The 2026 American Music Awards turned into a massive celebration of global music, with BTS dominating the night by winning Artist of the Year and two other major honors at the star-studded ceremony held in Las Vegas. Taylor Swift, despite leading nominations with eight nods, surprisingly went home empty-handed.
Hosted by Queen Latifah, the 52nd edition of the AMAs featured major wins for rising stars, K-pop sensations, hip-hop icons, and Latin music powerhouses.
BTS Steals the Spotlight at AMAs 2026
BTS delivered one of the biggest moments of the night by taking home Artist of the Year, marking their second win in the top category after 2021. The group also won Song of the Summer for “Swim” and Best Male K-pop Artist.
The globally loved septet opened the show with a high-energy performance of “Hooligan” from their comeback album ARIRANG, their first major award show appearance following military service hiatus.
Full List of Major Winners at the 2026 American Music Awards
Genre-Neutral Categories
- Artist of the Year: BTS
- New Artist of the Year: KATSEYE
- Album of the Year: Man’s Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter
- Song of the Year: “Golden” by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami
- Collaboration of the Year: “Stateside” — PinkPantheress & Zara Larsson
- Tour of the Year: Shakira
- Song of the Summer: “Swim” — BTS
Pop Category Winners
- Best Male Pop Artist: Justin Bieber
- Best Female Pop Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
- Best Pop Song: “Golden” — EJAE, Audrey Nuna & Rei Ami
- Best Pop Album: Man’s Best Friend — Sabrina Carpenter
- Breakthrough Pop Artist: KATSEYE
Hip-Hop and R&B Winners
- Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: Kendrick Lamar
- Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Cardi B
- Best Hip-Hop Album: AM I THE DRAMA? — Cardi B
- Best Male R&B Artist: Bruno Mars
- Best Female R&B Artist: SZA
- Best R&B Album: The Romantic — Bruno Mars
Country, Latin and Rock Winners
- Best Male Country Artist: Morgan Wallen
- Best Female Country Artist: Ella Langley
- Best Male Latin Artist: Bad Bunny
- Best Female Latin Artist: Shakira
- Best Rock/Alternative Artist: Twenty One Pilots
- Best Rock/Alternative Album: I Barely Know Her — Sombr
K-pop and Global Categories
K-pop once again emerged as one of the biggest highlights of the AMAs.
- Best Male K-pop Artist: BTS
- Best Female K-pop Artist: TWICE
- Best Soundtrack: KPop Demon Hunters
- Best Vocal Performance: “Golden” — EJAE, Audrey Nuna & Rei Ami
Taylor Swift’s Shock Snub
Taylor Swift entered the AMAs as the most nominated artist of the year with eight nominations, including Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. However, the music superstar failed to win in any category and did not attend the event.
Billy Idol Receives Lifetime Achievement Honor
Rock legend Billy Idol received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony. The iconic singer reflected on his decades-long music career before performing his classic hits “Eyes Without a Face” and “Dancing with Myself.”
