See All the 'America's Got Talent' Golden Buzzer Picks of Season 13

Week after week, America's Got Talent continues to shock and amaze us all. But while many of the auditions are beyond exceptional, only a few select are chosen by the judge panel to receive the coveted golden buzzer. So ... what exactly does this special privilege mean for AGT contestants?

Well, the golden buzzer signifies that the act is going straight to the live shows. Each judge (and host, if they want!) is only allowed one press during the entire season, but they aren't required to use their turn at all. When originally introduced in season 9, the golden buzzer was designed for tie-breaking purposes – meaning, the act would go to the next round regardless of how the other judges voted. But the rules changed to what they are now in season 10.

Now that the audition shows have concluded and judges cuts are underway, Howie Mandel, Tyra Banks, Mel B, Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell, and guest judges Ken Jeong, Olivia Munn, Martina McBride, and Chris Hardwick have all used golden buzzer turns in season 13. Let's take a look at which acts the judges (and Tyra!) used their golden buzzers on:

Breaking with all the other judges who used their golden buzzers on singing acts, the country singer decided to give her press to ballroom dance performers. Quin, a 71-year-old dancer from Taiwan, and her 35-year-old partner, Misha, stunned Martina with their intense routine filled with countless flips, turns, and lifts. "You say you want to inspire people of a certain age, but you inspired everybody of all ages," Martina said before sending them through.

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In the first round of auditions, Angel City Chorale blew the judges and crowd away with their powerful rendition of Toto's "Africa." This time, the choir opted for the Civilization IV theme song "Baba Yetu" and, yet again, wowed everyone in the theater. Moved by the group's heart-warming performance, guest judge Olivia Munn slammed her hand on the golden buzzer. As confetti showered the stage, Olivia jumped on stage to congratulate each of the overjoyed singers on making it to the live shows.

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During the first round of the judges cut episodes, AGT guest judge Ken Jeong found the Voices of Hope children's choir to be top-notch. After their moving performance of the famous Moana song "How Far I'll Go," Ken was so inspired that he enthusiastically selected the talented group to go automatically through to the next round.

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After hitting every high note of Demi Lovato's song "Warrior" with ease, the entire audience immediately stood up to give this 15-year-old singer a well-earned standing ovation. What's more, the California native earned the last golden buzzer of the season from Heidi, which means we'll soon see her booming vocals in the live rounds of the competition.

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The 15-year-old singer brought down the house after her soulful version of Aretha Franklin's classic "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." Amanda, who was raised in the Dominican Republic until she was four, explains that she had been bullied at school for not knowing English as a child. In response to the haters and Amanda's amazing talent, Mel B decided to use her golden buzzer to send her directly to the live shows.

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When 13-year-old Courtney Hadwin walked onto the AGT stage, it was easy to tell she was coy and extremely nervous. But after a mini pep talk from Mel B, Courtney settled down and began her act. The minute she opened her mouth she instantly transformed into a powerhouse singer, belting out Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" while swinging her hair and dancing all over the stage. Judge Howie Mandel couldn't help but compare her vocals to Janis Joplin before declaring that he was giving Courtney the golden buzzer. Well-deserved, if you ask us.

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Through his incredible rendition of "To Love Somebody," Michael Ketterer, a father of six (including five foster children), won the heart of Simon Cowell - an arguably difficult thing to do. Simon explained why he selected the soft-spoken singer as his golden buzzer pick, saying that for him "it's just about being real and a surprise." Michael is definitely both.

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Many acrobatic acts have impressed the judges on AGT before, but none captured their attention quite like the Austria-based group Zurcaroh did. All 48 athletes owned the stage during a performance that was described by Howie and Heidi simply as "wow!" Host Tyra Banks was particularly stoked about the group and quickly interjected with a golden buzzer nomination before even letting the panel vote on the act. Judging by all their reactions though, a vote probably wasn't necessary anyway.

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