It’s time to roll out to this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards — and leading the charge is this year’s host and recipient of the highly coveted Landmark Award, Ludacris.

The Atlanta native is no stranger to the hosting gig. He hosted the Billboard Music Awards for back to back years in 2016 and 17. And two years ago, Luda took on the emcee role for the iHeartRadio Music Awards where he delivered a joyous opening monologue, honored fellow musical legends, cracked jokes at his own expense and also performed a medley of his own biggest hits. With this experience already under his belt, hosting the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards is a return to form for him.

With Luda at the helm, this year’s ceremony is looking to be as exciting as ever. Alongside the rapper’s Landmark Award, iHeartRadio has announced several other major honors that are to be presented. Miley Cyrus, hot off the heels of last week’s Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, will receive the Innovator Award, given out to an artist with global musical and cultural impact. Best New Artist Grammy nominee and chart topper Alex Warren will get the award for Breakthrough Artist. Grammy-winning singer-songer writer John Mellencamp will be bestowed with the Icon Award. Though it is not yet known what awards she may receive, Taylor Swift, who is nominated in a whopping nine categories, is set to make a special appearance, marking the first time she’s attended the event since 2023.

The awards categories aren’t the stacked lineup at this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards. 90s hiphop and RnB legends Salt-N-Pepa, TLC and En Vogue will all hit the stage together for the first time — a perfect kickoff to their recently-announced It’s Iconic tour. Vocal powerhouse Raye, whose second studio album This Music May Contain Hope drops the day after the ceremony, will also perform. The Landmark himself, Ludacris will take a break from hosting to put on his performer hat, as he shows off just why he’s receiving the major award this year.

Ahead of Thursday’s (March 26) ceremony, Billboard caught up with Ludacris to chat all things iHeartRadio Music Awards, why he’s looking forward to hosting, and what he thinks of some of this year’s performers and awardees.

You hosted the iHeartRadio Music Awards in 2024 — what are you most excited for with hosting again?

Just it being live, because anything can happen. Not all award shows are live, and I just love that element. It brings a whole new excitement to it. You just never know what can happen — anything can happen.

Do you have any ideas or plans for crazy surprises that people should look out for it?

There are a bunch of those types of crazy surprises. I can’t give them away, because then it wouldn’t be a surprise, but there are definitely some really good things. I know there’s not a surprise with Taylor Swift making an appearance. She hasn’t done that in a long time, so just that alone is going to get a lot of people excited. She has nine nominations, so she’s making a special appearance.

There are a lot of awards being given out — how do you keep up your energy and keep the audience excited throughout the night as a host?

I got a team of individuals around me that help me stay sane and keep me on point. I can’t do it all myself. I always make sure that I give love to the team that’s around me. Having the experience of doing it before is also something that comforts me, and I feel like we’re going to make it even better, and are trying to top last time.

Major congratulations on receiving the Landmark Award this year! What does it mean to you to receive this honor?

It means the world, because as artists, when we first put music out, you never know exactly how long it’s going to have impact. So when you can be in the industry for over two decades and look back at it, these are the type of awards that bring joy to your heart. You’re able to reflect on the impact, the amount of time and relevancy that your songs have made in the culture. So I’m extremely excited.

Alex Warren is receiving the breakthrough artist award. As a veteran of the industry, do you have any advice for him as a young artist reaching new levels of success?

Try not to take anything personal. Just keep going in the industry, that’s what I would say. Just keep your passion in the music, and don’t let the behind-the-scenes mess up your your [ability] to stay focused on the music.

You’re also performing this year! Without giving too much away, do you have anything special planned for it?

Something new. Absolutely something new and something classic, [we’re molding] those together.

Outside of your own, are there any performances at this year’s awards that your particularly excited about?

Man, I can’t wait to see TLC — you know, the hometown, that’s Atlanta, Georgia, right there. And Salt-N-Pepa, they are a pioneer female rap group. I love seeing pioneers be able to come back. For those who may not have been around when Salt-N-Pepa started, they’re able to witness their history and people that have paved the way for all of these current female artists. So those are the ones I’m most excited about.

Miley Cyrus is receiving this year’s innovator award. What do you think makes her an innovator?

It’s not easy to transition from child star into super stardom and have this type of role for so long. You see a lot of people that started in the children’s space, and it’s not as easy to transcend all of those years, still keep a level head and continue to grow as an artist. So I just want to salute her for just being consistent in elevation as a star and as a person that’s passionate about all that she does, it definitely shows.

