American Music Awards 2026 Winners: BTS dominates night, wins Artist of the Year and Song of the Summer for 'SWIM' - Check Full List

BTS emerged as the standout act at the American Music Awards 2026, securing two of the night’s most prestigious honors and reinforcing their global dominance. The group was named Artist of the Year, a major achievement that underscored their continued popularity, cultural impact, and strong connection with fans worldwide. The win marked another milestone in their long history with the AMAs, where they have consistently been among the top performers. They also made history by winning Song of the Summer for their hit track 'SWIM', making them the only Asian group to ever receive the honor in that category. The song’s massive streaming success and widespread popularity helped it stand out as one of the defining hits of the season.


The award for Artist of the Year was presented by Busta Rhymes, as BTS triumphed over a highly competitive lineup of global superstars. The category featured nominees including Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, and Sabrina Carpenter, highlighting the scale of the competition in the fan-voted segment. With these victories, BTS further strengthened their reputation as one of the most influential music acts in the world, delivering yet another landmark moment in their award show legacy.



After each of the members completed an extended dap-up with Busta Rhymes, RM stepped up to the microphone to deliver a celebratory speech.

"ARMYs, we made it once again. Thank you. It’s an honor to have this precious award,” he said. "Once again, after everybody’s done their military service.

“Like the legendary Busta Rhymes said, it’s a fan-voted award, so our biggest thanks and gratitude goes to the ARMYs all over the world. You stood by us for the past 13 years - thank you so much."

Taylor Swift, the most decorated artist in American Music Awards history with 40 wins, led the 2026 nominations with eight nods but ultimately did not take home any awards. Despite her strong presence going into the night, she left the ceremony without a trophy. Morgan Wallen, Olivia Dean, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sombr followed closely behind with seven nominations each, while Alex Warren and Lady Gaga earned six nods apiece, reflecting a highly competitive year across categories.

The 52nd edition of the AMAs was hosted by Queen Latifah, who returned to the role decades after co-hosting the show in 1995 alongside Tom Jones and Lorrie Morgan, bringing a blend of nostalgia and star power to the event.

AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 2026 FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Artist of the Year

• BTS - WINNER
• Bad Bunny
• Bruno Mars
• Harry Styles
• Justin Bieber
• Kendrick Lamar
• Lady Gaga
• Morgan Wallen
• Sabrina Carpenter
• Taylor Swift

New Artist of the Year

• KATSEYE - WINNER
• Alex Warren
• Ella Langley
• Leon Thomas
• Olivia Dean
• sombr

Album of the Year

• Sabrina Carpenter - Man’s Best Friend - WINNER
• Cardi B - AM I THE DRAMA?
• Fuerza Regida - 111xpantia
• Justin Bieber - SWAG
• Lady Gaga - Mayhem
• Morgan Wallen - I’m The Problem
• Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving
• Playboi Carti - MUSIC
• Tate McRae - So Close to What
• Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl

Song of the Year

• HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami - 'Golden' - WINNER
• Alex Warren - 'Ordinary'
• Ella Langley - 'Choosin’ Texas'
• Kehlani - 'Folded'
• Leon Thomas - 'MUTT'
• Morgan Wallen - 'I’m The Problem'
• Olivia Dean - 'Man I Need'
• Sabrina Carpenter - 'Manchild'
• sombr - 'back to friends'
• Taylor Swift - 'The Fate of Ophelia'

Collaboration of the Year

• PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson - 'Stateside' - WINNER
• BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman - 'All the Way'
• David Guetta, Teddy Swims, Tones And I - 'Gone Gone Gone'
• Morgan Wallen, Tate McRae - 'What I Want'
• Shaboozey, Jelly Roll - 'Amen'

Social Song of the Year

• Tyla - 'CHANEL' - WINNER
• Disco Lines, Tinashe - 'No Broke Boys'
• PinkPantheress - 'Illegal'
• Role Model - 'Sally, When the Wine Runs Out'
• Zara Larsson - 'Lush Life'

Best Music Video

• KATSEYE - 'Gnarly' - WINNER
• ROSALÍA, Björk, Yves Tumor - 'Berghain'
• Sabrina Carpenter - 'Manchild'
• Taylor Swift - 'The Fate of Ophelia'
• Tyla - 'CHANEL'

