Deftones, Linkin Park & Sleep Token Among 2026 American Music Awards Nominees

The nominees for the 2026 American Music Awards have been revealed, with a handful of familiar names from the rock and alternative space making the cut despite the genre’s limited presence in major categories.

Among those representing heavier music this year are Deftones, Linkin Park, and Sleep Token, all of whom secured nominations across multiple categories. Notably, Sleep Token also earned recognition for their ambitious U.S. headlining run in the ‘Breakout Tour’ category.

The 2026 ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, with fan voting currently underway.

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Notable 2026 AMA Nominees

Best Rock/Alternative Artist

• Deftones
• Linkin Park
• The Marías
• Sleep Token
• Twenty One Pilots

Best Rock/Alternative Song

• Noah Kahan – “The Great Divide”
• Linkin Park – “Up From The Bottom”
• SOMBR – “back to friends”
• Sublime – “Ensenada”
• Tame Impala – “Dracula”

Best Rock/Alternative Album

• Sleep Token – ‘Even In Arcadia’
• SOMBR – ‘I Barely Know Her’
• Tame Impala – ‘Deadbeat’
• Twenty One Pilots – ‘Breach’
• Zach Bryan – ‘With Heaven On Top’

Breakout Tour

• Benson Boone – American Heart World Tour
• Kali Uchis – The Sincerely, Tour
• The Marías – Submarine Tour
• Megan Moroney – Am I Okay? Tour
• Sleep Token – Even In Arcadia Tour

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While rock and metal remain underrepresented in the broader scope of the awards, the inclusion of bands like Deftones, Linkin Park, and Sleep Token highlights the genre’s continued impact and crossover appeal.

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