink donned some serious harnesses and took to the side of the nearby J.W. Marriott for a gravity-defying performance.

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KELLY CLARKSON'S RED CARPET DATES

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The world's coolest mom brought daughters Savannah, 16, and River Rose, 3, to the show, walking the carpet with her glammed-up girls and sitting them next to her in the front row.

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LINKIN PARK'S WIN

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The band was honored with the Favorite Alternative Rock Artist Award, and Rob Bourdon, Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson took the stage to accept the award and honor their late friend, frontman Chester Bennington. “I got a chance to talk to [our fellow nominees] ... who said really wonderful things about Chester. And they were similar to the things that our fans said all around the world about him, and we want to dedicate this award to him, to his memory, to his talent, to his sense of humor, to his joy,” Shinoda said. “Remember, you guys — all of you, tonight — whether you’re a fan or an artist, I want you guys to take a moment to appreciate what you’ve got and make Chester proud."

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DIANA ROSS'S MAJOR MOMENT

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The music legend ended the evening with a medley of her biggest hits, then brought her family and friends onstage to help her accept her Lifetime Achievement Award and close out the show. The biggest scene-stealers? Her adorable grandkids!

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THIS PHOTO OP

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Who wouldn't want to be a fly on the wall for this trio's conversation?

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By Kate Hogan