Taraji P. Henson hosted the socially distanced American Music Awards ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles Sunday. Henson performed a beat-pumping dance routine, appeared as her character from the 2015-20 Fox hip-hop drama “Empire,” Cookie Lyon, and made nine wardrobe changes.
First-time nominee Megan Thee Stallion won her first American Music Award on Sunday.
Megan Thee Stallion was the most nominated female artist with five. Her victory came for her featured performance on Cardi B’s favorite rap/hip-hop song winner, “WAP.”
Taylor Swift received the Artist of the Year award and joined Justin Bieber, The Weeknd and Dan + Shay as three-time winners during the American Music Awards.
Swift beat out rapper Roddy Ricch, The Weeknd, Bieber and Post Malone for her third consecutive Artist of the Year award and record sixth all-time.
Bieber and boy band One Direction with two each were the other multiple winners Sunday of awards presented annually since 1996.
Swift also won for favorite music video, “cardigan,” and favorite female artist, pop/rock. The three AMA awards increased her own record to 32.
The late Michael Jackson is second with 26.
Bieber won for favorite male artist, pop/rock and collaboration of the year for “10,000 Hours” with Dan + Shay, which also won for favorite country song.
Dan + Shay also won for favorite country duo or group.
The Weeknd and Ricch both entered the ceremony with eight nominations.
The Weeknd won for favorite male soul/r&b artist, favorite soul/r&b album for “After Hours” and favorite soul/r&b song for “Heartless.”
Ricch’s lone victory was for favorite rap/hip-hop album, “Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial.”
Nominations were based on key fan interactions — as reflected on the Billboard charts — including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay and social activity between Sept. 27, 2019 and Sept. 24, 2020. The winners are voted entirely by fans.
The Weeknd performed “In Your Eyes” in a duet with saxophonist Kenny G and “Save Your Tears” accompanied by a fireworks display on the streets of downtown Los Angeles.
Bieber performed “Lonely” and “Holy” and joined Shawn Mendes in a world premiere performance of their newly released single “Monster.”
Other performers included Bebe Rexha with Doja Cat, Dan + Shay, Lewis Capaldi, Machine Gun Kelly, Jennifer Lopez with Maluma, Bell Biv DeVoe, BTS, Dua Lipa, Katy Perry, Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion and Nelly.
Here is a complete list of winners:
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Doja Cat
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber, “10,000 Hours”
FAVORITE SOCIAL ARTIST
BTS
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
Taylor Swift, “cardigan”
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Justin Bieber
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK
Taylor Swift
FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK
BTS
FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK
Harry Styles, “Fine Line”
FAVORITE SONG – POP/ROCK
Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now”
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Kane Brown
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY
Maren Morris
FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – COUNTRY
Dan + Shay
FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY
Blake Shelton, “Fully Loaded: God’s Country”
FAVORITE SONG – COUNTRY
Dan + Shay with Justin Bieber, “10,000 Hours”
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
Juice WRLD
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP
Nicki Minaj
FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP
Roddy Ricch, “Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial”
FAVORITE SONG – RAP/HIP-HOP
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP”
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
The Weeknd
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B
Doja Cat
FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B
The Weeknd, “After Hours”
FAVORITE SONG – SOUL/R&B
The Weeknd, “Heartless”
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – LATIN
Bad Bunny
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – LATIN
Becky G
FAVORITE ALBUM – LATIN
Bad Bunny, “YHLQMDLG”
FAVORITE SONG – LATIN
KAROL G & Nicki Minaj, “Tusa”
FAVORITE ARTIST – ALTERNATIVE ROCK
twenty one pilots
FAVORITE ARTIST – ADULT CONTEMPORARY
Jonas Brothers
FAVORITE ARTIST – CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Lauren Daigle
FAVORITE ARTIST – ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM)
Lady Gaga
FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK
Birds of Prey: The Album