Do you have any final words of encouragement you want to share with any of the nominees ahead of the ceremony?

Man, good luck. That’s all I would say.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Although it doesn’t feel like it in most places, spring has sprung. That means Amazon is serving up major deals during their annual Big Spring Sale.

While there’s a ton of products to look at, ShopBillboard is focusing on the best tech products, our favorite. We’ve seen up to 62% off on products including headphones, earbuds, speakers, smart TVs and so much more from top brands like JBL, JLab, Apple and Skullcandy, just to name a few. The great thing about sales like this is that the tech that you’ve always wanted is usually on steep sale, giving you the option to buy without feeling any guilt.

It’s important to note that these deals won’t last for long. The sale begins today, March 25 and lasts until March 31. Below, we’ve shared some of the best deals we’ve spotted thus far. You’ll want to keep your eyes peeled, though, since Amazon adds new deals on products daily until the sale comes to a close. Shop our picks below.

JBL Live 670NC

$49.95 $129.95 62% off

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Black on-ear headphones with ANC. These headphones have a 65-hour battery life.

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Amazon’s spring sale is chock-full of great over-the-ear headphones, but there are only a few on-ear styles like this JBL Live 670NC. Right now, the style is 62% off and comes in three other colorways. To put it simply, on-ear headphones are designed to cup the ear rather than sit over it, making them great for those looking to stay aware while listening to music on commutes. These headphones are wireless and feature adaptive noise canceling, or ANC, a feature that is less common in on-ear styles due to reduced passive noise sealing.

This means the on-ear style allows more noise in than your average over-the-ear style. ANC actively blocks out noise depending on your surroundings, focusing in on your audio while blocking out the noise around you. These headphones also have Smart Ambient capabilities that use microphones to pass external sounds through to your ears, allowing users to hear their surrounding noise without having to remove their headphones. Other features include a whopping 65-hour battery life, a speedy charge and a foldable and portable design.

Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

$99.99 $209.99 52% off

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These are over-the-ear headphones with a 40-hour battery life. The style is 52% off right now.

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Skullcandy is one of many over-the-ear headphones available at steep discounts during Amazon’s spring sale. This Crusher Evo silhouette is 52% off and has myriad handy features like noise isolation, which is sort of like ANC except it acts like sound-dampening earplugs that physically block out noise rather than through microphones in the actual headphones (like ANC). These headphones have 40-hour battery life, a crisp, clear microphone for taking calls and deep, rich bass, perfect for our readers who love genres like dubstep, trap and drum and bass.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

$226.37 $449.95 50% off

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More ANC over-the-ear headphones, this time from Sennheiser. The headphones are 50% off.

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Sennheiser is another brand with over-the-ear ANC headphones available for a steep discount, 50% off to be exact. This model comes in five other colorways and features a 60-hour battery life, a folding design for portability and large cushioned ear cups that allow users to wear their headphones for hours on end. The headband is also cushioned for maximum comfort. With so many colors, attention to comfort and a lengthy battery life, this Sennheiser model is one of our top picks.

JLab JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones

$41.99 $79.99 48% off

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JLab’s JBuds Lux is another ANC model that is 48% off right now. The headphone style has three other colorways available.

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One of our favorites style-wise that are available during this spring sale are from JLab. These JBuds Lux headphones are over-the-ear with oodles of style. The tech is 48% off. The design is modern and angular and the colorway, mauve in specific, is super cute. Like all the other over-the-ear models mentioned, these have ANC along with some form of customizable sound that allows you to tailor your listening experience to your specific needs.

Like many over-the-ear models, these JBL headphones also have spatial audio. This facet utilizes software along with motion sensors in the headphones to create a 3D, 360-degree surround sound experience that makes your audio feel like it is coming from all around you rather than just inside your ears. As for battery life, you have 70+ hours of playtime without ANC, which is pretty amazing and 40+ hours with ANC enabled.

JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless Earbuds

$29.95 $49.95 40% off

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Deep bass, water and dust resistant and hands-free calling, these earbuds are a great beginner pair. The style is 40% off right now.

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If you couldn’t tell already, JBL has a bunch of headphones and earbuds on sale now. If you’re looking for a standard pair of earbuds that work as a sort of beginner style, these Vibe Beam earbuds are for you. The style is currently 40% off and comes in black, blue, mint and white. The buds have surprisingly deep bass, they’re dust and water-resistant and they have hands-free calling.

Speaking of calls, these headphones have something called VoiceAware tech that allow users the ability to adjust how much of their own voice they hear through their earbuds during phone calls. Something to keep in mind is that these buds only have up to 32 hours of battery life, the lowest on this list thus far.

