The Red Hot Chili Peppers have pulled out of performing at the Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs).
The BBMAs have confirmed that Machine Gun Kelly and Dan + Shay have been booked as replacements. This performance was to have been the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ first BBMAs performance since 1999. It will be Machine Gun Kelly’s debut performance. Both MGK and Dan + Shay are finalists of the awards show. MGK is up for Top Rock Artist, while Dan + Shay are up for Top Country Duo/Group.
In a message posted to social media, the BBMAs confirmed the lineup change. “Due to unforseen circumstances, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will not be able to perform at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday,” the note reads. “They look forward to seeing you on the road this summer!”
Dan + Shay will join the show’s country representation alongside Elle King, Miranda Lambert, and Morgan Wallen. Meanwhile, Machine Gun Kelly fills in for RHCP and joins Florence + the Machine to represent the rock genre. Travis Scott is also performing at the BBMAs, which will be his first public performance since what happened at Astroworld.
The Billboard Music Awards will be broadcast live from coast-to-coast. They’re taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15. The show starts at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET on NBC, but it will also be available for streaming on the NBC-owned Peacock. The awards show is hosted by Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs this year and will honor the year’s top artists among 62 categories.
It will be interesting to see if the stacked lineup for this year’s awards show helps viewership. The 2021 Billboard Music Awards suffered a 36% year-over-year drop in audience size. That year also hit another all-time ratings low for the music awards that were hosted by Nick Jonas. Prominent artists for that show included BTS, Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, and The Weeknd.