Billboard Music Awards 2021: Everything You Need to Know About the Star-Studded Event
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) are quickly approaching.
On Sunday, the famed music awards show event will take place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET.
Set to be hosted by Nick Jonas after a three-year hosting run by Kelly Clarkson, the ceremony will be based on chart data from March 21, 2020 through April 3, 2021 with winners based on "key fan interactions with music," including song sales, streaming and social engagement. Meanwhile, the top social artist and top collaboration categories are fan-voted.
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards will air live on Sunday, May 23 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC.
Check out PEOPLE's full Billboard Music Awards coverage to get the latest news on one of music's biggest nights.
Here's everything to know about the 2021 Billboard Music Awards:
Nick Jonas is the master of ceremonies
Matt Winkelmeyer/FilmMagic
Jonas, 28, will serve as this year's host after his fellow The Voice coach, Clarkson, 39, previously served in the role over the past three years.
Jonas and Clarkson are two of five musicians who have taken on the role of hosting the BBMAs solo over the years, alongside Phil Collins, LL Cool J and Ludacris, according to Billboard. This is the first time that Jonas will host the famed awards show event.
Pink, Duran Duran, BTS and more will hit the stage
Mike Lewis/Redferns
The performances for this year's BBMAs are sure to be incredible as an array of artists are set to hit the stage, including BTS, The Weeknd, Pink, Jonas Brothers and Twenty One Pilots. Bad Bunny, Karol G, Alicia Keys, DJ Khaled with H.E.R. and Migos, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with Sounds of Blackness, AJR and Glass Animals will also perform. Duran Duran will be making their BBMAs debut, performing a brand new song from a remote location in London.
PEOPLE previously announced that Pink is set to receive the Icon Award at the yearly ceremony, making her the tenth person to earn the award after fellow artists, including but not limited to, Mariah Carey, Céline Dion, Prince and Jennifer Lopez, did so in years past.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama Will Make a Special Appearance
The former first lady will join via a pre-recorded message introducing a special performance from Alicia Keys, who is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her debut album, Songs in A Minor.
Drake will receive a prestigious honor during the ceremony
Karwai Tang/WireImage
Started from the bottom, now Drake's here! Come Sunday, the 34-year-old rapper will receive the Artist of the Decade Award at the ceremony.
Billboard's Artist of the Decade award is based upon the "activity on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and the Billboard 200 albums tally, as well as social media data and touring revenue from Billboard Boxscore, from Dec. 5, 2009, through Sept. 28, 2019," per a press release from Billboard.
Taylor Swift could make history and tie Drake for most BBMAs wins
Kevin Mazur/Getty Taylor Swift
Drake, who is the most awarded artist in the show's history — having collected 27 awards total — could make history this year, as he is nominated in seven categories. But Taylor Swift could too.
Swift, 31, who's nominated in four categories, could tie with Drake if she were to win her four awards in the top artist, female artist, Billboard 200 artist and album categories. (She currently has 23 BBMAs.)
Meanwhile, The Weeknd, 31, or Justin Bieber could reach the No. 2 spot if they were to sweep in their categories. And, if The Weeknd wins 13 of his 16 nods, he could surpass or tie Drake's record of 13 wins in a single night.
Elsewhere, Gabby Barrett and Megan Thee Stallion are the two women nominees with the most nominations with nine and seven nominations, respectively.
Presenters come from all genres of entertainment
Gabrielle Union, Kelsea Ballerini, Chelsea Handler, Lena Waithe, Swizz Beatz, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Leslie Odom Jr., Cynthia Erivo, Kathryn Hahn, Henry Golding, Dixie D'Amelio, Lil Rel Howery and Padma Lakshmi will all be presenting at the 2021 Billboard Awards. Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, will present Trae Tha Truth with the Change Maker Award.
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards will air live on NBC
To catch all the excitement at the ceremony, tune into NBC on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
Fans can also watch the award show online by visiting the NBC live streaming website.
