Taylor Swift created history at the America Music Awards breaking the late king of Pop Michael Jackson's record of most AMA wins (24 AMAs), by taking her tally to 28 AMAs. The singer-songwriter, who arrived at the award ceremony with 23 AMA wins in the kitty, left winning 5 more including the coveted Artist of the Year award.
Swift recalls the moment of falling in love with music
In her acceptance speech after she won best pop/rock album, Taylor said: "The album really felt like a new beginning, and I also really love my record label, Universal and Republic. Monte Lipman, Lucian Grainge, thank you for being so generous to me and allowing me to make whatever music I want to make. As a songwriter it's so thrilling to me that I get to keep doing that."
"My parents are here tonight. They would listen to Tapestry and all your other records in high school and then they took those records with them, packed them up in boxes and took them to college with them. Then, when they met and they got their own house and took those records with them there and when they had my brother and I, they played those records for us. I just remember, when I fell in love with music, it was right around the time I realized how marvelous it was that an artist could transcend so many phases and changes in people's lives. So, you taught me that that's a possibility," said the winner who performed a medley of her hits during the show.
Taylor Swift controversy
While accepting the Artist of the Year award, a visibly emotional Swift said the year has given her some of the most amazing times along with the hardest things she has gone through in my life.
The 29-year-old singer was recently involved in a controversy with her former record label Big Machine Label Group and talent manager Scooter Braun regarding rights to her back catalogue of six albums. Swift had accused Braun of denying her permission to sing songs from her back catalogue at the awards show.
In her speech, hinting at the controversy, Swift said: "This industry is really weird. This year has been a lot of good, a lot of really complicated, so behalf of my family and me, thank you so much for being there and caring."
Other winners of the night:
Coming a close second were BTS and Khalid who won three awards each. Billiw Eilish, Carrie Underwood and Dan + Shay each won two awards. Post Malone, who was most nominated artist in the seven categories, ended the night with only one award.
Complete list of winners:
ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Taylor Swift
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Billie Eilish
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR: Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello, "Señorita"
TOUR OF THE YEAR: BTS
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO: Taylor Swift, "You Need to Calm Down"
FAVORITE SOCIAL ARTIST: BTS
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK: Khalid
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK: Taylor Swift
FAVORITE DUO OR GROUP – POP/ROCK: BTS
FAVORITE ALBUM – POP/ROCK: Taylor Swift, Lover
FAVORITE SONG – POP/ROCK: Halsey, "Without Me"
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – COUNTRY: Kane Brown
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – COUNTRY: Carrie Underwood
FAVORITE DUO or GROUP – COUNTRY: Dan + Shay
FAVORITE ALBUM – COUNTRY: Carrie Underwood, "Cry Pretty"
FAVORITE SONG – COUNTRY: Dan + Shay, "Speechless"
FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP: Cardi B
FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP: Post Malone, Hollywood's Bleeding
FAVORITE SONG – RAP/HIP-HOP: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, "Old Town Road"
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B: Bruno Mars
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B: Beyoncé
FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B: Khalid, Free Spirit
FAVORITE SONG – SOUL/R&B: Khalid, "Talk"
FAVORITE ARTIST – ALTERNATIVE ROCK: Billie Eilish
FAVORITE ARTIST – ADULT CONTEMPORARY: Taylor Swift
FAVORITE ARTIST – LATIN: J Balvin
FAVORITE ARTIST – CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL: Lauren Daigle
FAVORITE ARTIST – ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC (EDM): Marshmello
FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK: Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
