BTS walked away with three trophies at the 2026 American Music Awards, including the night’s biggest honor: Artist of the Year. Their dominance set the tone for a show that mixed familiar names with surprising newcomers, reshaping the landscape of popular music in Las Vegas on May 25.

BTS collect Artist of the Year, their third trophy of the night.  
Credit: Billboard


The South Korean group didn’t just win — they opened the ceremony with “Hooligan,” then collected Song of the Summer for “Swim,” the Billboard Hot 100-topping single from their comeback album ARIRANG. Later, they were also named Best Male K-pop Artist. It was a reminder of how BTS continues to command both the stage and the charts, years into their global reign.

But the most unexpected moment came when the voices behind KPop Demon Hunters — EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami — claimed Song of the Year for “Golden.” The track had already spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, but its recognition here, alongside wins for Best Pop Song and Best Vocal Performance, underscored how music tied to gaming and animation is now competing head-to-head with mainstream pop.

Sombr, a breakout in rock and alternative, made his AMAs debut drenched in artificial rain while performing “Homewrecker.” He left with three awards: Best Rock/Alternative Song, Best Rock/Alternative Album, and Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist. His rise signals a shift in rock’s center of gravity toward younger, genre-blending performers.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend was named Album of the Year, beating out heavyweights like Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. Carpenter also secured Best Female Pop Artist and Best Pop Album, cementing her place as one of the night’s most decorated winners. Swift, despite leading with eight nominations, left without a single trophy — a rare shutout for the most awarded artist in AMAs history.

Other highlights included Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour winning Tour of the Year, Benson Boone taking Breakout Tour, and Zara Larsson’s Midnight Sun earning Breakthrough Album. Cardi B dominated hip-hop with Am I the Drama? and her single “ErrTime,” while Bruno Mars swept R&B with The Romantic and “I Just Might.” Tyla’s “CHANEL” claimed Social Song of the Year, reflecting her growing influence in Afrobeats.

Queen Latifah, returning to host after first co-hosting in 1995, kept the evening anchored in history while the awards themselves pointed forward. The AMAs have always been a mirror of popular taste, but this year’s winners showed how quickly that taste is shifting — toward global acts, multimedia collaborations, and artists who thrive outside traditional industry molds.

The night closed not with a summary, but with a sense of momentum. BTS, Carpenter, Sombr, and the voices of KPop Demon Hunters didn’t just win trophies; they signaled where music is heading. The AMAs may be over, but the ripple effects of these victories are only beginning to spread.

Sources: Billboard