November 21, 2021
With three prizes each, BTS, Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion were the top winners at the 2021 American Music Awards, which were presented November 21 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Cardi B was the host of the ceremony. ABC had the U.S. telecast of the show. The American Music Awards are voted for online by fans.
BTS won the American Music Awards for Artist of the Year; Favorite Pop Song (for “Butter”); and Favorite Pop Duo or Group. Doja Cat received the prizes for Collaboration of the Year (for her “Kiss Me More” duet with SZA); Favorite R&B Album (for “Planet Her”); and Favorite Female R&B Artist. Megan Thee Stallion won the awards for Favorite Trending Song (“for Body”); Favorite Hip-Hop Album (for “Good News”); and Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist.
Several artists won two awards each, such as Olivio Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Cardi B, Carrie Underwood and Gabby Barrett. (See the complete list of winners at the end of the article.) Rodrigo went into the ceremony with the most nomnations (seven), followed by The Weeknd with six nods. The Weeknd ended up winning the award for Favorite Male R&B Artist. New categories this year were Favorite Trending Song (with nominees from TikTok on the year’s most viral songs); Favorite Gospel Artist; and Favorite Latin Duo or Group.
According to a press release from ABC: “Nominees are based on key fan interactions—as reflected on the Billboard charts—including streaming, album sales, song sales and radio airplay. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partner MRC Data, and cover the time period September 25, 2020, through September 23, 2021.” The 2021 American Music Awards ceremony was produced by MRC Live & Alternative and Jesse Collins Entertainment.
The following is from an ABC press release:
Show performance highlights included:
- Multiple Grammy Award winners Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak, who just dropped their debut album as Silk Sonic, kicked off the night with an energetic opening performance of their recently released hit “Smokin Out The Window.”
- It was a night of AMA debut performances, with Olivia Rodrigo taking the stage for a powerful performance of “Traitor,” the fourth single from her record-smashing album, “Sour.”
- Pop megastars BTS joined legendary British band Coldplay for the world television premiere performance of “My Universe.”
- Tyler, The Creator performed “Massa” off his sixth studio album, “Call Me If You Get Lost.”
- This year’s new “My Hometown” segments included spectacular performances by Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean and an epic “Battle of Boston” as iconic boy bands New Edition and New Kids On The Block shared the stage together for the very first time and had everyone on their feet.
- Italian rock band and first-time AMA nominee Måneskin made their U.S. awards show debut when they performed their global No. 1 hit “Beggin.’”
- Three-time AMA winner Jennifer Lopez delivered a magical performance of her newly released song “On My Way” from the soundtrack of her upcoming film “Marry Me.”
- Country music star Mickey Guyton wowed audiences with her performance of her newest single “All American.”
- Chlöe made her AMA performance debut from the Xfinity Stage with her debut single, “Have Mercy.”
- Walker Hayes marked his AMAs debut with a fun performance of his viral song “Fancy Like.”
- This year’s “AMA Song of the Soul” segment honored German singer/songwriter Zoe Wees for her powerhouse performance of “Girls Like Us.”
- Five-time AMA winner Kane Brown performed his hit “One Mississippi” at Tennessee State University (TSU), a notable HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Brown also gave fans a look into his Tennessee and Georgia roots leading into his performance.
- Diplo took on a special role and served as the first-ever AMAs musical curator, DJing his iconic tunes throughout the night.
Winner Highlights of the “2020 American Music Awards”:
- Tonight, BTS made history at the AMAs as the first Asian group to win in the Artist of the Year category and won Favorite Pop Duo or Group and Favorite Pop Song for their record-breaking hit “Butter.” The group now has nine AMAs.
- Now 34-time AMA winner Taylor Swift took home the awards for Favorite Female Pop Artist and Favorite Pop Album for her No. 1 album “Evermore.”
- Following her breathtaking debut performance on the AMAs stage, Olivia Rodrigo won her first-ever AMA with New Artist of the Year.
- Bad Bunny was named Favorite Male Latin Artist at this year’s AMAs and won Favorite Latin Album for “EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO.”
- Kali Uchis, now first-time AMA winner, won Favorite Latin Song with her hit single “telepatía.”
Presenters included Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Anthony Ramos, Billy Porter, Brandy, JB Smoove, JoJo Siwa, Liza Koshy, Machine Gun Kelly, Marsai Martin, Madelyn Cline and Winnie Harlow.
