Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton’s fans eagerly anticipated their AMAs performances on Monday, May 26. Unfortunately, neither performance lived up to expectations. Fans expected to see the couple sing live. Instead, the show played pre-recorded segments. Many have expressed their disappointment with the couple and the award show in general.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton’s AMAs performances disappointed fans

Stefani and Shelton were scheduled to perform separately at the AMAs. Shelton performed his song “Stay Country or Die Tryin” and Stefani later played a medley of some of her greatest hits. While the at-home audience saw these performances, the crowd in the theater got a different view. The segments were pre-taped and only played on the screen.

Fans of the artists have expressed their disappointment in the performances.

“We’ve been duped!” wrote one Reddit user on a video of the performance. 

For the most part, people were frustrated with the show itself, not Stefani and Shelton.

“The whole show was a disaster,” wrote another person. “No republic artist either attended or gave a video (and two were supposed to Jelly Roll and Post Malone).  Several presenters skipped (and note they have contracts! They gave to get paid scale). No one showed but sza… and she got her award and ran.”

People felt it was a bad sign for the music industry.

“Damn. Sad. Art could be slowly dying,” wrote one person. “The entertainment of the elite becomes the survival of the rest. F*** Hollywood.”

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton addressed the frustration

Shelton addressed the online conversation after seeing stories about the performances. He said they did what the show asked of them.

“Just now seeing these stories about Gwen and I pretaping our performances for the AMA’s,” Shelton wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “We came and performed when the show asked us to.. Really nothing else to say.”

Stefani retweeted the post. Fans showed their support in the comments.

“I think when people are genuine, kind, and unproblematic like you and Gwen, people just try to find something to be upset about or create drama for whatever reason,” wrote one person.

People told him they still enjoyed the performances even though they were not live.

“Who cares!” wrote one person. “Your performance was great as was Gwen’s. And your introduction of your wife was very special!”

The couple say they are in a good place in their relationship

Despite some of the less-than-ideal coverage about them, Stefani and Shelton are reportedly in a good place in their relationship. Shelton said he can’t believe they’ve been together for as long as they have.

“It honestly does [feel like time is flying by],” he told People. “Some of the things that we talk about, we’re to the point in our relationship that it’s like, ‘Oh, remember what happened…’ and you realize, ‘Oh my God, that was 8 years ago!’ It’s like, how did this happen so quickly?”

Still, the relationship feels fresh to him.

“I feel like that might be the key to happiness, is that it feels just as exciting and new and happy,” he said.