BTS 'miracle': Wins three AMAs, including artist of the year; Taylor Swift breaks her own record
BTS had a huge night at Sunday's American Music Awards, maybe even a miracle night.
The boy band from South Korea ended the show performing their AMA-winning hit "Butter" and won every award for which they were nominated — favorite pop duo or group (for the third time in a row); favorite pop song ("Butter") and the coveted artist of the year award (for the first time).
Accepting the best artist award, 27-year-old RM nervously said from stage, "This whole thing is a miracle. Seriously, we will never take this for granted."
"Four years ago, we had given this first-time-ever TV live performance at this AMAs stage for 'DNA.' We were so excited and nervous at the time," RM said. "It's been a long and amazing ride since then, but nobody could have ever bet on the odds of us standing here receiving this award. Except for the ARMY. Seven boys from Korea, united by a love for music, met the love and support from all the ARMY all over the world."
Ahead of the televised show, taking place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, a slew of awards were announced earlier in the day. Taylor Swift broke her own record when she won favorite female pop artist for the seventh time and topped her previous record for most AMA wins of all time. Swift also won for best pop album "evermore" during the show and now has 34 AMA trophies.
Olivia Rodrigo, who had the most AMA nominations of the night with seven, won new artist of the year.
Also winning three awards each were Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion. Ed Sheeran won favorite male pop artist while Drake and Megan Thee Stallion won favorite male and female hip-hop artists.
Brutally honest reviews of every AMAs 2021 performance, including BTS, JLo and Olivia Rodrigo
AMA nominees are selected based on fan interactions with music (including streaming, album sales, song sales, radio airplay, social engagement) that are tracked by Billboard and its data partner MRC Data, according to the organization. Winners are determined by fan voting.
Who took home a trophy at the AMAs? Scroll through to see the winners and nominees in each category.
Complete list of 2021 AMA nominees and winners:
New Artist of the Year
Winner: Olivia Rodrigo
24kGoldn
Giveon
Masked Wolf
The Kid LAROI
Artist of the Year
Winner: BTS
Ariana Grande
Drake
Taylor Swift
Olivia Rodrigo
The Weeknd
Collaboration of the year
“Mood” - 24kGoldn ft. iann dior
“DáKITI” - Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
“Go Crazy” - Chris Brown & Young Thug
Winner: “Kiss Me More” - Doja Cat ft. SZA
“Peaches” - Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon
Machine Gun Kelly rocks the AMA red carpet with 12-year-old daughter Casie, not Megan Fox
Favorite trending song
“Buss It” - Erica Banks
“Beggin’” - Ma?neskin
Winner: “Body” - Megan Thee Stallion
“drivers license” - Olivia Rodrigo
“Adderall (Corvette Corvette)” - Popp Hunna
Favorite music video
“Leave The Door Open” - Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
“Up” - Cardi B
Winner: “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” - Lil Nas X
“drivers license” - Olivia Rodrigo
“Save Your Tears” - The Weeknd
Favorite male pop artist
Drake
Winner: Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
The Weeknd
Favorite female pop artist
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
Dua Lipa
Olivia Rodrigo
Winner: Taylor Swift
Favorite pop duo or group
AJR
Winner: BTS
Glass Animals
Maroon 5
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
Favorite pop album
“positions” - Ariana Grande
“Future Nostalgia” - Dua Lipa
“sour” - Olivia Rodrigo
Winner: “evermore” - Taylor Swift
“F--- LOVE” - The Kid LAROI
Favorite pop song
“Butter” - BTS
“Kiss Me More” - Doja Cat ft. SZA
“Levitating” - Dua Lipa
“drivers license” - Olivia Rodrigo
“Save Your Tears (Remix)” - The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
Favorite male country artist
Chris Stapleton
Jason Aldean
Winner: Luke Bryan
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Favorite female country artist
Winner: Carrie Underwood
Gabby Barrett
Kacey Musgraves
Maren Morris
Miranda Lambert
Favorite country duo or group
Winner: Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Lady A
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
Favorite country album
“Starting Over” - Chris Stapleton
Winner: “Goldmine” - Gabby Barrett
“Hey World” - Lee Brice
“Born Here Live Here Die Here” - Luke Bryan
“Dangerous: The Double Album” - Morgan Wallen
Favorite country song
“Starting Over” - Chris Stapleton
“Famous Friends” - Chris Young & Kane Brown
Winner: “The Good Ones” - Gabby Barrett
“Forever After All” - Luke Combs
“Fancy Like” - Walker Hayes
Favorite male hip-hop artist
Winner: Drake
Lil Baby
Moneybagg Yo
Polo G
Pop Smoke
Favorite female hip-hop artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Erica Banks
Winner: Megan Thee Stallion
Saweetie
Favorite hip-hop album
“Certified Lover Boy” - Drake
“Legends Never Die” - Juice WRLD
Winner: “Good News” - Megan Thee Stallion
“Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon” - Pop Smoke
“SoulFly” - Rod Wave
Favorite hip-hop song
Winner: “Up” - Cardi B
“Lemonade” - Internet Money ft. Gunna, Don Toliver & NAV
“Calling My Phone” - Lil Tjay ft. 6LACK
“RAPSTAR” - Polo G
“What You Know Bout Love” - Pop Smoke
Favorite male R&B artist
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
Winner: The Weeknd
Usher
Favorite female R&B artist
Winner: Doja Cat
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhene? Aiko
SZA
Favorite R&B Album
Winner: “Planet Her” - Doja Cat
“When It’s All Said And Done... Take Time” - Giveon
“Back of My Mind” - H.E.R.
“Heaux Tales” - Jazmine Sullivan
“Missunderstood” - Queen Naija
Favorite R&B song
“Leave The Door Open” - Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
“Go Crazy” - Chris Brown & Young Thug
“Heartbreak Anniversary” - Giveon
“Damage” - H.E.R.
“Pick Up Your Feelings” - Jazmine Sullivan
Favorite male Latin artist
Winner: Bad Bunny
J Balvín
Maluma
Ozuna
Rauw Alejandro
Favorite female Latin artist
Becky G
Kali Uchis
Karol G
Natti Natasha
Rosalía
Favorite Latin duo or group
Winner: Banda MS de Sergio Liza?rraga
Calibre 50
Eslabon Armado
La Arrolladora Banda El Limo?n De René Camacho
Los Dos Carnales
Favorite Latin album
Winner: “EL U?LTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO” - Bad Bunny
“Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)” - Kali Uchis
“KG0516” - Karol G
“Papi Juancho” - Maluma
“Afrodisi?aco” - Rauw Alejandro
Favorite Latin song
“Dákiti” - Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
“LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE” - Bad Bunny x Rosalía
“Pepas” - Farruko
“telepati?a” - Kali Uchis
“Hawa?i (Remix)” - Maluma & The Weeknd
Favorite rock artist
AJR
All Time Low
Foo Fighters
Glass Animals
Winner: Machine Gun Kelly
Favorite inspirational artist
CAIN
Winner: Carrie Underwood
Elevation Worship
Lauren Daigle
Zach Williams
Favorite gospel artist
Winner: Kanye West
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Maverick City Music
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Favorite dance/electronic artist
David Guetta
Illenium
Winner: Marshmello
Dj Regard
Tie?sto
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AMAs 2021 winners: BTS wins artist of the year award for first time
