BTS Reaches New Heights by Winning Artist of the Year at American Music Awards
BTS's triumphant night at the 2026 American Music Awards included multiple wins in key categories and a memorable artist of the year award. The K-pop group's achievements reflect their global appeal and dominant presence in the music industry.
Highlights
- •BTS won Artist of the Year
- •BTS debuted with 'Hooligan' performance
- •Sabrina Carpenter won Album of the Year for Man's Best Friend
- •Taylor Swift did not win despite leading nominations
The 2026 edition of the American Music Awards concluded on Memorial Day, with standout performances and accolades. BTS's impressive night continued as they claimed the prestigious award for Artist of the Year. The globally adored K-pop group also won Song of the Summer for their hit single "Swim," the lead track from their latest album ARIRANG, and kicked off the ceremony with a performance of "Hooligan."
Following the telecast, BTS was honored once again by receiving the award for Best Male K-pop Artist. Their strong showing extended to presenting SZA with the award for Best Female R&B Artist. Another major winner of the evening included Sabrina Carpenter, whose album Man's Best Friend secured both Album of the Year and Best Pop Album. Additionally, she captured the title of Best Female Pop Artist.
K-pop fans will also be thrilled to learn that KPop Demon Hunters emerged victorious with "Golden," which won not only Song of the Year but also Best Pop Song and Best Vocal Performance. The groundbreaking night for singer-songwriter sombr included winning Best Rock/Alternative Song for "back to friends" and Best Rock/Alternative Album for I Barely Know Her. He also made his AMAs performance debut with the track "Homewrecker."
Despite leading the nominations, Taylor Swift left empty-handed. However, she remains the most awarded artist in AMAs history, holding a total of 40 trophies.
In Categories Beyond Pop
The ceremony showcased strong performances across various genres. In country music, Morgan Wallen was named Best Male Country Artist while Ella Langley was the recipient of both Best Female Country Artist and Best Country Song for "Choosin' Texas." Megan Moroney's album Cloud 9 also bagged a Best Country Album award.
Leading the hip-hop categories, Cardi B dominated with Best Female Hip-Hop Artist and won two more accolades: Best Hip-Hop Song for "ErrTime" and Best Hip-Hop Album for AM I THE DRAMA? Kendrick Lamar was awarded as Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, rounding out a significant night in multiple genres.
In the realm of R&B, Bruno Mars won both Best Male R&B Artist and Best R&B Song with "I Just Might," while his album The Romantic took home the Best R&B Album honour. On the Latin front, Bad Bunny claimed Best Male Latin Artist for NUEVAYOL and KAROL G nabbed both Best Latin Album (Tropicoqueta) and Best Female Latin Artist. Additionally, Shakira was awarded Tour of the Year for her "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour."
The evening saw an expansion in the rock and alternative category, with Twenty One Pilots winning Best Rock/Alternative Artist, while David Guetta retained his title as Best Dance/Electronic Artist.
