Taylor Swift, BTS & More Record-Setters at the 2019 American Music Awards
Taylor Swift wasn't the only artist to make history, or at least make news, at the AMAs.
Taylor Swift pulled ahead of the late Michael Jackson as the artist with the most American Music Awards in the show's nearly 46-year history. That was the big (if hardly surprising) news at this year's AMAs, which were presented at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 24.
Swift won in all five of the categories in which she was nominated, and also received a special artist of the decade award, bringing her career total to 29 AMAs. Jackson won 24.
Swift won artist of the year for a fifth time, extending her record in that category. Runners-up Justin Bieber and One Direction are far behind, with two wins each in the category.
Swift won favorite album—pop/rock for Lover. It's her third win in the category. That puts her in a tie with Jackson and Bieber for the most wins in the history of the category.
Swift won favorite female artist—pop/rock for the second year in a row. She's the first artist to win back-to-back awards in that category since Celine Dion in 1998-99. This is Swift's fourth overall win in the category, putting her in a tie with Whitney Houston and Olivia Newton-John for the most wins in the category's history.
Swift took video of the year for "You Need to Calm Down," which also won at the MTV Video Music Awards in August. This is the second year in a row that the AMA in that category has gone to a video that had won a few months before at the VMAs. The same thing happened last year to Camila Cabello's "Havana" (featuring Young Thug).
Swift wasn't the only artist to make history, or at least make news, at the AMAs. Take a look.
BTS, which last year became the first K-Pop group to win an AMA, won three awards this time around—favorite duo or group—pop/rock, favorite social artist (for the second year in a row) and tour of the year. With three wins, BTS was the year's top group or duo.
Khalid also won three awards—favorite male artist-pop/rock and favorite album (Free Spirit) and song ("Talk") in soul/R&B. Khalid is the first African-American artist to win favorite male artist—pop/rock since Jackson won it posthumously 10 years ago. With three wins, Khalid was the year's top male artist.
Billie Eilish, 17, is the youngest winner for new artist of the year since Bieber, then 16, took the award nine years ago. Eilish beat Lizzo for the award, just as she did at the VMAs. The two red-hot stars will compete again at the Grammys on Jan. 26, where they are squaring off in five categories, including best new artist. Eilish also made AMAs history as the first female solo artist to win for favorite artist—alternative rock.
Carrie Underwood won favorite album—country for the sixth time with her album Cry Pretty. That enabled her to pull ahead of Kenny Rogers as the artist with most wins in that category. Underwood won favorite female artist—country for the seventh time. Only Reba McEntire has won more awards in that category (11). Either Underwood or Swift, who, lest we forget, was a country favorite before she went pop, has won in this category for the last 13 years.
Dan + Shay received their first two AMAs, for favorite duo or group—country and favorite song—country ("Speechless"). 2019 has been a year of firsts for the duo, which has also won their first Grammy Award, ACM Awards, CMT Music Award and CMA Award.
Post Malone won favorite album rap/hip-hop for Hollywood's Bleeding. Post won in this category last year for Beerbongs & Bentleys. He's just the third artist to take this award in back-to-back years. The first two were M.C. Hammer (1990-91) and Nicki Minaj (2011-12). Hollywood's Bleeding, which was released Sept. 6, won't be eligible for the Grammys until next year.
The Lil Nas X/Billy Ray Cyrus smash "Old Town Road" took favorite song—rap/hip-hop. Cyrus won favorite country song 26 years ago for his smash "Achy Breaky Heart." (That was, of course, before Lil Nas X, 20, was born.)
Beyoncé took favorite female artist—soul/R&B for the sixth time. Only Rihanna has won as many or more times in this category (seven times). One or the other of these megastars has won in his category for the past 13 years.
Bruno Mars took favorite male artist—soul/R&B for the second time in three years. He is the first non-African American artist to win twice in the category. George Michael and Justin Timberlake each won it once.
Cardi B took favorite artist—rap/hip-hop for the second year in a row. Only one other female artist has won in this category more than once. Minaj has won it three times.
Cabello took collaboration of the year for the second year in a row. She won this year for "Señorita," her smash with Shawn Mendes. She won last year for "Havana," her smash with Young Thug.
Halsey's "Without Me" won for favorite song—pop/rock. This helps make up for Halsey's shut-out in last week's Grammy nominations.
Lauren Daigle won favorite artist—contemporary inspirational for the third year in a row. She is the first artist to win three years running in that category.
dick clark productions, producer of the American Music Awards, is owned by Valence Media, which also owns Billboard.
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Paul Grein, Khareem Sudlow
