While this marked Cardi’s hosting debut, she’s no stranger to the AMAs stage. Besides already having five AMA trophies to her name, she’s also the first female rapper in AMAs history to win Favorite Hip-Hop Song twice. Plus, she performed her hit “I Like It” at the 2018 AMAs with Bad Bunny and J Blavin. Just like that performance in 2018, the AMAs are known for rewarding viewers with plenty of water-cooler moments. Denim Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in 2001?Garth Brooksrefusing to accept the Artist of the Year award in 1996? Psy and Hammer’s “Gangnam Style”/”2 Legit 2 Quit” mashup in 2012? Kanye West’s 2004 attitude flare-up after losing to a country singer, long before he met Taylor Swift? Lady Gaga’s fiery—and at times terrifying—2009 performance of “Bad Romance” and “Speechless”? All of those iconic moments happened at the American Music Awards. So what do we know about the 2021 AMAs? Check out our wrap-up below for everything we know about the 2021 American Music Awards—including all the winners!
When are the 2021 American Music Awards?
This year’s AMAs took place Sunday, Nov. 21 at 8 p.m. ET. They were once again be held at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater.
Who hosted the 2021 AMAs?
Cardi B is your AMAs MC! “When I received the invite to host the AMAs, I was so excited,” the 29-year-old artist said in a statement announcing her hosting duties. “I’m ready to bring my personality to the AMAs stage!” Meanwhile, AMAs executive producer Jesse Collins added, “We are immensely excited to have the dynamic Cardi B bring her infectious energy to the American Music Awards as a first-time host. She will excite the viewers, push the limits and deliver a show that will be remembered forever!”
Who was nominated for American Music Awards in 2021?
The 2021 AMA nominees were revealed on Thurs., Oct. 28. According to the American Music Awards website, nominees are “based on key fan interactions–as reflected on the Billboard charts–including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay, and social activity.” So, which groups and artists racked up the most nods on 2021? Teen singing sensation OliviaRodrigo is the year’s most nominated artist with eight nominations, including Artist of the Year and New Artist of the Year. She’s followed by The Weeknd with six nods; coming in third with five noms apiece are Doja Cat, Giveon and Bad Bunny. Reuters notes that some of the most snubbed artists this year include Kanye West, who got just a single nod, and Billie Eilish, who amazingly went un-nominated in 2021 despite dropping her second album in July 2021. In the end, the big winner of the night turned out to be K-pop boy band sensation BTS. They swept all three categories they were nominated in, taking home Artist of the Year—the top trophy of the night—plus Favorite Pop Duo or Group and Favorite Pop Song for “Butter,” which was also one of two songs they performed during the event. Tying them with three trophies apiece were Megan Thee Stallion—who was supposed to perform “Butter” with them, but had to bow out of the AMAs at the last minute for personal reasons, and Doja Cat. The night’s two-time winners included Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Gabby Barrett. Here is the full list of American Music Award nominations and winners for 2021:
American Music Awards Winners 2021
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande BTS WINNER Drake Olivia Rodrigo Taylor Swift The Weeknd
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn Giveon Masked Wolf Olivia Rodrigo WINNER The Kid LAROI
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn ft. iann dior, “Mood” Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “DÁKITI” Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy” Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More” WINNER Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon, “Peaches”
FAVORITE TRENDING SONG
Erica Banks, “Buss It” Måneskin, “Beggin’” Megan Thee Stallion, “Body” WINNER Olivia Rodrigo, “drivers license” Popp Hunna, “Adderall (Corvette Corvette)”
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), “Leave The Door Open” Cardi B, “Up” Lil Nas X, “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” WINNER Olivia Rodrigo, “drivers license” The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears”
FAVORITE MALE POP ARTIST
Drake Ed Sheeran WINNER Justin Bieber Lil Nas X The Weeknd
FAVORITE FEMALE POP ARTIST
Ariana Grande Doja Cat Dua Lipa Olivia Rodrigo Taylor Swift WINNER
FAVORITE POP DUO OR GROUP
AJR BTS WINNER Glass Animals
FAVORITE POP ALBUM
Ariana Grande, Positions Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR Taylor Swift, evermore WINNER The Kid LAROI, F*CK LOVE
FAVORITE POP SONG
BTS, “Butter” WINNER Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More” Dua Lipa, “Levitating” Olivia Rodrigo, “drivers license” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears (Remix)”
FAVORITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Chris Stapleton Jason Aldean Luke Bryan WINNER Luke Combs *Morgan Wallen
FAVORITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Carrie Underwood WINNER Gabby Barrett Kacey Musgraves Maren Morris Miranda Lambert
FAVORITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP
Dan + Shay WINNER Florida Georgia Line Lady A Old Dominion Zac Brown Band
FAVORITE COUNTRY ALBUM
Chris Stapleton, Starting Over Gabby Barrett, Goldmine WINNER Lee Brice, Hey World Luke Bryan, Born Here Live Here Die Here *Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album
FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
Chris Stapleton, “Starting Over” Chris Young & Kane Brown, “Famous Friends” Gabby Barrett, “The Good Ones” WINNER Luke Combs, “Forever After All” Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like”
FAVORITE MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Drake WINNER Lil Baby Moneybagg Yo Polo G Pop Smoke
FAVORITE FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Cardi B Coi Leray Erica Banks Megan Thee Stallion WINNER Saweetie
FAVORITE HIP-HOP ALBUM
Drake, “Certified Lover Boy” Juice WRLD, “Legends Never Die” Megan Thee Stallion, “Good News” WINNER Pop Smoke, “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon” Rod Wave, “SoulFly”
FAVORITE HIP-HOP SONG
Cardi B, “Up” WINNER Internet Money ft. Gunna, Don Toliver & NAV, “Lemonade” Lil Tjay ft. 6LACK, “Calling My Phone” Polo G, “RAPSTAR” Pop Smoke, “What You Know Bout Love”
FAVORITE MALE R&B ARTIST
Chris Brown Giveon Tank The Weeknd WINNER Usher
FAVORITE FEMALE R&B ARTIST
Doja Cat WINNER H.E.R. Jazmine Sullivan Jhené Aiko SZA
FAVORITE R&B ALBUM
Doja Cat, Planet Her WINNER Giveon, When It’s All Said And Done… Take Time H.E.R., Back of My Mind Jazmine Sullivan, Heaux Tales Queen Naija, missunderstood
FAVORITE R&B SONG
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), “Leave The Door Open” WINNER Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy” Giveon, “Heartbreak Anniversary” H.E.R., “Damage” Jazmine Sullivan, “Pick Up Your Feelings”
FAVORITE MALE LATIN ARTIST
Bad Bunny WINNER J Balvin Maluma Ozuna Rauw Alejandro
FAVORITE FEMALE LATIN ARTIST
Becky G WINNER Kali Uchis KAROL G Natti Natasha ROSALÍA FAVORITE LATIN DUO OR GROUP Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga WINNER Calibre 50 Eslabon Armado La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho Los Dos Carnales
FAVORITE LATIN ALBUM
Bad Bunny, EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO WINNER Kali Uchis, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) KAROL G, KG0516 Maluma, PAPI JUANCHO Rauw Alejandro, Afrodisíaco
FAVORITE LATIN SONG
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “DÁKITI” Bad Bunny x ROSALÍA, “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE” Farruko, “Pepas” Kali Uchis, “telepatía” WINNER Maluma & The Weekndm “Hawái (Remix)”
FAVORITE ROCK ARTIST
AJR All Time Low Foo Fighters Glass Animals Machine Gun Kelly WINNER
FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST
CAIN Carrie Underwood WINNER Elevation Worship Lauren Daigle Zach Williams
FAVORITE GOSPEL ARTIST
Kanye West WINNER Kirk Franklin Koryn Hawthorne Maverick City Music Tasha Cobbs Leonard
FAVORITE DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST
David Guetta ILLENIUM Marshmello WINNER Regard Tiësto Maroon 5 Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
Who performed at the 2021 American Music Awards?
Olivia Rodrigo, a seven-time nominee at this year’s AMAs, took to the stage, as did five-time 2021 nominee Bad Bunny. Silk Sonic (a.k.a. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak) also performed. Jennifer Lopez (a late addition to the lineup) sang her new track “On My Way” from her upcoming movie Marry Me. Pop rockers Maneskin played their hit “Beggin,’” while on the country side of things, Walker Hayes performed, as did Kane Brown remotely from Tennessee State University. Perhaps most fun of all, Boston-based boy bands New Kids on the Block and New Edition teamed up for a first-time-ever joint performance!
Did BTS perform at the 2021 American Music Awards?
In fact, they performed twice! The K-pop megastars performed both on their own and with Coldplay. They were also expected to perform their hit “Butter” alongside Megan Thee Stallion, but she was forced to pull out of the ceremony at the last minute due to personal matters.
When can fans vote for the AMAs?
“Your favorite fan-voted award show is BACK!” the AMAs declared on social media when they announced the date of this year’s show. According to the AMAs website, “winners are voted entirely by fans.” And there’s a lot of voting to keep them busy. Last year, fans could vote on Twitter using the #AMAs hashtag or on Billboard.com/AMAsVote. But they weren’t restricted to voting once; they were free to vote up to 10 times a day, per category, per method… and retweets counted as votes. Voting usually closes about one week before the show takes place.
How can you watch the 2021 American Music Awards?
The American Music Awards aired Sundau, Nov. 21, 2021, live on ABC from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. You can also view the show on streaming services like YouTube TV, Hulu (Live), Sling TV and fuboTV, depending on your package. Next, find out how many Grammys Taylor Swift has (so far!).
