George Strait, KISS and Sylvester Stallone were among five recipients of the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors. The full class also included Michael Crawford and Gloria Gaynor. The White House announced the 48th class on August 13, 2025.
Who were the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees?
The five recipients were George Strait, KISS, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor and Sylvester Stallone. Their work spans country music, rock, stage performance, disco and film. The White House announcement presented career details for each honoree, but did not set out a shared scoring system or explain selection criteria.
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Why were these five honored?
The announcement highlighted distinct achievements in each recipient’s career. The figures below are those published by the White House in 2025; they are attributed to that announcement, rather than presented as independently audited totals.
George Strait
The White House described Strait’s career as spanning four decades and called him the “King of Country.” Its announcement reported more than 120 million records sold worldwide, 60 number-one hits and 33 platinum-certified albums. Read the White House announcement.
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KISS
The White House said KISS formed in New York City in 1973, with founding members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. It reported more than 100 million records sold worldwide and 30 gold albums. The announcement’s KISS biography gives that context.
Michael Crawford
The White House noted Crawford’s Broadway debut in 1967, his portrayal of the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and his Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Gloria Gaynor
The White House identified “I Will Survive” as a 1978 hit and said it earned the 1980 Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording. The announcement also noted Gaynor’s 2020 Grammy for the gospel album Testimony and the song’s 2016 induction into the National Recording Registry.
Sylvester Stallone
The White House described Stallone as a three-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe Award winner, citing Rocky, Rambo, Cobra and Creed among his films. Its announcement reported that his films grossed more than $7.5 billion worldwide across a six-decade career. See the White House’s career summary.
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When were the medals presented, and when was the program scheduled?
CBS/AP reported that the recipients received their medals at an Oval Office ceremony on December 6, 2025. The outlet said the Honors program was scheduled to air December 23 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS stations and Paramount+. That is the schedule reported at the time; it does not establish current streaming availability. CBS/AP’s report on the ceremony and broadcast.
CBS/AP described the medal as a gold disc featuring a Kennedy Center image and rainbow colors on one side, with the honoree’s name and ceremony date on the reverse. It hung from a navy-blue ribbon, replacing the previous large rainbow ribbon decorated with three gold plates. The report said Tiffany & Co. designed, created and donated the medal.
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What did Trump say about the Honors?
At the December 6 dinner, President Donald Trump said, “We have such wonderful people, and I don’t mind doing it.” The American Presidency Project transcript also records him saying, “The President of the United States is hosting, at the request of a certain television network.” Read the transcript.
CBS/AP reported that Trump said he was “about 98% involved” in selecting the class. The outlet also noted that it was unclear how the honorees were chosen and that a bipartisan selection committee had handled selection in prior years. These remarks describe Trump’s stated role; they do not establish a neutral account of the selection process.
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Best Value
- With an unparalleled 60 singles hitting the top of the charts - more than any other artist in any genre - during the span of his 30+ year career, Strait is the undeniable "King of Country Music
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