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Black Eyed Peas Take AMA Throwback, Goo Goo Dolls Fans Fume — Melanin News | Melanin
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Black Eyed Peas Take AMA Throwback, Goo Goo Dolls Fans FumeHip-Hop

Black Eyed Peas Take AMA Throwback, Goo Goo Dolls Fans Fume

1w ago

The 2026 American Music Awards in Las Vegas delivered a moment of triumph and tension. The Black Eyed Peas, joined by Fergie, took home the newly minted Best Throwback Song award, but their celebration was quickly met with a wave of online backlash from fans feeling another nominee was unfairly overlooked.

On May 25, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the iconic group's 2010 hit "Rock That Body" was honored in the 52nd annual AMAs' inaugural "Best Throwback Song" category. This new award was created to acknowledge classic tracks that have found renewed life on pop radio. Fergie, the group's lead vocalist from 2002 to 2018, reunited with will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo on stage, marking a significant moment for fans.

Black Eyed Peas
Black Eyed Peas Source

The emotional reunion saw Fergie visibly moved, her voice cracking as she accepted the trophy. She declared, "'Rock That Body,' we did it. Black Eyed Peas, 'Rock That Body,' American Music Awards 2026, let's go!" She also expressed gratitude to fans for fueling the song's resurgence through platforms like TikTok, noting its impact even on her son, Axl. This appearance was Fergie's first television appearance in four years and the first public reunion of the classic four-person lineup in years.

"Rock That Body," originally from the Black Eyed Peas' 2009 album The E.N.D., was released internationally on January 29, 2010, and in the US on May 11, 2010. The track notably re-entered music charts in 2025, a full fifteen years after its initial release, propelled by a viral dance trend that introduced it to a new generation of listeners.

The Black Eyed Peas beat out two other formidable contenders in the "Best Throwback Song" category: the Goo Goo Dolls' 1998 ballad "Iris" and 4 Non Blondes' 1993 anthem "What's Up?" Both competing tracks also enjoyed significant recent resurgences. "Iris," penned for the 1998 film City of Angels soundtrack and released as a single on April 1, 1998, also saw a spike in popularity, partly due to a TikTok trend in March 2026. Similarly, 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up?", written by lead singer Linda Perry and released in March 1993, made waves by entering Spotify's Weekly Top Songs Global chart in November 2025.

American Music Awards
American Music Awards Source

Fergie's history with the Black Eyed Peas is marked by immense global success. During her tenure from 2002 to 2018, the group sold over 80 million albums worldwide and achieved three number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Her departure was confirmed by will.i.am in February 2018, as she shifted her focus to a solo career and motherhood.

The AMA reunion wasn't the first time the four members had recently connected. In December 2025, Fergie, will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo privately celebrated their 50th birthdays together. Fergie shared moments from that gathering on Instagram, captioning photos, "Finally got to break bread and celebrate our milestone birthdays together. What a special night with my brothers, filled with so much love." The Black Eyed Peas had also publicly acknowledged their AMA nomination on Instagram before the ceremony, sharing a montage of TikToks featuring "Rock That Body" and expressing their honor that a song "made all those years ago, still making an impact today."

Despite the celebratory atmosphere for the Black Eyed Peas, the win quickly ignited a firestorm of controversy online. Reports indicated that the entire arena had just finished singing along to the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" moments before the Black Eyed Peas were announced as the winners. This awkward timing fueled an immediate eruption of comments across social media platforms, with many fans voicing frustration and a widespread sentiment that the Goo Goo Dolls had been "robbed." One social media user reportedly commented, "So they're handing out awards for best throwback song and they have the whole arena sing goo goo dolls and then not giving that award to them." Another expressed, "Goo Goo Dolls is too much for me, it hurts that they didn't win." The feeling that "People felt like the Goo Goo Dolls got robbed" became a common refrain in online discussions.

This event at the AMAs highlights the powerful and often unpredictable nature of nostalgic music in the digital age. Tracks from decades past, once relegated to classic radio, are now finding renewed life and massive audiences through platforms like TikTok, demonstrating how viral trends can reshape cultural relevance. The emotional investment from fans in these "throwback" songs underscores the deep connections audiences maintain with the artists and music that defined their formative years.

For Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas, the award was described as a "full-circle victory," validating their enduring impact and the cross-generational appeal of their catalog. While the online debate raged, the moment on stage was a testament to the power of a reunion and a reminder that good music, regardless of its original release date, can always find its way back into the spotlight. The new "Best Throwback Song" category itself signals a growing recognition within the music industry of the significant and sustained influence of older hits, particularly as they are rediscovered and shared by new generations online.