The following is the complete list of winners and nominees for the 2021 American Music Awards:
*=winner
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande
BTS*
Drake
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn
Giveon
Masked Wolf
Olivia Rodrigo*
The Kid LAROI
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DÁKITI”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More”*
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon “Peaches”
FAVORITE TRENDING SONG
Erica Banks “Buss It”
Måneskin “Beggin’”
Megan Thee Stallion “Body”*
Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
Popp Hunna “Adderall (Corvette Corvette)”
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open”
Cardi B “Up”
Lil Nas X “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”*
Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
The Weeknd “Save Your Tears”
FAVORITE MALE POP ARTIST
Drake
Ed Sheeran*
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
The Weeknd
FAVORITE FEMALE POP ARTIST
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
Dua Lipa
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift*
FAVORITE POP DUO OR GROUP
AJR
BTS*
Glass Animals
Maroon 5
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
FAVORITE POP ALBUM
Ariana Grande “Positions”
Dua Lipa “Future Nostalgia”
Olivia Rodrigo “SOUR”
Taylor Swift “evermore”*
The Kid LAROI “F*CK LOVE”
FAVORITE POP SONG
BTS “Butter”*
Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More”
Dua Lipa “Levitating”
Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears (Remix)”
FAVORITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Chris Stapleton
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan*
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
FAVORITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Carrie Underwood*
Gabby Barrett
Kacey Musgraves
Maren Morris
Miranda Lambert
FAVORITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP
Dan + Shay*
Florida Georgia Line
Lady A
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
FAVORITE COUNTRY ALBUM
Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
Gabby Barrett “Goldmine”*
Lee Brice “Hey World”
Luke Bryan “Born Here Live Here Die Here”
Morgan Wallen “Dangerous: The Double Album”
FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
Chris Young & Kane Brown “Famous Friends”
Gabby Barrett “The Good Ones”*
Luke Combs “Forever After All”
Walker Hayes “Fancy Like”
FAVORITE MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Drake*
Lil Baby
Moneybagg Yo
Polo G
Pop Smoke
FAVORITE FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Erica Banks
Megan Thee Stallion*
Saweetie
FAVORITE HIP-HOP ALBUM
Drake “Certified Lover Boy”
Juice WRLD “Legends Never Die”
Megan Thee Stallion “Good News”*
Pop Smoke “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon”
Rod Wave “SoulFly”
FAVORITE HIP-HOP SONG
Cardi B “Up”*
Internet Money ft. Gunna, Don Toliver & NAV “Lemonade”
Lil Tjay ft. 6LACK “Calling My Phone”
Polo G “RAPSTAR”
Pop Smoke “What You Know Bout Love”
FAVORITE MALE R&B ARTIST
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd*
Usher
FAVORITE FEMALE R&B ARTIST
Doja Cat*
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
SZA
FAVORITE R&B ALBUM
Doja Cat “Planet Her”*
Giveon “When It’s All Said And Done… Take Time”
H.E.R. “Back of My Mind”
Jazmine Sullivan “Heaux Tales”
Queen Naija “missunderstood”
FAVORITE R&B SONG
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open”*
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Giveon “Heartbreak Anniversary”
H.E.R. “Damage”
Jazmine Sullivan “Pick Up Your Feelings”
FAVORITE MALE LATIN ARTIST
Bad Bunny*
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna
Rauw Alejandro
FAVORITE FEMALE LATIN ARTIST
Becky G*
Kali Uchis
KAROL G
Natti Natasha
ROSALÍA
FAVORITE LATIN DUO OR GROUP
Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga*
Calibre 50
Eslabon Armado
La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho
Los Dos Carnales
FAVORITE LATIN ALBUM
Bad Bunny “EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO”*
Kali Uchis “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)”
KAROL G “KG0516”
Maluma “PAPI JUANCHO”
Rauw Alejandro “Afrodisíaco”
FAVORITE LATIN SONG
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DÁKITI”
Bad Bunny x ROSALÍA “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE”
Farruko “Pepas”
Kali Uchis “telepatía”*
Maluma & The Weeknd “Hawái (Remix)”
FAVORITE ROCK ARTIST
AJR
All Time Low
Foo Fighters
Glass Animals
Machine Gun Kelly*
FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST
CAIN
Carrie Underwood*
Elevation Worship
Lauren Daigle
Zach Williams
FAVORITE GOSPEL ARTIST
Kanye West*
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Maverick City Music
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
FAVORITE DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST
David Guetta
ILLENIUM
Marshmello*
Regard
Tiësto