JBL Boombox 3 Portable Speaker

$299.95 $499.95 40% off

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Another JBL product on sale, this time the Boombox 3 portable speaker.

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JBL’s Boombox 3 is a portable speaker model that is currently 40% off now 299.95. One reviewer gave the boombox style five stars, writing, “I was apprehensive at first, thinking how much bass can you really get out of a boombox no matter who made it. However, JBL has done it, and they did it well. The sound on the Boombox 3 is extremely impressive and the bass is outstanding.”

The bass is amplified thanks to JBL’s dedicated subwoofer for intense, much deeper bass and massive JBL Original Pro Sound, all with lower distortion. This speaker’s portability is thanks to the handle atop the speaker for easy carrying and a durable build that is both waterproof and dustproof so you can take this speaker on all your adventures without fear of breaking it.

Victrola The Quincy Six-in-One Bluetooth Record Player

$119.99 $199.99 40% off

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A unique find in this sale is this Victrola Quincy 6-in-1 Bluetooth record player. The record player is stylish with a retro flair and features built-in speakers for great sound.

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While we could sit and talk about all the great deals on headphones and speakers, we wanted to also highlight an interesting tech pick like this Victrola The Quincy Six-in-One Bluetooth Record Player available for 40% off. The style is unlike any record player we’ve seen before because its design is retro and decorative rather than those sleek modern models we’re used to. Don’t let that vintage outside fool you, though; the tech inside this record player is extremely modern. The style is a six-in-one because you can play vinyl records along with CDs, cassettes, AM/FM radio or stream music from your smartphone via Bluetooth.

Apple Watch Series Nine

$299.00 $699.00 57% off

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This is an Apple Watch Series Nine released back in 2023. The watch is 57% off now.

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Apple Watches are always extremely expensive, especially the newer models. Right now, the Apple Watch Series Nine is 57% off, that’s $299.00. The watch was released in 2023, making it just three years old. This smartwatch features a silver stainless steel case with a blue adjustable sports band. The watch acts as a fitness tracker, tracks blood oxygen, temperature and your heartbeat.

This watch also has a “double-tap” gesture that allows users to interact with their watch one-handed. Other upgrades to this model include a significantly faster and more responsive Siri and a brighter 2,000-nit display, which is a measurement of the brightness of a display. In all functions, this watch works better than its predecessors and it’s way more affordable for the time being, given Apple watches can retail for up to $799.

INSIGNIA 55-inch Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV

$179.98 $349.99 49% off

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This Smart Fire TV is 49% off and comes with a crisp, clear display. The screen size is 55 inches.

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The biggest draw about this Fire TV is that it is “smart,” which, in essence, means it is a device that works when it is connected via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to operate interactively and autonomously to better serve the user. This Fire TV is 49% off and can pair with compatible smart home devices, like a Google Nest or Amazon Echo, to see live camera feeds, use AirPlay, control your lighting and thermostat, and so much more. This also allows users to connect their TV to the internet via Wi-Fi to stream apps, movies and live TV. Beyond its “smart” capabilities, this TV has a crisp and clear HDR10 4K display and a wide range of color details and sharper contrast that make movies and TV shows look incredible.

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler

$21.99 $49.99 56% off

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This is an all-in-one styling tool that both straightens and blowdries your hair. The brush is 56% off now.

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This is a beauty pick that is an all-in-one tool. It’s a handy tech that blow-dries your hair, straightens and brushes through, giving you a sleek and straightened look with tons of volume. We’d recommend this product because of its multi-purpose and because it is $21.99. This means you won’t need any other styling tools like a hair straightener and a blow dryer. You have all you need in one compact tool.

YOTO Player (3rd Gen.)

$82.49 $109.99 25% off

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A Yoto audio player. Think of this like a boombox or CD player, but made for kids.

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For those unfamiliar with a Yoto Player, it is sort of like a kid-sized boombox, made for tiny hands and ears ages 3 to 12+. There are two offered sizes, but today we’ll be focusing on the Yoto Player (3rd Generation) since it’s discounted for $82.49 right now.

The 3rd Generation produces acoustically engineered stereo sound, while the mini produces mono sound, meaning a single-channel audio format. Stereo uses two channels to create a room-filling kind of sound, giving your audio a more dynamic feel. In short, if you want a bigger, more room-filling sound, you should get the 3rd Gen Yoto Player. To use, your child will pop an Audiobook Card into the player to play and remove it to stop the audio. It’s screen-free fun that is super simple to use.

