HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Productions. From 1973 to 2005, both the winners and the nominations were selected by members of the music industry, based on commercial performance, such as sales and airplay. Since 2006, winners have been determined by a poll of the public and fans, who can vote through the AMAs website.


History and overview


Conception

The AMAs was created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammy Awards after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
(which has broadcast all Grammy Award shows since then) picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
. In 2014, American network Telemundo acquired the rights to produce a Spanish-language version of the American Music Awards and launched the Latin American Music Awards in 2015. From 1973 to 2005, both the winners and the nominations were selected by members of the music industry, based on commercial performance, such as sales and airplay. Since 2006, winners have been determined by a poll of the public and fans, who can vote through the AMAs website, while nominations have remained based on sales, airplay, now including activity on social networks, and video viewing. Before 2010, had nominations based only on sales and airplay and nominated every work, even if old. The Grammys have nominations based on vote of the Academy and only nominate a work from their eligibility period that changes often. The award statuette is manufactured by New York firm
Society Awards Society Awards is an American company best known for designing and manufacturing high-profile entertainment industry awards, including the Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, GLAAD Media Award, and YouTube Creator Awards, among others. History Socie ...
.


Hosts

The first hosts for the first telecast of the AMAs were Helen Reddy, Roger Miller, and Smokey Robinson. Helen Reddy not only hosted the show but also became the first female artist to win an AMA for Favorite Pop/Rock Female artist. For the first decade or so, the AMAs had multiple hosts, each representing a genre of music. For instance,
Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...
would host the country portion (Campbell, in fact, has co-hosted the AMAs more times than any other host or co-host), while other artists would co-host to represent their genre. In recent years, however, there has been one single host. In 1991, Keenen Ivory Wayans became the first Hollywood actor to host the AMAs. From its inception in 1973 through 2002, the AMAs were held in mid- to late-January, but were moved to November (usually the Sunday before Thanksgiving) beginning in 2003 so as not to further compete with other major awards shows (such as the Golden Globe Awards and the
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
) and allows for ABC to have a well-rated awards show during November
sweeps Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rati ...
. For the 2008 awards, Jimmy Kimmel hosted for the fourth consecutive year. In 2009–2012, there was no host for the first time in history. Instead, the AMAs followed the Grammys' lead in having various celebrities give introductions. However, rapper Pitbull hosted the 2013 ceremony and 2014 ceremony. Jennifer Lopez hosted the 2015 show.
Gigi Hadid Jelena Noura "Gigi" Hadid ( ; born April 23, 1995) is an American model and television personality. In November 2014, she made her debut in the Top 50 Models ranking at Models.com. In 2016, she was named International Model of the Year by the ...
and
Jay Pharoah Jared Antonio Farrow (born October 14, 1987), better known by his stage name Jay Pharoah, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and impressionist. Pharoah was a cast member on NBC's sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2010 to 2 ...
hosted the 2016 show.
Tracee Ellis Ross Tracee Joy Silberstein (born October 29, 1972), known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series '' Girlfriends'' (2000–2008) and ''Black-ish'' (2014–2022). She is ...
hosted the show in 2017 and 2018.
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
hosted the 2019 show. Between 2012 and 2014, as part of a marketing strategy for Samsung, the American Music Awards used the lock screen
wallpaper Wallpaper is a material used in interior decoration to decorate the interior walls of domestic and public buildings. It is usually sold in rolls and is applied onto a wall using wallpaper paste. Wallpapers can come plain as "lining paper" (so ...
of Samsung Galaxy smartphones rather than envelopes to reveal winners. A magnetic screen cover on each phone kept the wallpaper image with the winner's name secret until opened. In August 2018, Dick Clark Productions announced a two-year sponsorship and content partnership with YouTube Music.


Ceremonies


Categories


Current award categories

*
Artist of the Year ''Artist of the Year'' is a television competition shown on the Sky Arts channel (formerly known as Artsworld and Sky Arts 1) which aims to find the best portrait and landscape painter every year. Overview Through several rounds of regional com ...
* New Artist of the Year * Collaboration of the Year * Favorite Music Video * Favorite Touring Artist * Favorite Pop Male Artist * Favorite Pop Female Artist * Favorite Pop Duo or Group * Favorite Pop Album * Favorite Pop Song * Favorite R&B Male Artist * Favorite R&B Female Artist * Favorite R&B Album * Favorite R&B Song * Favorite Country Male Artist * Favorite Country Female Artist * Favorite Country Duo or Group * Favorite Country Album * Favorite Country Song * Favorite Hip-Hop Artist * Favorite Hip-Hop Album * Favorite Hip-Hop Song * Favorite Latin Artist * Favorite Latin Duo or Group * Favorite Latin Album * Favorite Latin Song * Favorite Rock Artist * Favorite Rock Song * Favorite Rock Album * Favorite Inspirational Artist * Favorite Gospel Artist * Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist * Favorite Afrobeats Artist * Favorite K-Pop Artist * Favorite Soundtrack


