AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS : HONOURS

 

LOS ANGELES : BTS reign supreme beating Taylor, Drake and Ariana.

K- Pop band BTS was the biggest winner at the American Music Awards just four years after making their first appearance on the fan-voted show.

The seven member band from South Korea beat veterans Taylor Swift, rapper Drake, pop singer Ariana Grande, teen phenomenon Olivia Rodrigo and Canadian The Weeknd for the night's biggest prize -artist of the year.

Adored by an army of fervent fans, they were also named favorite pop group and won best pop songs for their summer hot Butter. The band, known for its positive uplifting music, called the artist of the year win a miracle.

'' We're truly honored to be on this stage with such amazing, tremendous  artists,'' said Kim Nam-Joon, known as RM.

''It's been a long and amazing ride.... nobody could have ever bet on the odds of us standing here and receiving this award, except you all,'' he added, referring to the band's fans.

 BTS closed the show with a performance of Butter and earlier joined Coldplay on stage for a rendition of their single  My Universe, marking a post-pandemic return to live performances for the K-pop band.

Swift was among several top nominated artists, including Grande, The Weeknd and Drake, who did not attend Sunday's ceremony. She took home the trophies for favorite female artist and best pop album for her lockdown album Evermore.

'' I'm so lucky to be in your life, and to get to have you in mine,'' Swift told fans in a video acceptance speech.

First-time host Cardi B pulled off a series of extravagant costume changes and confessed she was worried about messing up. 

''I'm a little nervous. I'm shaking, the Badak Yellow rapper said, sporting a head-to-toe black feather headdress, as she opened the show.

Rodrigo, 18, who burst into charts in January, had gone into Sunday's show with a leading seven nods, but ended up with just one - best new artist.

While Doja Cat picked up three awards, including one for her  Kiss Me More collaboration with SZA. Rapper Megan Three Stallion also won three including favorite female hip hop artist.

Machine Gun Kelly grabbed the favorite rock artist award. 

''I want to accept this for all the aspiring musicians, the one who desires to play an instrument, wants to rap, wants to sing - not just the rock artists, but all the artists,'' he said, according to AP.

The Weeknd was crowned favorite male R&B artist and Drake won the Favorite male hip-hop artist, noted the outlet. Underwood won for favorite inspirational artist and favorite female country artist.

While Luke Bryan was named favorite country artist, Bad Bunny, the favorite male Latin artist and Becky G won favorite female Latin artist and thanked the Latinx community. 

''You are not alone,'' she said. '' We are the American dream.''

New Edition and New Kids on the Block brought some 1980s nostalgia when they took stage together to promote their comebacks, Jennifer Lopez sang her new ballad On My Way, and Italian Eurovision song contest winners Maneskin delivered a rock version of 1960s Four Seasons hit Beggin'.

Rodrigo performed her hit Traitor live on a stage covered with flowers and Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean brought a little country to the stage when they sang their pre-taped duet If I Didn't Love You.

With a little help from Julieta Venegas and Tainy, Bad Bunny performed their hit Lo Siento BB.''

The nominees were based on Billboard music chart performance, streaming and album sales, radio play and social media engagement, and the winners were chosen entirely by fans. [Reuters]