AMAs 2021: BTS dominate star-studded awards ceremony hosted by Cardi B

Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny and Machine Gun Kelly also among the night’s winners

JoJo Remembers Her First AMAs & Talks Vulnerability and Upcoming Tour | AMAs 2021

The American Music Awards took place tonight (Sunday 21 November) at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.

BTS dominated the night, picking up several awards and performing live. Host Cardi B also introduced performances from the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, BTS, Italian rock band Maneskin, and Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak’s collaborative project, Silk Sonic.

Cardi herself took home the award for Favourite Hip-Hop Song, while Rodrigo received the Best New Artist Award.

BTS triumphed with two of the top prizes: Artist of the Year and Favourite Pop Song (”Butter”).

Contrary to other awards shows – in which a jury of industry figures decides winners – the honourees at the American Music Awards were chosen entirely based on votes by fans.

Read more:

1. ‘It’s brutal out here’: How Olivia Rodrigo’s acerbic pop speaks for an anxious generation
2. Queen Cardi B: the people’s pop culture icon
3. Best-dressed stars from the AMAs red carpet
4. Winners list in full

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Key Points

• Megan Thee Stallion forced to pull out of performing
• Why Cardi B is the queen of our hearts
• The best-dressed stars on the red carpet
• Winners in full

[22 November 2021 02:45 · Kevin Perry]

Country star Mickey Guyton is “All American”

After Cardi B thanks country music star Mickey Guyton for buying her daughter “a star in the solar system, with papers and everything”, Guyton takes the stage for her AMAs debut, singing her recent patriotic single “All American”.

[22 November 2021 02:49 · Kevin Perry]

Megan Thee Stallion wins Favourite Trending Song

Stranger Things actor Madelyn Cline announces that the award for Favourite Trending Song goes to Megan Thee Stallion for “Body”. However, as Megan had to pull out of the AMAs, Cline says she’ll be “FedExing it to her personally”.

[22 November 2021 02:52 · Kevin Perry]

Maneskin fans complain after band perform ‘Beggin’ at AMAs instead of original song

Maneskin’s cover of “Beggin’” went down well with the audience - but some fans of the band aren’t happy. Here’s Roisin O'Connor with the full story:

[22 November 2021 02:57 · Kevin Perry]

Giveon bares his soul

Giveon performs his recent single “Heartbreak Anniversary”, which more than lives up to Cardi B’s claim that the singer is “very soulful”.

[22 November 2021 03:02 · Kevin Perry]

Kane Brown beams in from Tennessee

Rising country star Kane Brown performs his raucous single “One Mississippi”, in a performance broadcast from his home state at Tennessee State University.

[22 November 2021 03:15 · Kevin Perry]

New Edition and New Kids on The Block face off in The Battle of Boston

Billed as ‘The Battle of Boston’, rival Massachusetts groups New Edition and New Kids on The Block go head-to-head onstage together for the first time. New Kids on The Block kick things off with “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” before R&B icons New Edition answer back with “Candy Girl”. Hits like “Step By Step” and “Mr Telephone Man” follow, as the camera cuts to J.B. Smoove and BTS dancing in the crowd.

[22 November 2021 03:23 · Kevin Perry]

BTS wins Artist of the Year

Actor Liza Koshy announces, to nobody’s surprise, that BTS are 2021’s Artist of the Year. The band thank their fans for the “long and amazing ride” from their first American performance to tonight’s dominant showing at the AMAs.

[22 November 2021 03:33 · Kevin Perry]

Becky G wins Favourite Female Latin Artist

Actor Anthony Ramos hands the award for Favourite Female Latin Artist to Becky G, who thanks “my team that’s been with since day one, and my family of course.” She dedicates the prize to “all of the Latinx community” and gets a huge roar from the local crowd when she adds: “I’m so proud to be from Inglewood.”

[22 November 2021 03:38 · Kevin Perry]

Walker Hayes is “Fancy Like"

Country singer Walker Hayes makes his AMAs debut with a performance of “Fancy Like,” which is nominated for Favorite Country Song, and still finds time to dance with his wife.

[22 November 2021 03:45 · Kevin Perry]

Olivia Rodrigo wins New Artist of the Year

Machine Gun Kelly returns to the stage to present the award for New Artist of the Year to Olivia Rodrigo. “Thank you so much to the AMAs and to the fans who voted for this award,” she announced. “Writing songs is my favourite thing in the world.”