Billy Idol to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2026 AMAs Ahead of Rock Hall Induction

Billy Idol will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November, but he won’t have to wait that long for a major plaudit: He is set to receive a lifetime achievement award at the 52nd American Music Awards on Monday, May 25. The punk icon and survivor will be the third recipient of the award, following Diana Ross (2017) and Rod Stewart (2025).

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Idol will deliver a hit medley, marking his first time on the AMAs stage since presenting in 2004 and his first AMAs performance ever.

“Billy Idol is a true rock legend whose influence has transcended generations and genres,” executive producers Barry Adelman, EVP, Television, and Alexi Mazareas, senior VP, programming & development, Dick Clark Productions, said in a joint statement. “From his groundbreaking music to his electrifying stage presence, Billy has left an indelible mark on popular culture and the music industry.”

The release early this year of Billy Idol Should Be Dead , a documentary about his life and career, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, has focused attention on the veteran rocker.

Between 1984 and 1990, Idol landed four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and three top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. His highest-charting singles were a live version of Tommy James & The Shondells’ “Mony Mony,” which made No. 1 in 1987, and “Cradle of Love” from the Andrew Dice Clay-starring film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, which reached No. 2 in 1990.

Idol is the second performer announced for the AMAs who will receive a special award. Colombian singer-songwriter Karol G will receive the International Artist Award of Excellence. Other performers set for the show are Hootie & the Blowfish, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor and Twenty One Pilots, with more to be announced.

The 52nd American Music Awards will kick off summer with host Queen Latifah live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The show will air live coast-to-coast on CBS and stream on Paramount+ at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.

The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.

_Originally reported by [Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/billy-idol-2026-american-music-awards-lifetime-achievement-1236247973/)._