On Sunday night, 2021 American Music Awards united some of the industry’s biggest musical acts at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, to celebrate the best in music.
The main ceremony kicked off at 8pm local time at the Microsoft Theater, and is was hosted by “Up” rapper Cardi B.
This year, Olivia Rodrigo made her AMAs debut earning seven nominations, including Artist of the Year and New Artist of The Year, while Drake, Taylor Swift and Giveon were also up for major awards.
Some of the other top nominees include Bad Bunny, Doja Cat and Giveon, who earned five nominations each, while BTS, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Drake were among the other notable nominees. The 2021 AMAs also recognized new categories this year, with awards handed out for Favorite Trending Song, Favorite Gospel Artist and Favorite Latin Duo or Group.
Olivia Rodrigo — who leads the nominations pool with seven nods — performed “traitor” off her hit album SOUR, accompanied by her acoustic guitar. Rodrigo also took home the award for new artist of the year.
Additional performers also 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 also a three-time AMA winner herself.
Despite previously being confirmed to perform, AMA nominee and winner, Megan Thee Stallion was not in attendance.
Before the ceremony began, 21 of the 32 winners were unveiled on TikTok. Taylor Swift broke her own record for the most AMA wins in history, nabbing the award for favorite female pop artist, while Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak’s collaborative project Silk Sonic won Favourite R&B song for “Leave the Door Open”.
Pre-show winners also included Doja Cat, who scored three awards, along with Meghan Thee Stallion with two.
Korean boyband and worldwide sensation BTS took home three awards, including the evening’s top honor for artist of the year, along with awards for favorite pop duo or group and favorite pop song for their hit single “Butter.” BTS lead the night in wins, alongside Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion who also scored three wins.
In her second win of the night, Taylor 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).
See the full list of winners below. Follow the ceremony live here.
Artist Of The Year
Ariana Grande
BTS – WINNER
Drake
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
New Artist Of The Year
24kGoldn
Giveon
Masked Wolf
Olivia Rodrigo – WINNER
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’ – WINNER
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon, ‘Peaches’
Favourite Trending Song
Erica Banks, ‘Buss It’
Måneskin, ‘Beggin’’
Megan Thee Stallion, ‘Body’ – WINNER
Olivia Rodrigo, ‘drivers license’
Popp Hunna, ‘Adderall (Corvette Corvette)’
Favourite Music Video
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), ‘Leave the Door Open’
Cardi B, ‘Up’
Lil Nas X, ‘MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)’ – WINNER
Olivia Rodrigo, ‘drivers license’
The Weeknd, ‘Save Your Tears’
Favourite Male Pop Artist
Drake
Ed Sheeran – WINNER
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
The Weeknd
Favourite Female Pop Artist
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
Dua Lipa
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift – WINNER
Favourite Pop Duo Or Group
AJR
BTS – WINNER
Glass Animals
Maroon 5
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
Favourite Pop Album
Ariana Grande, ‘Positions’
Dua Lipa, ‘Future Nostalgia’
Olivia Rodrigo, ‘SOUR’
Taylor Swift, ‘evermore’ – WINNER
The Kid LAROI, ‘F*CK LOVE’
Favourite Pop Song
BTS, ‘Butter’ – WINNER
Doja Cat ft. SZA, ‘Kiss Me More’
Dua Lipa, ‘Levitating’
Olivia Rodrigo, ‘drivers license’
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, ‘Save Your Tears (Remix)’
Favourite Male Country Artist
Chris Stapleton
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan – WINNER
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Favourite Female Country Artist
Carrie Underwood – WINNER
Gabby Barrett
Kacey Musgraves
Maren Morris
Miranda Lambert
Favourite Country Duo Or Group
Dan + Shay – WINNER
Florida Georgia Line
Lady A
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
Favourite Country Album
Chris Stapleton, ‘Starting Over’
Gabby Barrett, ‘Goldmine’ – WINNER
Lee Brice, ‘Hey World’
Luke Bryan, ‘Born Here Live Here Die Here’
Morgan Wallen, ‘Dangerous: The Double Album’
Favourite Country Song
Chris Stapleton, ‘Starting Over’
Chris Young & Kane Brown, ‘Famous Friends’
Gabby Barrett, ‘The Good Ones’ – WINNER
Luke Combs, ‘Forever After All’
Walker Hayes, ‘Fancy Like’
Favourite Male Hip-Hop Artist
Drake – WINNER
Lil Baby
Moneybagg Yo
Polo G
Pop Smoke
Favourite Female Hip-Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Erica Banks
Megan Thee Stallion – WINNER
Saweetie
Favourite Hip-Hop Album
Drake, ‘Certified Lover Boy’
Juice WRLD, ‘Legends Never Die’
Megan Thee Stallion, ‘Good News’ – WINNER
Pop Smoke, ‘Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon’
Rod Wave, ‘SoulFly’
Favourite Hip-Hop Song
Cardi B, ‘Up’ – WINNER
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’
Favourite Male R&B Artist
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd – WINNER
Usher
Favourite Female R&B Artist
Doja Cat – WINNER
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
SZA
Favourite R&B Album
Doja Cat, ‘Planet Her’ – WINNER
Giveon, ‘When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time’
H.E.R., ‘Back of My Mind’
Jazmine Sullivan, ‘Heaux Tales’
Queen Naija, ‘missunderstood’
Favourite R&B Song
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), ‘Leave the Door Open’ – WINNER
Chris Brown & Young Thug, ‘Go Crazy’
Giveon, ‘Heartbreak Anniversary’
H.E.R., ‘Damage’
Jazmine Sullivan, ‘Pick Up Your Feelings’
Favourite Male Latin Artist
Bad Bunny – WINNER
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna
Rauw Alejandro
Favourite Female Latin Artist
Becky G – WINNER
Kali Uchis
KAROL G
Natti Natasha
ROSALÍA
Favourite Latin Duo Or Group
Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga – WINNER
Calibre 50
Eslabon Armado
La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho
Los Dos Carnales
Favourite Latin Album
Bad Bunny, ‘El Último Tour Del Mundo’ – WINNER
Kali Uchis, ‘Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)’
KAROL G, ‘KG0516’
Maluma, ‘Papi Juancho’
Rauw Alejandro, ‘Afrodisíaco’
Favourite 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)’
Favourite Rock Artist
AJR
All Time Low
Foo Fighters
Glass Animals
Machine Gun Kelly – WINNER
Favourite Inspirational Artist
CAIN
Carrie Underwood – WINNER
Elevation Worship
Lauren Daigle
Zach Williams
Favourite Gospel Artist
Kanye West – WINNER
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Maverick City Music
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Favourite Dance/Electronic Artist
David Guetta
ILLENIUM
Marshmello – WINNER
Regard
Tiësto
