The American Music Awards took place on Monday and turned Las Vegas into the headquarters of the BTS army. The band, returning from their hiatus, opened the night, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with a recorded performance, winning Entertainer of the Year and having fans roaring throughout the broadcast. “Everyone sings their songs during commercial breaks,” Yahoo’s Taryn Ryder reported from inside the show. “I don’t know the last time I saw something like this at an awards show.”
Queen Latifah, wearing a floor-length fur coat on the red carpet in 94-degree heat, was a stellar host, and the performances were a delightfully strange mix of nostalgia (Hootie & the Blowfish, New Kids on the Block with Keith Urban and Billy Idol) and now (Karol G, Maluma, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor and Twenty One Pilots).
The presenters were also a mix of musicians (Hilary Duff and Ludacris), actors (Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs), comedians (Nikki Glaser and Matt Rife), and many reality TV stars.
Notable awards include:
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Sam Barber as innovative country artist
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Katseye as new artist of the year
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Sombrío for Best Rock/Alternative Album
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SZA for Best Female R&B Artist
We cover it all: surprise guests, viral moments, performance mishaps, updates, winners, backstage moments, and everything you didn’t see on TV. Read our full coverage below.