The 52nd American Music Awards just wrapped up, and it was a big night, especially for BTS fans.
The 2026 American Music Awards aired on Memorial Day, May 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, hosted by Queen Latifah. The awards are fan-voted, which means the results always carry real energy, and sometimes real surprises.
Here is everything you need to know about the American Music Awards 2026 winners, from the biggest prizes to every category result.
Quick facts before you scroll:
- BTS won the most awards of the night, 3 total
- Taylor Swift led nominations with 8 nods but won zero
- Sabrina Carpenter, Katseye, Sombr, Bruno Mars, and Cardi B also each took home 3 awards
- Billy Idol received the Lifetime Achievement Award
- The show aired live on CBS and Paramount+
What Are the American Music Awards?
The American Music Awards are one of the biggest fan-voted music award shows in the United States. The AMAs were created by Dick Clark Productions. Unlike the Grammys, which are voted on by industry peers, the AMAs put all the power in the hands of fans, making it a direct reflection of who has the most passionate audience at any given moment.
Taylor Swift holds the all-time record with 40 career AMA wins, far ahead of Michael Jackson (24), Alabama (23), Whitney Houston (21), Kenny Rogers (19), and Justin Bieber (18).
Who Won the Most Awards at the American Music Awards 2026?
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 awards: BTS, Katseye, Sombr, Sabrina 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.
| Artist | Total Wins |
| BTS | 3 |
| Katseye | 3 |
| Sombr | 3 |
| Sabrina Carpenter | 3 |
| Cardi B | 3 |
| Bruno Mars | 3 |
| Huntr/X (singing voices) | 3–4 |
| Bad Bunny, Ella Langley, Shakira, Tyla, Zara Larsson | 2 each |
Who Won Artist of the Year at the 2026 AMAs?
BTS won Artist of the Year. They beat out Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift to take home the top prize.
BTS also opened the show with a pre-recorded performance from the Las Vegas stop on their Arirang tour, and made their first primetime television appearance since getting back together. It was a full-circle moment for a group that stepped away from performing while members completed mandatory military service in South Korea.
What Did Taylor Swift Win at the 2026 AMAs?
Nothing. Taylor Swift led the nominations for the 2026 AMAs with eight nods but left empty-handed. She was nominated for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (The Life of a Showgirl), Song of the Year (“The Fate of Ophelia”), Best Female Pop Artist, Best Pop Song, Best Pop Album, Best Music Video, and Song of the Summer (“Elizabeth Taylor”). She did not win a single category.
Full American Music Awards 2026 Winners List by Category
Top Awards:
| Category | Winner |
| 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 | Huntr/X (EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami) – “Golden” |
| Song of the Summer | BTS – “Swim” |
Pop Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Male Pop Artist | Justin Bieber |
| Best Female Pop Artist | Sabrina Carpenter |
| Best Pop Song | Huntr/X – “Golden” |
| Best Pop Album | Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend |
| Breakthrough Pop Artist | Katseye |
Country Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Male Country Artist | Morgan Wallen |
| Best Female Country Artist | Ella Langley |
| Best Country Duo or Group | Zac Brown Band |
| Best Country Song | Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” |
| Best Country Album | Megan Moroney – Cloud 9 |
| Breakthrough Country Artist | Sam Barber |
Hip-Hop Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Male Hip-Hop Artist | Kendrick Lamar |
| Best Female Hip-Hop Artist | Cardi B |
| Best Hip-Hop Song | Cardi B – “ErrTime” |
| Best Hip-Hop Album | Cardi B – Am I the Drama? |
| Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist | Monaleo |
R&B Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Male R&B Artist | Bruno Mars |
| Best Female R&B Artist | SZA |
| Best R&B Song | Bruno Mars – “I Just Might” |
| Best R&B Album | Bruno Mars – The Romantic |
| Breakthrough R&B Artist | Leon Thomas |
Rock/Alternative Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Rock/Alternative Song | Sombr – “Back to Friends” |
| Best Rock/Alternative Album | Sombr – I Hardly Knew Her |
| Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist | Sombr |
Sombr also accepted two prizes onstage: best rock/alternative song for “Back to Friends” and best rock/alternative album for “I Hardly Knew Her.” He also made his AMAs performance debut, singing “Homewrecker” as rain poured down on him.
Latin Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Male Latin Artist | Bad Bunny |
| Best Female Latin Artist | Shakira |
| Best Latin Duo or Group | Fuerza Regida |
| Best Latin Song | Bad Bunny – “DtMF” |
| Best Latin Album | Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS |
| Breakthrough Latin Artist | Tito Double P |
K-Pop Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Male K-Pop Artist | BTS |
| Best Female K-Pop Artist | Katseye |
| Best K-Pop Duo or Group | ATEEZ |
| Best K-Pop Song | Katseye – “Gnarly” |
| Best K-Pop Album | BTS – ARIRANG |
Special Categories:
| Category | Winner |
| Best Music Video | Katseye – “Gnarly” |
| Best Soundtrack | KPop Demon Hunters |
| Best Vocal Performance | Huntr/X – “Golden” |
| Tour of the Year | Kendrick Lamar & SZA – Grand National Tour |
| Breakout Tour | Sleep Token – Even in Arcadia Tour |
| Social Song of the Year | Tyla – “Chanel” |
| Collaboration of the Year | Shaboozey & Jelly Roll – “Amen” |
| Breakthrough Album of the Year | Sombr – I Hardly Knew Her |
| Best Throwback Song | Goo Goo Dolls – “Iris” |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Billy Idol |
Who Performed at the American Music Awards 2026?
The show featured performances from lifetime achievement award recipient Billy Idol, Pussycat Dolls and Busta Rhymes, Katseye, and New Kids on the Block. BTS opened the show with a performance, while Sombr made his AMAs debut.
Who Hosted the American Music Awards 2026?
Queen Latifah hosted the 52nd AMAs, having previously co-hosted the show in 1995 with Tom Jones and Lorrie Morgan.
What is the American Music Awards 2026 Winners List Based On?
The AMAs are entirely fan-voted. Nominations are based on chart performance and streaming data, but the final winners are chosen by public vote. That is why an act like BTS, with one of the most organized fan communities in the world, can beat out artists with bigger US radio presence like Taylor Swift or Morgan Wallen.
FAQs: American Music Awards 2026
Who won Artist of the Year at the 2026 AMAs? BTS won Artist of the Year at the 2026 American Music Awards.
Did Taylor Swift win anything at the 2026 AMAs? No. Taylor Swift led all nominees with 8 nominations but did not win a single award.
Where were the 2026 AMAs held? The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Who hosted the 2026 American Music Awards? Queen Latifah hosted the show, which aired live on CBS and Paramount+.
Who got the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 AMAs? Billy Idol received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
How many awards did BTS win? BTS won 3 awards: Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer for “Swim,” and Best Male K-Pop Artist.
Who won Album of the Year? Sabrina Carpenter won Album of the Year for Man’s Best Friend. The award was not given out on-air, it was revealed after the broadcast.
