Taylor Swift, BTS & More Record-Setters at 2022 American Music Awards

Taylor Swift won a night-topping six awards at the 2022 American Music Awards, which brings her career total to an even 40. This extends her already considerable lead as the most-awarded artist in the show’s 50-year history. Swift is followed on the AMA leaderboard by three superstar artists who have died: Michael Jackson (26 wins), Whitney Houston (22) and Kenny Rogers (19).

The 2022 AMAs, hosted by Wayne Brady, were held at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (Nov. 20).

Swift extended her leads as the artist with the most wins for artist of the year (seven), and favorite pop/rock female artist (also seven).

In addition, Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) won favorite pop album. It’s her record-extending fifth win in the category. And “All Too Well” won favorite music video. It’s Swift’s third win in the category, which is also a record. She also won in two country categories.

Beyoncé, who was not present at the show, won three awards, making her the night’s runner-up for most wins. She won favorite soul/R&B female artist for the seventh time, which puts her in a tie with Rihanna for the most wins in the history of the category.

Two-time winners were Bad Bunny, BTS, Kendrick Lamar, Harry Styles and Morgan Wallen. These artists, likewise, did not appear on the show.

BTS won favorite pop duo or group for the fourth time, which makes them the most awarded group in the category, which has been presented every year since the show began. BTS were previously tied with Daryl Hall & John Oates, Aerosmith, Black Eyed Peas and One Direction with three wins each. BTS also won in the new favorite K-pop artist category.

Styles won favorite male pop artist for the first time. One Direction were three-time winners for favorite pop/rock group. The genial Brit is the third artist to win in both categories. Justin Timberlake has won the male pop award twice and the pop group award once with *NSYNC. Phil Collins has won the male pop award once and the pop group award once with Genesis.

Marshmello won favorite dance/electronic artist for the fourth time, extending his record as the most awarded artist in the category.

Nicki Minaj won favorite female hip-hop artist. It’s her fifth win a rap/hip hop artist category – which is more than any other artist. (The name of the category and whether it was gendered or not has changed over the years). Eminem is in second place, with four wins.

Dove Cameron, who was surprisingly passed over for a Grammy nomination for best new artist last week, won the AMA award for new artist of the year. She’s the first AMA new artist of the year winner who wasn’t even nominated for the Grammy for best new artist since 5 Seconds of Summer eight years ago. (That’s discounting three solo stars who emerged from successful groups – Zayn, Niall Horan and Camila Cabello, because they wouldn’t have been eligible for a Grammy nod.)

Dan + Shay took favorite country duo or group for the fourth year in a row. That’s the longest consecutive win streak in that category since Lady A won four straight from 2010-13. But it’s far from the record. Alabama won 14 years in a row from 1983 to 1996.

Elvis beat Encanto for favorite soundtrack, which likely reflects the fact that Elvis was more current at the time of voting. But a track from Encanto, Sebastián Yatra’s “Dos Orguiitas,” won favorite Latin song. Yatra performed the Oscar-nominated song on the Academy Awards in March.

Coldplay won favorite touring artist. It’s the band’s second win in that category, which was introduced in 2016. No other act has won more than once. The category was on hiatus the last two years when touring was hindered by the pandemic.

Elton John & Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart – PNAU Remix” won collaboration of the year. Elton was nominated for favorite pop/rock male artist at the very first AMAs on Feb. 19, 1974. He lost to Jim Croce, whose tragic death in a plane crash the previous September triggered a huge sales boom.

Smokey Robinson, who co-hosted that first AMAs show with the late Roger Miller and Helen Reddy, presented the Icon Award to Lionel Richie.

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