As this year’s CMA Fest gets closer, the fan-favorite country music festival has revealed the massive lineups for its multiple daytime stages. CMA Fest will again be held in downtown Nashville on June 4-7.

The Chevy Riverfront Stage, located on the banks of the Cumberland River in Nashville, will feature artists Ashley Cooke, Braxton Keith, Carter Faith, Charles Wesley Godwin, Chase Matthew, Chayce Beckham, Cooper Alan, Dasha, Drew Baldridge, Dylan Marlowe, ERNEST, Ian Munsick, Josh Ross, Kaitlin Butts, Kameron Marlowe, Lauren Alaina, Mackenzie Carpenter, Maddox Batson, Marcus King, Max McNown, Midland, Molly Tuttle, Nate Smith, Priscilla Block, RaeLynn, Redferrin, Russell Dickerson, Shane Smith & The Saints, Stephen Wilson Jr., Tigirlily Gold, Tucker Wetmore, Ty Myers, Tyler Braden, Vincent Mason and Waylon Wyatt.  

The Dr Pepper Amp Stage at Ascend Park will feature performances from Angie K, Billy Dean, Blanco Brown, Canaan Smith, Cody Hibbard, Craig Campbell, Dave Fenley, Drake Milligan, Emily Ann Roberts, Erin Kinsey, Greylan James, The Jack Wharff Band, John Morgan, Kaylee Bell, Kaylee Rose, Kolby Cooper, Late Night Thoughts, Leanna Crawford, Melissa Etheridge, Noeline Hofmann, Pam Tillis, Pecos & the Rooftops, Shaylen, Travis Bolt, Travis Denning, Ty Herndon, Tyler Farr, Uncle Kracker, The War And Treaty and Willow Avalon. 

Meanwhile, the Chevy Vibes Stage at Walk of Fame Park features a lineup with Adrien Nunez, Alana Springsteen, Ashland Craft, Austin Snell, Bellah Mae, Caylee Hammack, Chase McDaniel, Colt Ford, Dax, Drake White, Frankie Ballard, Graham Barham, Hannah McFarland, Jade Eagleson, Karley Scott Collins, Kelsey Hart, Lanie Gardner, Lauren Watkins, Mack Geiger, Madeline Merlo, Mae Estes, Maggie Antone, Mark Wills, Melanie Dyer, Neal McCoy, Owen Riegling, Shane Profitt, Sister Hazel, Tayler Holder, Walker Montgomery and Willie Jones. 

The Good Molecules Reverb Stage at Bridgestone Plaza will highlight shows from Abbey Cone, Alex Lambert, Alexandra Kay, Atlus, Ava Hall, Belle Frantz, Blake Proehl, Brad Cox, Bryan Andrews, Cassidy Daniels, Cody Lohden, Eli Winders, Elizabeth Nichols, Gareth, Jacob Hackworth, Jamie MacDonald, Jason Scott & The High Heat, Jenna Davis, John Foster, Julia Cole, Just Jayne, Kevin Powers, The Kruse Brothers, MaRynn Taylor, McCoy Moore, Myles Morgan, Preston Cooper, Scoot Teasley, Sophia Scott, Stella Lefty, Timmy McKeever, Trey Lewis, Tyce Delk, Tyler Nance, Wesko and Will Moseley. 

This year’s CMA Fest will also feature a new stage, the Wrangler Remix stage inside Fan Alley, which will highlight performances from Alli Walker, Aniston Pate, Ashley Kutcher, Benny G, BODHI, Bottomland, Brooke Lee, Carson Wallace, CECE, Chancey Williams, Chandler Walters, Clayton Mullen, Cole Goodwin, Dalton Davis, Emily Nenni, Gannon Fremin & CCREV, Hayden Blount, Hayden Coffman, Highway Home, Hogslop String Band, Jake Banfield, Jay Webb, Kat Luna, Lil Man J, Lily Meola, Matt Cooper, Payton Smith, ROME from Sublime with Rome, SKEEZ, Sons of Habit, Sterling Elza, Trey Pendley, Tyla Rodrigues and The Wilder Blue. 

These daytime stage lineups join the previously announced nightly concerts set for Nissan Stadium during CMA Fest, which will include performances from Bailey Zimmerman, Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Deana Carter, Ella Langley, Gretchen Wilson, HARDY, Jason Aldean, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, The Red Clay Strays, Riley Green, Russell Dickerson, Shaboozey, The Band Perry, Tim McGraw, Tucker Wetmore, Stephen Wilson Jr. and Zach Top. 

