Worldwide sensation BTS took home the top honor for artist of the year Sunday at the American Music Awards, along with awards for favorite pop duo or group and favorite pop song for their hit single “Butter,” while Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion also scored three wins.
Taylor Swift broke her own record for the most AMA wins in history, nabbing the award for favorite female pop artist.
The show, hosted by Cardi B at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, opened with Silk Sonic duo Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, coming off the recent release of their collaboration album An Evening With Silk Sonic.
“I ain’t gonna lie, I’m nervous, I’m shaking,” Cardi B said of her hosting debut. She informed the audience that the theme of the evening would be celebrating hometowns, as she gave a shoutout to hers — the Bronx in New York City. In the pit surrounding the stage, attendees were masked, while VIP guests remained unmasked in socially distanced seating.
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Later, Cardi B addressed Jojo Siwa in the audience, pleading with the social media star to surprise her daughter — whom the rapper shares with Migos’ Offset — as a Christmas gift. Despite her best efforts, Cardi claimed that Siwa was fully booked for the holidays.
“Lemme tell you something, y’all rappers ain’t got nothing on Jojo Siwa,” Cardi said.
In response, Siwa took to the stage while presenting the award for Favorite Pop Duo or Group. “I’m gonna see what I can do. I’m gonna try and make Christmas happen, I promise,” Siwa said. The presenter also urged the audience to vote for her on Dancing With The Stars that week, in which Siwa is a finalist.
As they presented the award for favorite rock artist, Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort shared an exclusive look at their upcoming musical film West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg.
First-time nominee Olivia Rodrigo performed “traitor” off her hit album SOUR, accompanied by her acoustic guitar. Rodrigo also took home the award for new artist of the year. “Writing songs is my favorite thing in the whole world and I’m so grateful for everyone who’s embraced my music,” the 18-year-old said in her acceptance speech.
Additional performers included BTS and Coldplay, Chlöe, Måneskin, Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean, Tyler, the Creator, Walker Hayes, Bad Bunny with Tainy and Julieta Venegas, Kane Brown and Walker Hayes. Diplo served as the show’s first-ever musical curator, in which the record producer DJ’ed the event throughout the night.
Jennifer Lopez also performed “On My Way,” a track from her upcoming film Marry Me, a romantic musical starring Lopez and Owen Wilson. Clips of the film played onstage alongside the pop star, who is a three-time AMA winner.
In their “Battle of Boston” collaboration, New Kids on the Block and New Edition joined forces for a medley performance of their greatest hits, respectively. The Massachusetts-based boybands had the audience on their feet and dancing throughout the performance.
Despite previously being confirmed to perform, AMA nominee and winner Megan Thee Stallion was not in attendance.
In her second win of the night, Swift secured the award for best pop album for her quarantine-era release evermore, the sister album to Swift’s folklore. Although she was not in attendance, Swift gave her acceptance speech virtually, thanking fans for their support of not only evermore, but also her recent re-release of Red (Taylor’s Version). “I’m so lucky to be in your life and to get to have you in mine,” the singer-songwriter said. Swift broke her record for the most AMAs won by an artist yet again, now boasting 34 awards over the course of her career.
Following their night of success, BTS closed out the show with a performance of “Butter.”
A complete list of the 2020 AMA winners follows.
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
