BTS Wins Artist of the Year at American Music Awards, as Katseye, Sombr, ‘Golden’ Also Score Top Honors: Complete Winners List
by Chris Willman · VarietyA hiatus was no damper on fan love for BTS: The group won Artist of the Year prize at the American Music Awards Monday night, scoring that fan-voted honor for a second time, and for the first time since going on a hiatus for military service. They previously picked it up in 2021.
Katseye draws some of that same level of fan hysteria, so it was little surprise to see that group winning New Artist of the Year, although the competition for that trophy was particularly fierce, with newly minted stars Sombr, Olivia Dean, Ella Langley, Leon Thomas and Alex Warren also in the mix.
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Despite missing out in the new artist category, Sombr did not go home empty-handed, following his performance on the show with trips to the podium to pick up awards for Best Rock/Alternative Song, for “Back to Friends,” and Best Rock/Alternative Album, for “I Barely Know Her.” (He won a third award, for Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist, off-air.)
The fervor for “KPop Demon Hunters” did not go unrewarded, as “Golden” and its singers EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami picked up Song of the Year.
The AMAs only gave out awards on the CBS/Paramount+ telecast to winners who were in the house to receive their trophies. Album of the Year, typically thought of as one of the top four categories, was not given out on-air; it went to Sabrina Carpenter for “Man’s Best Friend,” one of three awards in all that were revealed as going to Carpenter after the broadcast was over.
Numerically, several artists were tied with the most wins, three each, after all the honors were announced following the ceremony. Those who had a trio of ACMs at the end of the evening: BTS, Katseye, Sombr, Carpenter, Cardi B, Bruno Mars and the singing voices of Huntr/X. Winning two apiece were Bad Bunny, Ella Langley, Shakira, Tyla and Zara Larsson. (Karol G also won two, if her special International Artist Award of Excellence is considered alongside her competitive award for best Latin album.)
The music of “KPop Demon Hunters” might qualify as the biggest winner of the night, as four categories had wins going either to that soundtrack or its lead single, “Golden.”
Taylor Swift went into the awards as the leading contender, with eight nominations, but she was shut out. Still, no one is about to approach her record for the most AMAs ever, which stands at 40. Also shut out were Olivia Dean, who was tied for the second-most nominations, with seven, and Lady Gaga and Alex Warren, who came into the night with six nods each.
Following is the complete list of winners for the 52nd annual American Music Awards:
GENERAL CATEGORIES
Artist of the Year: BTS
New Artist of the Year: Katseye
Album of the Year: Sabrina Carpenter – “Man’s Best Friend”
Song of the Year: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Collaboration of the Year: PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson – “Stateside”
Social Song of the Year: Tyla – “Chanel”
Best Music Video: Katseye – “Gnarly”
Best Soundtrack: “KPop Demon Hunters”
Tour of the Year: Shakira – Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour
Breakout Tour: Benson Boone – American Heart World Tour
Breakthrough Album of the Year: Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun
Best Throwback Song: Black Eyed Peas – “Rock That Body”
Best Vocal Performance: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Song of the Summer: BTS – “Swim”
POP CATEGORIES
Best Male Pop Artist: Justin Bieber
Best Female Pop Artist: Sabrina Carpenter
Breakthrough Pop Artist: Katseye
Best Pop Song: The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”
Best Pop Album: Sabrina Carpenter – “Man’s Best Friend”
COUNTRY CATEGORIES
Best Male Country Artist: Morgan Wallen
Best Female Country Artist: Ella Langley
Best Country Duo or Group: Zac Brown Band
Breakthrough Country Artist: Sam Barber
Best Country Song: Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”
Best Country Album: Megan Moroney – “Cloud 9”
HIP-HOP CATEGORIES
Best Male Hip-Hop Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Best Female Hip-Hop Artist: Cardi B
Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist: Monaleo
Best Hip-Hop Song: Cardi B – “ErrTime”
Best Hip-Hop Album: Cardi B – “Am I the Drama?”
R&B CATEGORIES
Best Male R&B Artist: Bruno Mars
Best Female R&B Artist: SZA
Breakthrough R&B Artist: Leon Thomas
Best R&B Song: Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”
Best R&B Album: Bruno Mars – “The Romantic”
LATIN CATEGORIES
Best Male Latin Artist: Bad Bunny
Best Female Latin Artist: Shakira
Best Latin Duo or Group: Fuerza Regida
Breakthrough Latin Artist: Kapo
Best Latin Song: Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL”
Best Latin Album: Karol G – “Tropicoqueta”
ROCK CATEGORIES
Best Rock/Alternative Artist: Twenty One Pilots
Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist: Sombr
Best Rock/Alternative Song: Sombr– “Back to Friends”
Best Rock/Alternative Album: Sombr – “I Barely Know Her”
DANCE/ELECTRONIC CATEGORIES
Best Dance/Electronic Artist: David Guetta
K-POP CATEGORIES
Best Male K-Pop Artist: BTS
Best Female K-Pop Artist: Twice
AFROBEATS CATEGORIES
Best Afrobeats Artist: Tyla
AMERICANA/FOLK CATEGORIES
Best Americana/Folk Artist: Noah Kahan
WINNERS IN NUMERICAL ORDER:
Bruno Mars (3): Best Male R&B Artist, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album
BTS (3): Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer, Best Male K-Pop Artist
Cardi B (3): Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, Best Hip-Hop Song, Best Hip-Hop Album
Katseye (3): New Artist of the Year, Best Music Video, Breakthrough Pop Artist
Sabrina Carpenter (3): Album of the Year, Best Female Pop Artist, Best Pop Album
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami (3): Song of the Year, Best Vocal Performance, Best Pop Song
Sombr (3): Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist, Best Rock/Alternative Song, Best Rock/Alternative Album
Bad Bunny (2): Best Male Latin Artist, Best Latin Song
Ella Langley (2): Best Female Country Artist, Best Country Song
Karol G (2): International Artist Award of Excellence, Best Latin Album
Shakira (2): Best Female Latin Artist, Tour of the Year
Tyla (2): Best Afrobeats Artist, Social Song of the Year
Zara Larsson (2): Collaboration of the Year, Breakthrough Album of the Year
Benson Boone (1): Breakout Tour
Billy Idol (1): Lifetime Achievement Award
Black Eyed Peas (1): Best Throwback Song
Darius Rucker (1): Veterans Voice Award
David Guetta (1): Best Dance/Electronic Artist
Fuerza Regida (1): Best Latin Duo or Group
Justin Bieber (1): Best Male Pop Artist
Kapo (1): Breakthrough Latin Artist
Kendrick Lamar (1): Best Male Hip-Hop Artist
KPop Demon Hunters (1): Best Soundtrack
Leon Thomas (1): Breakthrough R&B Artist
Megan Moroney (1): Best Country Album
Monaleo (1): Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist
Morgan Wallen (1): Best Male Country Artist
Noah Kahan (1): Best Americana/Folk Artist
PinkPantheress (1): Collaboration of the Year
Sam Barber (1): Breakthrough Country Artist
SZA (1): Best Female R&B Artist
Twenty One Pilots (1): Best Rock/Alternative Artist
Twice (1): Best Female K-Pop Artist
Zac Brown Band (1): Best Country Duo or Group