Every Golden Buzzer on AGT 2025
Get your tissues ready...
During America's Got Talent, there are Acts, and then there are Acts. 2025 is already shaping up to be a year of delights and surprises, as a number of incredible performers have gotten the coveted Golden Buzzers from the Judges.
Over the years, Golden Buzzer moments have proven to be some of the most jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring, shaking up the pace of the show and surprising excited, nervous Acts. This year, a full 10 Golden Buzzers are up for grabs — two each from the four Judges, plus Host Terry Crews. As the season got started, Sofía Vergara spoke to NBC Insider about the special feeling she gets that makes her want to press that button and send a worthy Act straight to the live shows.
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"Is it something that makes me, like, super excited, and that I see where they can go with this, you know, if they come back? It's like a weird combination," she said, adding, "I cannot even point [to] if it's like, 'Oh, it's because they did this...' No, it's like a combination."
Here are all of the Acts who got a Golden Buzzer in 2025.
Howie Mandel's Golden Buzzers
Jourdan Blue, Episode 1
Act: Singer
23-year-old New Orleans street performer Jourdan Blue put it all on the line for his big shot. Accompanied by his girlfriend and their baby son, Blue sang a rendition of "Breakeven" by The Script that had the audience and Judges on their feet, demonstrating his unique timbre and impressive range. “I’m in love with you,” Vergara said, while Mel B called him, "Not only pitch perfect, but everything perfect.” Once Mandel hit the Golden Buzzer, the tears wouldn't stop.
Unreal Crew, Episode 8
Act: Dancers
The group has been together since 2018 and preparing for AGT for five years, and the hard work showed, as their intricate piece, full of optical illusions involving "dismembered" body parts, shocked and thrilled all who saw it.
Said Mandel, "you deserve absolutely everything…you deserve to be on the show this season…you deserve to be taken all the way!" as he leaned forward...to hit the Golden Buzzer!
Team Recycled, Quarterfinals Night 4
Act: Dancers
Unlike other dance teams, Team Recycled is less about moves and more about spectacle, using costumes, lights and sheer numbers to create an overwhelming stage picture. On the final night of Quarterfinals, they really blew Mandel away. "I was looking for an Act that could possibly win this whole thing. And nobody has been able to step it up...I thought to myself, 'can they do it?' And the answer is…yeah!" he told the group as he leaned forward to hit the buzzer.
Simon Cowell's Golden Buzzers
Lightwire, Episode 1
Act: Dance and light-up art
Founded in Brazil by two brothers, LightWire combines LED displays and light-up dance suits to create unique works of art unlike anything seen before on the AGT stage. It truly puts the spectacle in spectacular. For their audition, the LightWire team created a rainforest environment to pay tribute to the Brazilian Amazon, which Cowell called "one of the most beautiful, stunning Acts I have seen."
Birmingham Youth Choir, Episode 6
Act: Singing
A youth choir from the historic 16th street church in Birmingham, Alabama, the group decided to compete on AGT in order to bring more positivity and honor to their city, which still has a rich culture and a vibrant community. The group absolutely brought the house down with their harmonies, infectious energy and soaring vocals. Cowell told them, "I could see and hear how much work went into this. Every single one of you played a perfect part...I am so honored that you would come here on our twentieth anniversary. And in return I want to give you something," smacking that big Golden Buzzer.
Micah Palace, Quarterfinals Night 3
Act: Singing/Rapping
Fan favorite Act Micah Palace, whose journey from ironing board DJ to Spanglish-rap cutie won him a legion of supporters after his Audition, returned for the Quarterfinals with the original song "Rodeo,” an ode to the international love of soccer. "I think that was such a clever song. The World Cup’s coming, maybe that should be the anthem," Simon Cowell told Palace, asking, "What color is the World Cup?" to which Palace answered, "it's gold," prompting Cowell to respond simply, "okay," and press the Golden Buzzer, sending the young artist straight to the Finals!
Sofía Vergara's Golden Buzzers
Stardust, Episode 5
Act: Roller-skating aerial acrobatics
The lovey-dovey pair combined skating and aerial tricks (and fireworks!) to dazzle the Judges and audience, but there was one man in particular their Act was built for: Cowell. They were sent home from Britain's Got Talent not too long ago, and took Cowell's constructive criticism into account when putting together their new routine. However, it was Vergara who beat Cowell to the bunch and pressed the Golden Buzzer. Cowell (jokingly) took credit for their improved Act, and Vergara sarcastically said, "Congratulations to Simon Cowell."
Jessica Sanchez, Episode 7
Act: Singer
29-year-old Jessica Sanchez first appeared on the AGT stage two decades prior, when she competed on the very first season of AGT as a singer. Now married and pregnant, she belted out Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things" and blew the audience away. Said Vergara, "I think something very special happened on this stage for you. You're so beautiful, you're so ready to do this. This was a special moment and I think that you deserve this..." as she hit the golden buzzer!
Steve Ray Ladson, Quarterfinals Night 1
Act: Musician
After impressing Vergara to the point of her being a bit smitten with him during Auditions, Ladson brought his signature Blackgrass Brothercana sound to the Quarterfinals with the original song "Boots Like Mine" and blew the Judges away. "I didn't like that song, I loved it," Vergara told him, hitting the Golden Buzzer before the other Judges had a chance to say a single word about his performance and sending him straight to the Finals.
Mel B.'s Golden Buzzers
Messoudi Brothers, Episode 2
Act: Juggling
Basically, they stripped while juggling knives, then put on each other's outfits. It was shocking, thrilling, and fun. You could see how difficult the task was (one of the brothers nearly couldn't get his jacket back on) but that just made it feel more real. Cowell called it the only juggling Act he's ever liked, and Mel B. hit the Golden Buzzer over Vergara's protests because she was going to hit it, too!
Charity Lockhart, Episode 3
Act: Singer
Clearly nervous, the mother of two asked for some water from Crews, then launched into "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" before being stopped by Cowell. "I stopped you because I like you, but it just wasn’t working for me," he told her, asking if she had another song. For her second try, she chose "Golden Slumbers" by The Beatles, an apt choice, as it earned not just applause from the audience and Judges, but a Golden Buzzer from Mel B!
Mama Duke, Quarterfinals Night 2
Act: Rapper
After impressing the Judges with her swagger and confidence at her Audition, Mama Duke returned to the AGT stage with another original, "The Mama Duke Show," that was bigger, better, bolder, and reminded Mel B. of a music legend. "What can I say, I loved you the first time and I love you even more right now. You know what? Missy Elliot better be watching out for you," she continued, adding, "Because you’re coming right now," she said as she leaned forward to smack the Live Golden Buzzer, sending Mama Duke past that night's voting and past the Semifinal, straight to the Final performances.
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Terry Crews' Golden Buzzers
Funkateer Dancers, Episode 4
Act: Dance
45 years ago, a group of high school friends in Detroit formed a dance group to enter their school's talent show. Supported by their families, they reunited for AGT and got everyone on their feet with some seriously impressive footwork to a Rick James song. All the Judges were absolutely delighted by the Funkateers, but it was Crews who gave them his Golden Buzzer, though Cowell said that if Crews hadn't, he would have.
The BoykinZ, Episode 7
Act: Singer-dancers
These four Gen Z sisters mix pop, hip-hop and Country to create a dance and harmony singing performance that has to be witnessed to be understood. They are like Destiny's Child meets cowgirls in the best way possible, and the entire audience simply demanded that they be given a golden buzzer, so much so that Host Terry Crews came down from the stage and smashed the button!