Best Soundtrack

• KPop Demon Hunters - WINNER
• F1 The Album
• Hazbin Hotel: Season Two
• Wicked: For Good
• Charli xcx - Wuthering Heights

Tour of the Year

• Shakira - 'Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour' - WINNER
• Beyoncé - 'Cowboy Carter Tour'
• Kendrick Lamar, SZA - 'Grand National Tour'
• Lady Gaga - 'The Mayhem Ball'
• Oasis - 'Oasis Live ‘25 Tour'

Breakout Tour (New)

• Benson Boone - 'American Heart World Tour' - WINNER
• Kali Uchis - 'The Sincerely, Tour'
• The Marías - 'Submarine Tour'
• Megan Moroney - 'Am I Okay? Tour'
• Sleep Token - 'Even in Arcadia Tour'

Breakthrough Album of the Year (New)

• Zara Larsson - Midnight Sun - WINNER
• Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving
• sombr - I Barely Know Her

Best Throwback Song (New)

• Black Eyed Peas - 'Rock That Body' - WINNER
• 4 Non Blondes - 'What’s Up'
• Goo Goo Dolls - 'Iris'

Best Vocal Performance (New)

• The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami - 'Golden' - WINNER
• Alex Warren - 'Ordinary'
• Lady Gaga - 'Abracadabra'
• RAYE - 'WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!'
• Sienna Spiro - 'Die on this Hill'

Song of the Summer (New)

• BTS - 'SWIM' - WINNER
• Alex Warren - 'FEVER DREAM'
• Bella Kay - 'iloveitiloveitiloveit'
• Ella Langley - 'Choosin’ Texas'
• Harry Styles - 'American Girls'
• Noah Kahan - 'The Great Divide'
• PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson - 'Stateside'
• sombr - 'Homewrecker'
• Tame Impala, JENNIE - 'Dracula'
• Taylor Swift - 'Elizabeth Taylor'

Best Male Pop Artist

• Justin Bieber - WINNER
• Alex Warren
• Benson Boone
• Ed Sheeran
• Harry Styles

Best Female Pop Artist

• Sabrina Carpenter - WINNER
• Lady Gaga
• Olivia Dean
• Tate McRae
• Taylor Swift

Breakthrough Pop Artist (New)

• KATSEYE - WINNER
• Sienna Spiro
• Zara Larsson

Best Pop Song

• HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami - 'Golden' - WINNER
• Alex Warren - 'Ordinary'
• Olivia Dean - 'Man I Need'
• Sabrina Carpenter - 'Manchild'
• Taylor Swift - 'The Fate of Ophelia'

Best Pop Album

• Sabrina Carpenter - Man’s Best Friend - WINNER
• Lady Gaga - Mayhem
• Olivia Dean - The Art of Loving
• Tate McRae - So Close to What
• Taylor Swift - The Life of a Showgirl

Best Male Country Artist

• Morgan Wallen - WINNER
• Jelly Roll
• Luke Combs
• Riley Green
• Shaboozey

Best Female Country Artist

• Ella Langley - WINNER
• Kelsea Ballerini
• Lainey Wilson
• Megan Moroney
• Miranda Lambert

Best Country Duo or Group

• Zac Brown Band - WINNER
• Brooks & Dunn
• Old Dominion
• Rascal Flatts
• Treaty Oak Revival

Breakthrough Country Artist (New)

• Sam Barber - WINNER
• Tucker Wetmore
• Zach Top

Best Country Song

• Ella Langley - 'Choosin’ Texas' - WINNER
• BigXthaPlug, Bailey Zimmerman - 'All the Way'
• Morgan Wallen - 'Just in Case'
• Russell Dickerson - 'Happen to Me'
• Shaboozey - 'Good News'

Best Country Album

• Megan Moroney - Cloud 9 - WINNER
• BigXthaPlug - I Hope You’re Happy
• Morgan Wallen - I’m The Problem
• Sam Barber - Restless Mind
• Tucker Wetmore - What Not To

Best Male Hip-Hop Artist

• Kendrick Lamar - WINNER
• Don Toliver
• Playboi Carti
• Tyler, The Creator
• YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Best Female Hip-Hop Artist