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

After four years away, BTS is back on The Tonight Show.

BTS’ appearance on the late-night talk show will be spread out between two days: March 25 and 26 via NBC at 11:35/10:35c. The episode will air the following day on Peacock. The boy group will sit down with host Jimmy Fallon to talk about its reunion post-mandatory military service and share details about their new album. Speaking of albums, the group’s spot on the show was prompted by the release of ARIRANG on March 20, the first album the act has dropped in years.

BTS on the Tonight Show at a Glance:

BTS will also perform two songs on the talk show. The interview and first song will air on Wednesday, March 25, and the second song will air a day later, according to NBC. According to Spotify, ARIRANG has become the platform’s most streamed album in a single day in 2026 so far. The release also set a new record as the most streamed K-Pop album in Spotify history. In support of the new album, BTS will be going on an ARIRANG world tour beginning in April.

This is the first time in four years that BTS has been on the show. The group’s last Tonight Show sitdown was in 2021 as part of the show’s “BTS Takeover.” That takeover featured performances of “Butter” and “Permission to Dance.” Below, find out how to tune in to the talk show for free so you can catch BTS’ performance and interview without spending a cent. Keep reading to learn more.

How to Watch BTS on The Tonight Show Online for Free

DIRECTV

As mentioned, BTS’ episode of The Tonight Show will be on March 25 and 26 at 11:35/10:35c. We’ll be showing you how you can tune into the K-pop group’s spot on the show for free.

If you don’t have cable, DIRECTV is your best bet at streaming the boy group’s performance. The streamer allows users to watch up to 90+ live TV channels. All of DIRECTV‘s packages include access to NBC as part of their base lineup, though we’d suggest the ENTERTAINMENT package above them all.

This package is currently available for a discounted price of $89.99 for the first month and is ideal for those looking to tap into a slew of entertainment-based channels such as ESPN, Animal Planet, BET, Bravo, Cartoon Network, Food Network, Comedy Central and the Hallmark Channel along with your standard channels including CNN and Fox. If you’re unsure about committing to a new subscription, you can try the service out for free for five days, which will let you watch the K-pop group’s talk-show appearance for free.

Hulu + Live TV

You can also stream BTS’ performance and interview on the talk show via Hulu + Live TV, given that NBC is included in the live TV channel lineup. The service also offers a three-day free trial to new users. A subscription to the service (with ads) will cost $89.99 per month, while the plan without ads goes for $99.99 per month. Both plans give you access to watch the BTS’ performance without cable.

Peacock

All episodes of The Tonight Show stream online on Peacock the day after they air on TV. The platform offers affordable plans starting at just $10.99 per month, or an annual plan for $109.99 per year (which gets you 12 months of streaming for the price of 10). Your subscription will give you access to NBC, for The Tonight Show, along with 50 “always-on” curated channels that include hits such as Saturday Night Live, Vanderpump Rules, The Real Housewives, Top Gear, Hell’s Kitchen and Below Deck. Subscribers will also gain access to Peacock Originals such as The Traitors and live sports. There are no free trials for new users.

Watch the teaser for BTS’ on The Tonight Show below:

The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special might have already premiered, but Miley Cyrus isn’t quite yet done celebrating the momentous occasion.

The star announced via her Instagram on Wednesday (March 25) that she will be releasing “Younger You,” which was featured at the end of the special, to commemorate the milestone anniversary. The track arrives Friday (March 27).

“Celebrating Hannah Montana isn’t just honoring a show, it’s a full-circle moment for me,” Cyrus starts her caption. “HM was the beginning of the life I know now.”

The song is more than just a celebration of Hannah Montana, it’s also the “Wrecking Ball” singer’s way of showing gratitude to her fans who have been with her since she first put on the famous blonde wig 20 years ago.

“The bond my fans and I share is as rare and beautiful as this whole journey has been,” Cyrus wrote in her announcement. “I adore you all and love you deeply. This anniversary special is a gift from me to younger you, my way of saying thank you for your loyalty and for growing with me every step of the way.”

Released on Tuesday (March 24), the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special brought Cyrus and fans back into the world of Hannah Montana to reminisce on the impact of the iconic Disney Channel series. For the celebratory program, Disney recreated parts of the Hannah Montana set for Cyrus and her parents to reunite, and invited Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper to interview Cyrus. The special also included a performance by Cyrus, during which she sang hit songs from the show such as the theme “Best of Both Worlds” and “The Climb” for a live audience.

See Cyrus’ post announcing “Younger You” below: