The 49th Annual American Music Awards were held on November 21, 2021, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, recognizing the most popular artists, singles and albums of 2021. Cardi B hosted the ceremony, following Queen Latifah (1995) as the only female rappers in history to do so. Cardi B became the first artist to win Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Song three times. BTS, Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion won three awards each.
The ceremony was notable as the first produced by MRC Live & Alternative, formerly known as Dick Clark Productions after use of the latter banner was phased out the month prior. However, this would be the only ceremony produced under the banner, as the Dick Clark Productions name was restored in August 2022.
Performances + American Music Awards of 2021 performers Artist(s) Song(s) Silk Sonic "Smokin Out the Window" ColdplayBTS "My Universe" Olivia Rodrigo "Traitor" Tyler, the Creator "Massa" Jason AldeanCarrie Underwood "If I Didn't Love You" Bad BunnyTainyJulieta Venegas "Lo Siento BB:/" Måneskin "Beggin'" Chlöe "Have Mercy" Jennifer Lopez "On My Way" Mickey Guyton "All American" Givēon "Heartbreak Anniversary" Kane Brown "One Mississippi" New EditionNew Kids on the Block Medley:"You Got It (The Right Stuff)""Candy Girl""Step by Step""Mr. Telephone Man""Is This the End"/"Please Don't Go Girl""Can You Stand the Rain""Hangin' Tough""If It Isn't Love" Walker Hayes "Fancy Like" Zoe Wees "Girls Like Us" BTS "Butter" Diplo Musical Curator/DJ
Notes Pre-recorded from Nashville, Tennessee Pre-recorded from Tennessee State University Megan Thee Stallion was originally planning to perform with BTS on "Butter", but pulled out "due to an unexpected personal matter".
Presenters Presenters were announced on November 19, 2021.
Cardi B – main show host Billy Porter – presented Favorite Album – Latin Ansel Elgort & Rachel Zegler – presented Favorite Artist – Rock Cardi B – introduced Coldplay & BTS Michelle Young – introduced what was "coming up" in the show JoJo Siwa – presented Favorite Duo/Group – Pop Cardi B – introduced Olivia Rodrigo Diplo – introduced what was "coming up" in the show (multiple segments) Brandy – paid tribute to the victims of the Astroword Festival crowd crush & presented Favorite Album – Pop Cardi B – introduced Tyler The Creator Cardi B – introduced Bad Bunny, Tainy & Julieta Venegas Marsai Martin – presented Favorite Song – Hip-Hop Cardi B – introduced Måneskin D-Nice – introduced Chlöe JB Smoove – presented Favorite Song – Pop Cardi B – introduced Jennifer Lopez Cardi B – introduced Mickey Guyton Madelyn Cline – presented Favorite Trending Song Cardi B – introduced Giveon Liza Koshy – presented Artist of the Year Anthony Ramos – presented Favorite Female Artist – Latin Cardi B – introduced Walker Hayes Machine Gun Kelly – presented New Artist of the Year Winnie Harlow – introduced Zoe Wees Cardi B – introduced BTS
Winners and nominees The nominations were announced on ABC's Good Morning America, Spotify's morning show "The Get Up", and also via the American Music Awards Twitter account on October 28, 2021. Olivia Rodrigo received the most nominations with seven, followed by the Weeknd with six, and Bad Bunny, Doja Cat and Giveon with five each. BTS became the first Asian artist to receive Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards. Three new categories were introduced in 2021: Favorite Trending Song, Favorite Latin Duo or Group, and Favorite Gospel Artist.
Additionally, it was announced towards the end of October that though country singer Morgan Wallen had two nominations, due to his personal conduct in 2020 and 2021 which saw his music removed from further publicity and the suspension of his recording contract, he was not allowed to attend the ceremony or accept any awards won remotely. The show's production company plans to evaluate his future conduct in including him in future ceremonies.
Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.
Artist of the YearNew Artist of the Year BTS Ariana Grande Drake Olivia Rodrigo Taylor Swift The Weeknd Olivia Rodrigo 24kGoldn Giveon Masked Wolf The Kid LaroiFavorite Music VideoCollaboration of the Year Lil Nas X – "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) – "Leave The Door Open" Cardi B – "Up" Olivia Rodrigo – "Drivers License" The Weeknd – "Save Your Tears" Doja Cat featuring SZA – "Kiss Me More" 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior – "Mood" Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez – "Dakiti" Chris Brown and Young Thug – "Go Crazy" Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon – "Peaches"Favorite Male Artist – PopFavorite Female Artist – Pop Ed Sheeran Drake Justin Bieber Lil Nas X The Weeknd Taylor Swift Ariana Grande Doja Cat Dua Lipa Olivia RodrigoFavorite Male Artist – Hip-HopFavorite Female Artist – Hip-Hop Drake Lil Baby Moneybagg Yo Polo G Pop Smoke Megan Thee Stallion Cardi B Coi Leray Erica Banks SaweetieFavorite Male Artist – CountryFavorite Female Artist – Country Luke Bryan Chris Stapleton Jason Aldean Luke Combs Morgan Wallen Carrie Underwood Gabby Barrett Kacey Musgraves Maren Morris Miranda LambertFavorite Male Artist – R&BFavorite Female Artist – R&B The Weeknd Chris Brown Giveon Tank Usher Doja Cat H.E.R. Jazmine Sullivan Jhené Aiko SZAFavorite Male Artist – LatinFavorite Female Artist – Latin Bad Bunny J Balvin Maluma Ozuna Rauw Alejandro Becky G Kali Uchis Karol G Natti Natasha RosalíaFavorite Artist – RockFavorite Artist – Electronic Dance Music Machine Gun Kelly AJR All Time Low Foo Fighters Glass Animals Marshmello David Guetta Illenium Regard TiëstoFavorite Artist – InspirationalFavorite Artist – Gospel Carrie Underwood Cain Elevation Worship Lauren Daigle Zach Williams Kanye West Kirk Franklin Koryn Hawthorne Maverick City Music Tasha Cobbs LeonardFavorite Duo or Group – PopFavorite Duo or Group – Country BTS AJR Glass Animals Maroon 5 Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line Lady A Old Dominion Zac Brown BandFavorite Duo or Group – LatinFavorite Trending Song Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga Calibre 50 Eslabon Armado La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho Los Dos Carnales Megan Thee Stallion – "Body" Erica Banks – "Buss It" Måneskin – "Beggin'" Olivia Rodrigo – "Drivers License" Popp Hunna – "Adderall (Corvette Corvette)"Favorite Song – PopFavorite Album – Pop BTS – "Butter" Doja Cat featuring SZA – "Kiss Me More" Dua Lipa – "Levitating" Olivia Rodrigo – "Drivers License" The Weeknd and Ariana Grande – "Save Your Tears (Remix)" Taylor Swift – Evermore Ariana Grande – Positions Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia Olivia Rodrigo – Sour The Kid Laroi – F*ck LoveFavorite Song – Hip-HopFavorite Album – Hip-Hop Cardi B – "Up" Internet Money featuring Gunna, Don Toliver and Nav – "Lemonade" Lil Tjay featuring 6lack – "Calling My Phone" Polo G – "Rapstar" Pop Smoke – "What You Know Bout Love" Megan Thee Stallion – Good News Drake – Certified Lover Boy Juice Wrld – Legends Never Die Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon Rod Wave – SoulFlyFavorite Song – CountryFavorite Album – Country Gabby Barrett – "The Good Ones" Chris Stapleton – "Starting Over" Chris Young and Kane Brown – "Famous Friends" Luke Combs – "Forever After All" Walker Hayes – "Fancy Like" Gabby Barrett – Goldmine Chris Stapleton – Starting Over Lee Brice – Hey World Luke Bryan – Born Here Live Here Die Here Morgan Wallen – Dangerous: The Double AlbumFavorite Song – R&BFavorite Album – R&B Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) – "Leave the Door Open" Chris Brown and Young Thug – "Go Crazy" Giveon – "Heartbreak Anniversary" H.E.R. – "Damage" Jazmine Sullivan – "Pick Up Your Feelings" Doja Cat – Planet Her Giveon – When It's All Said and Done... Take Time H.E.R. – Back of My Mind Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales Queen Naija – MissunderstoodFavorite Song – LatinFavorite Album – Latin Kali Uchis – "Telepatía" Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez – "Dakiti" Bad Bunny x Rosalía – "La Noche de Anoche" Farruko – "Pepas" Maluma and The Weeknd – "Hawái (Remix)" Bad Bunny – El Último Tour Del Mundo Kali Uchis – Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) Karol G – KG0516 Maluma – Papi Juancho Rauw Alejandro – Afrodisíaco
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