Kennedy Center Honors was a star-studded celebration on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage on December 7, 2025, where the 48th class of Kennedy Center Honorees were saluted by the leading performers from New York, Hollywood, and the arts capitals of the world.
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GettyWho Were the 2025 Kennedy Center Honorees?
GettyThis year’s list of honorees include a Broadway star and one of the most legendary rock bands of all time. They include:
- George Strait, country music icon who is sometimes called the “King of Country Music.” Strait has over 100 million RIAA certifications and has earned more than 60 major entertainment industry awards as well as countless nominations. He became the only act in history to have a Top 10 hit every year for over three decades.
- Gloria Gaynor, Grammy-winning disco pioneer. Gaynor’s career has spanned over 50 years, where she has achieved global stardom with hit songs in the charts in all five decades. Her best known song is, “I Will Survive.” She has also acted in film and television roles as well as on the Broadway with her debut in “Smokey Joe’s Cafe.”
- Michael Crawford, Tony-award winning stage and screen star who played the original phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera,” which captivated audiences in London’s West End, on Broadway, and Los Angeles.
- Sylvester Stallone, an Academy Award–nominated actor, writer, and director best known for creating and portraying iconic characters like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo.
- Rock band KISS members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and the late Ace Frehley. The band is one of the most successful Gold Record Award–winning groups in American history, selling over 100 million albums worldwide.
According to the official Kennedy Center Honors website, “the Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television, each Kennedy Center Honoree has a unique place in the fabric of our nation and their influence has inspired audiences from all walks of life.”
How to Watch the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors
Unfortunately, the event will not be streamed live, and viewers will have to wait a few weeks to watch it in full.
CBS will air the ceremony on Tuesday, December 23, at 8 p.m. ET. It will be available on the CBS channel and on the Paramount+ platform.
