With his proud silver hair, deep voice, and unchanging demeanor, Rod brought tears to the eyes of the audience when he said, “I’ve spent half my life walking on this stage. This award is not for me—it’s for you, the people who have loved me and the music along the way.

At the 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs) held on May 26 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Blake Shelton made an emotional debut with his new song “Stay Country or Die Tryin’” from his album For Recreational Use Only. Although it was billed as a live performance, his performance was actually pre-recorded and aired on the show. However, a technical glitch occurred when the audio of the performance was not played on television, leaving viewers at home with only images but no sound of his voice, while a seemingly pre-recorded applause continued to be heard.

Before introducing his wife, Gwen Stefani, Blake paid a heartfelt tribute to veterans on Memorial Day. He called her “the winning artist that I truly love” and invited the audience to welcome “my one and only”—Gwen Stefani. Gwen then performed a 20th anniversary mashup of her album Love. Angel. Music. Baby., including the songs “Swallow My Tears”, “The Sweet Escape” and “Hollaback Girl”.

Despite the technical difficulties, Blake’s performance was highly praised for its emotion and message, especially its tribute to veterans. His appearance at the 2025 AMAs not only marked his first time performing at the event, but also marked a memorable moment in his music career.