Discontinued awards

* Single of the Year (2013–2015) * Fan's Choice Award (2003) * Favorite Social Artist (2018–2020) * Favorite Trending Song (2021) * Favorite Pop/Rock Video (1984–1988) * Favorite Pop/Rock Male Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Pop/Rock Female Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist (1989–Jan 2003) * Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group (1974–Nov 2003, 2005–2006, 2009) * Favorite Soul/R&B Video (1984–1988) * Favorite Soul/R&B Male Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Soul/R&B Female Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist (1989–Jan 2003) * Favorite Country Video (1984–1988) * Favorite Country Male Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Country Female Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group Video Artist (1985–1987) * Favorite Country New Artist (1989–Jan 2003) * Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Band/Duo/Group (2003–2008) * Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop New Artist (1990–1994) * Favorite Disco Male Artist (1979) * Favorite Disco Female Artist (1979) * Favorite Disco Band/Duo/Group (1979) * Favorite Disco Album (1979) * Favorite Disco Song (1979) * Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist (1989–1997) * Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album (1989–1992) * Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock New Artist (1990–1993) * Favorite Dance Artist (1990–1992) * Favorite Dance Song (1990–1992) * Favorite Dance New Artist (1990–1992) * Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist (1992–2020) * Favorite Adult Contemporary Album (1992–1994) * Favorite Adult Contemporary New Artist (1992–1994)


Most wins

The record for most American Music Awards won is held by
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
with 40 awards. The record for most American Music Awards won by a male artist belongs to
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
, who has collected twenty-six awards. The record for most American Music Awards won by a group belongs to
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
, who have collected eighteen awards.


Most wins in a single ceremony

The record for the most American Music Awards won in a single year is held by Michael Jackson (in 1984) and Whitney Houston (in 1994), each with 8 awards to their credit (including the Award of Merit, with which both artists were honored in the respective years). *
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
8 (1984) *
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
8 (1994)


Most wins by category

The following list shows the artists with most wins in each category, adapted from the AMAs official website. * Artist of the Year:
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
(7 wins) * Collaboration of the Year:
Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter B ...
(3 wins) * Song of the Year: Kenny Rogers (5 wins) * Favourite Music Video:
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
(3 wins) * Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock:
Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter B ...
(4 wins) * Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock:
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
(6 wins) * Favorite Duo or Group – Pop/Rock:
BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010 and debuting in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment. The septet—consisting of members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produ ...
(4 wins) * Favorite Album – Pop/Rock:
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
(4 wins) * Favorite Male Artist – Country: Garth Brooks (8 wins) * Favorite Female Artist – Country: Reba McEntire (10 wins) * Favorite Duo or Group – Country:
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
(13 wins) * Favorite Album – Country:
Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single " Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bil ...
(6 wins) * Favorite Artist – Rap/Hip-Hop: Nicki Minaj (5 wins) * Favorite Song – Rap/Hip-Hop:
Cardi B Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
(3 wins) * Favorite Album – Rap/Hip-Hop: Nicki Minaj (3 wins) * Favorite Male Artist – Soul/R&B: Luther Vandross (7 wins) * Favorite Female Artist – Soul/R&B:
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, Rihanna (7 wins) * Favorite Album – Soul/R&B:
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
(4 wins) * Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock: Linkin Park (6 wins) * Favorite Artist – Adult Contemporary:
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
(4 wins) * Favorite Artist – Latin Music: Enrique Iglesias (7 wins) * Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational:
Casting Crowns Casting Crowns is a contemporary Christian and Christian rock band started in 1999 by youth pastor Mark Hall, who serves as the band's lead vocalist, as part of a youth group at First Baptist Church in Downtown Daytona Beach, Florida. They late ...
(4 wins) * Favorite Artist – Electronic Dance Music:
Marshmello Christopher Comstock (born May 19, 1992), known professionally as Marshmello, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. His songs "Silence (Marshmello song), Silence", "Wolves (Selena Gomez and Marshmello song), Wolves", "Friends (M ...
(3 wins)


Special awards


Award of Merit

The American Music Award of Merit has been awarded to thirty two artists, the latest being
Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-earth ...
(2016).


International Artist Award of Excellence

The International Artist Award of Excellence is described as "an award which recognizes artists whose popularity and impact cross national boundaries and is only given when there is a deserving recipient who is worthy of recognition for their accomplishments" and has been awarded to seven artists: *
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
(1993) *
Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...
(1994) * Led Zeppelin (1995) *
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era i ...
(1997) *
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whitford (guitar). Their style, which is rooted in blues-ba ...
(2001) *
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
(2007) *
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
(2009)


Icon Award

The AMAs' producer Larry Klein stated: "The first-ever Icon Award was created to honor an artist whose body of work has made a profound influence over pop music on a global level." * Rihanna (2013) * Lionel Richie (2022)


Dick Clark Award for Excellence

At the 2014 award ceremony, the Dick Clark Award for Excellence was given for the first time. It was created to recognize "an artist who achieves a groundbreaking feat or creates a landmark work. It is to be bestowed upon someone whose spirit and excellence capture the visionary passion that Dick Clark himself incorporated into everything he did." *
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
(2014)


Award of Achievement

*
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
(1989) * Prince (1990) *
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the wh ...
(2000 and 2008) *
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her campy style, she has been referred to ...
(2011)


Lifetime Achievement Award

*
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...
(2017)


Artist of the Decade

*1990s: Garth Brooks (2000) * 2010s:
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
(2019) In 2000, the year Brooks won the award, the AMAs held a poll to elect the Artist of the Decade for each previous decade of the Rock & Roll era. According to some sources, the result of this poll is not counted in the total of AMAs won by these artists. The results were Elvis Presley (1950s), The Beatles (1960s), Stevie Wonder (1970s), and
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
(1980s). ;Poll *1950s: Elvis Presley *1960s: The Beatles *1970s: Stevie Wonder *1980s: Michael Jackson


Artist of the Century

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
won the Artist of the Century award in the 29th American Music Awards held on January 9, 2002.


Ratings


See also

* Latin American Music Awards


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:American Music Awards American Broadcasting Company original programming Television series by Dick Clark Productions Awards established in 1974 1974 establishments in the United States