• Cardi B - WINNER
• Doechii
• GloRilla
• Sexyy Red
• YKNIECE

Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist (New)

• Monaleo - WINNER
• EsDeeKid
• PLUTO

Best Hip-Hop Song

• Cardi B - 'ErrTime' - WINNER
• Drake - 'NOKIA'
• Gunna, Burna Boy - 'wgft'
• Playboi Carti, The Weeknd - 'Rather Lie'
• YKNIECE, Quavo, Metro Boomin, Breskii - 'Take Me Thru Dere'

Best Hip-Hop Album

• Cardi B - AM I THE DRAMA? - WINNER
• Don Toliver - OCTANE
• Gunna - The Last Wun
• Playboi Carti - MUSIC
• YoungBoy Never Broke Again - MASA

Best Male R&B Artist

• Bruno Mars - WINNER
• Chris Brown
• Daniel Caesar
• PARTYNEXTDOOR
• The Weeknd

Best Female R&B Artist

• SZA - WINNER
• Kehlani
• Summer Walker
• Teyana Taylor
• Tyla

Breakthrough R&B Artist

• Leon Thomas - WINNER
• Mariah the Scientist
• Ravyn Lenae

Best R&B Song

• Bruno Mars - 'I Just Might' - WINNER
• Chris Brown, Bryson Tiller - 'It Depends'
• Kehlani - 'Folded'
• Leon Thomas - 'MUTT'
• Mariah the Scientist - 'BURNING BLUE'

Best R&B Album

• Bruno Mars - The Romantic - WINNER
• Justin Bieber - SWAG
• Leon Thomas - MUTT
• Mariah the Scientist - HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY
• Summer Walker - Finally Over It

Best Male Latin Artist

• Bad Bunny - WINNER
• Junior H
• Peso Pluma
• Rauw Alejandro
• Tito Double P

Best Female Latin Artist

• Shakira - WINNER
• Gloria Estefan
• KAROL G
• Natti Natasha
• ROSALÍA

Best Latin Duo or Group

• Fuerza Regida - WINNER
• Clave Especial
• Grupo Firme
• Grupo Frontera
• Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda

Breakthrough Latin Artist (New)

• Kapo - WINNER
• Beéle
• Netón Vega

Best Latin Song

• Bad Bunny - 'NUEVAYoL' - WINNER
• benny blanco, Selena Gomez, The Marías - 'Ojos Tristes'
• Fuerza Regida - 'Marlboro Rojo'
• Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera - 'ME JALO'
• KAROL G - 'LATINA FOREVA'

Best Latin Album

• KAROL G - Tropicoqueta - WINNER
• Fuerza Regida - 111xpantia
• Netón Vega - Mi Vida Mi Muerte
• Peso Pluma, Tito Double P - DINASTÍA
• ROSALÍA - Lux

Best Rock/Alternative Artist

• Twenty One Pilots - WINNER
• Deftones
• Linkin Park
• The Marías
• Sleep Token

Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist (New)

• sombr - WINNER
• Geese
• Gigi Perez

Best Rock/Alternative Song

• sombr - 'back to friends' - WINNER
• Noah Kahan - 'The Great Divide'
• Linkin Park - 'Up From the Bottom'
• Sublime - 'Ensenada'
• Tame Impala - 'Dracula'

Best Rock/Alternative Album

• sombr - I Barely Know Her - WINNER
• Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia
• Tame Impala - Deadbeat
• Twenty One Pilots - Breach
• Zach Bryan - With Heaven on Top

Best Dance/Electronic Artist

• David Guetta - WINNER
• Calvin Harris
• Fred again..
• ILLENIUM
• John Summit

Best Male K-Pop Artist

• BTS - WINNER
• ATEEZ
• ENHYPEN
• Stray Kids
• TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Best Female K-Pop Artist

• TWICE - WINNER
• aespa
• BLACKPINK
• ILLIT
• LE SSERAFIM

Best Afrobeats Artist

• Tyla - WINNER
• Burna Boy
• MOLIY
• Rema
• Wizkid

Best Americana/Folk Artist (New)

• Noah Kahan - WINNER
• Lord Huro
• The Lumineers
• Mumford & Sons
• Tyler Childers