The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards air live tonight from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Fox broadcasts from 8 to 10 p.m. ET, with a tape-delayed airing on the West Coast. [1]
Ludacris hosts the ceremony, returning to a role he has filled before. The marquee honor goes to Miley Cyrus, who receives the Innovator Award — the same recognition previously given to Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga in consecutive years. Cyrus will also perform. [2]
Taylor Swift, the most-nominated artist of the evening, is making a special in-person appearance. iHeartMedia announced the appearance on March 19, and Swift's presence has dominated pre-show social media discourse. The ceremony also features performances from Lainey Wilson, Raye, and several other nominees, though the full performer lineup has been revealed in stages. [3]
Results are not yet available — this is a preview, not a recap. The iHeartRadio Awards use a combination of fan voting and streaming data to determine winners, making them more of a popularity index than a critical assessment. That distinction rarely troubles the audience.
The ceremony arrives in a week dominated by war coverage. Whether anyone outside the music industry's core audience is paying attention is, itself, part of the story.
-- Maya Calloway, New York