The 2025 American Music Awards are upon us, and Swifties across the globe have one burning question: What is Taylor Swift planning?
With the show set to take over the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on May 26, fans (myself very much included) are once again putting on our clown makeup and hopping on the theory bus. Taylor hasn’t confirmed her attendance – but that hasn’t stopped TikTok and X from spiraling into speculation, crunching numbers, and digging through old Taylor videos for Easter eggs.
She’s nominated in six categories – Artist of the Year, Favorite Female Pop Artist, Album of the Year, Favorite Pop Album, Collaboration of the Year, and Favorite Touring Artist – and while we’re all cheering her on for some well-deserved wins, it’s what she might do at the show that really has everyone excited.
And sure, Swifties have clowned before (hi, yes, I was convinced she’d announce Reputation [Taylor’s Version] while still on the Eras Tour), but this time? This time it feels different.
Clues Pointing to a Major Announcement
Let’s start by breaking down the latest evidence that Taylor is up to something… for real this time.
First up: The Handmaid’s Tale – a dystopian TV series set in a theocratic society – featured a surprise use of “Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)” in a recent episode. The show is in its sixth season, and the song? Track six on her sixth album. That episode aired six days before the AMAs. That’s a lot of sixes, and Taylor does tend to love her number repetition.
Even weirder? The official Handmaid’s Tale X account posted a clip with the song, then quickly deleted it. Universal Music Group – Taylor’s music distributor – also reposted the clip… and also deleted it. So, now, we have a classic Taylor-Swift-coded mystery on our hands. Was it a leak that spoiled something too soon? A marketing plant? Either way, fans are spiraling.
Then there’s her online store, which recently reorganized its tabs into Apparel, Music, Accessories, and Sale – the first letter of each word spelling “AMAS.” Coincidence? I think not.
As if that wasn’t enough, 12 items were discounted 26% – matching the exact date of the AMAs (May 26) and possibly hinting at her 12th studio album. Not convinced yet?
Let’s talk about the iconic line in “Look What You Made Me Do”: “I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now. Why? Oh, because she’s dead.” Well, an actress who did a cameo of that line for the Reputation Stadium Tour – voiceover artist Tiffany Haddish – happens to be presenting at the AMAs this year. If she ends up saying, “Sorry, Taylor couldn’t make it to the AMAs right now. Why?” I will absolutely lose it (and will take a couple business days to recover, thank you very much).
Okay, bear with me – these next theories are a bit of a stretch. But, hey, I’m not ruling anything out. Reputation was the red herring last year when we got The Tortured Poets Department instead. But did you know there actually is a “Red Herring Day” on June 6? That’s 6/6 – a mirrored date. The AMAs fall on 5/26/25… also a mirrored date (the same forward and backward). Taylor is known to love these. She also performed “mirrorball” as a surprise track at the iHeartRadio Music Awards (a little suspicious!).
Could we get a Reputation announcement on May 26 and a release on June 6? I wouldn’t rule it out.
Also maybe a stretch – but a fun one – Taylor wore a blue dress to the 2023 Grammys (for Midnights), a white gown in 2024 (for TTPD), and a red dress this year. Memorial Day, when the AMAs fall this time around, is typically associated with… yep, red, white, and blue.
And if we really want to go back in time: Taylor promoted her upcoming album Midnights with “Midnight Mayhem with Me” back in 2022. In the title screen, the “May” in Mayhem is underlined. And, in two of the episodes, Taylor held her phone upside down. Which episodes? The second and the sixth. 2 and 6. AMAs = 5/26. And 5 + 2 + 6? That’s 13. Her lucky number.
Coincidence? We’re Swifties. We don’t really believe in those.
Will She Attend the AMAs?
No confirmation yet – but that doesn’t mean she won’t show up in some way. Taylor has a long history of surprise award show moments, from unannounced performances to pre-recorded acceptance speeches. Oh, and she’s the most-decorated artist in AMAs history with 40 awards. A no-show? I doubt it.
Possible Scenarios
Reputation (Taylor’s Version) Announcement
With the recent clip tease and mounting hints, many think the AMAs would be the perfect stage for her to announce (or drop!) Reputation (TV) – and maybe even perform a reimagined version of one of its most popular songs (“…Ready for It?” “Look What You Made Me Do?”). The possibilities are endless.
12th Studio Album Reveal
The “12 items, 26% off” clue has many of us thinking that a brand-new album might be coming even sooner than we thought. Could we be entering yet another era before we’ve even recovered from TTPD? We’re about to find out.
Eras Tour Documentary Announcement
I’ve seen so many fans talk about how cool it would be to get a behind-the-scenes look at the record-breaking Eras Tour, and I am in full agreement. Are we getting a doc? Maybe we’ll find out at the AMAs.
Surprise Performance
Taylor has a history of pulling off show-stopping performances at award shows, and the AMAs could be her next. Whether it’s a song from TTPD or a throwback Reputation track to get us even more excited (and confused) I wouldn’t put it past her.
Pre-Recorded Message
If she’s not physically at the show, (she is taking a well-deserved break after the Eras Tour, after all) a video message might still include a surprise announcement. Never forget how she dropped folklore out of absolutely nowhere in 2020.
The Verdict
As mentioned, this isn’t our first time going into intense theory-mode, but this round of Easter eggs feels especially intentional. Whether it’s Reputation (TV), Album 12, or something else entirely, I know I’ll be watching the AMAs closely.
And hey, if nothing happens at the show, that’s okay too. As any Swiftie knows, half the fun is in the theorizing. We’ll just quietly take off our clown makeup yet again… and wait for the next theory to formulate.
But regardless – dear AMAs, are you ready for it?