American Music Awards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids American Music Awards |
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Logo since 2019
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| Country | United States |
| First awarded | February 19, 1974 |
| Television coverage | |
| Network | ABC (1974–2022) CBS (2025) |
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The American Music Awards (often called the AMAs) is a big yearly music awards show in the United States. It has been put on by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Artists are chosen to be nominated based on how well their music sells and how much it is played on the radio. The winners are then picked by people and fans who vote on the AMAs website.
The show first started on the ABC network. This happened after ABC's agreement to show the Grammy Awards ended. After the 2022 show, ABC's rights to broadcast the AMAs also ended, so the awards took a break. In March 2024, it was announced that the AMAs would move to CBS. This was part of a deal that also included the Golden Globe Awards, which are now owned by Dick Clark Productions. The AMAs did not happen in 2024. Instead, CBS showed a special program on October 6, 2024, to celebrate the AMAs' 50th anniversary. The awards returned on May 26, 2025, and were hosted by Jennifer Lopez.
Contents
How the AMAs Started
The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973. He wanted to have a new music awards show to compete with the Grammy Awards. This happened after the Grammy Awards moved their show to Nashville, Tennessee.
Nominations for the AMAs are chosen based on how popular music is. This includes how many songs are sold, how much they are played on the radio, and even how much they are talked about on social media. Before 2010, nominations were only based on sales and radio play. The Grammy Awards choose their nominees differently, based on votes from music experts.
The award trophy itself is made by a company in New York called Society Awards.
History of the AMAs
The first AMAs in 1974 had three hosts: Helen Reddy, Roger Miller, and Smokey Robinson. Helen Reddy was not only a host but also the first artist to win an AMA for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. For the first 20 years, the AMAs often had many hosts. Each host would represent a different type of music. For example, Glen Campbell hosted the country music parts of the show five times.
In recent years, the show usually has only one host. In 1991, Keenen Ivory Wayans became the first Hollywood actor to host the AMAs.
The first two AMA shows in 1974 and 1975 were held in February. The 1994 show was also in February. From 1976 to 1993, and from 1995 to early 2003, the AMAs were held in January. The show moved to November starting in late 2003. This change helped the AMAs avoid competing with other big awards shows like the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Awards. It also allowed ABC to have a popular awards show during November.
Jimmy Kimmel hosted the awards for his fifth year in 2008. This tied him with Glen Campbell for hosting the most AMAs. From 2009 to 2012, there was no single host. Instead, different celebrities introduced the awards, similar to the Grammys. Rapper Pitbull hosted in 2013 and 2014. Jennifer Lopez hosted in 2015. Gigi Hadid and Jay Pharoah hosted in 2016. Tracee Ellis Ross hosted in 2017 and 2018. Ciara hosted the 2019 show.
Between 2012 and 2014, the American Music Awards used Samsung Galaxy smartphones to show the winners. This was part of a deal with Samsung Electronics. A special cover on each phone kept the winner's name a secret until it was opened.
In March 2023, it was announced that the Billboard Music Awards would move to November. This led to questions about whether the AMAs would continue. The Billboard Music Awards became an online-only event in November 2023.
In March 2024, CBS announced that it had bought the rights to broadcast the AMAs for several years. This deal also included the rights to show the Golden Globe Awards. The AMAs took a break in 2024. A special show celebrating the AMAs' 50th anniversary was shown on CBS on October 6, 2024. This special had performances and looked back at the show's history. It had good ratings, with about 6.1 million viewers. The 51st American Music Awards were held on May 26, 2025, on CBS.
AMA Shows Over the Years
| Year | Show Number | Date of Show | Host(s) | Location | TV Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 1 | February 19, 1974 | Roger Miller, Helen Reddy, Smokey Robinson | Earl Carroll Theatre | ABC |
| 1975 | 2 | February 18, 1975 | Roy Clark, Helen Reddy, Sly Stone | Santa Monica Civic Auditorium | |
| 1976 | 3 | January 31, 1976 | Glen Campbell, Aretha Franklin, Olivia Newton-John | ||
| 1977 | 4 | January 31, 1977 | Glen Campbell, Helen Reddy, Lou Rawls | ||
| 1978 | 5 | January 16, 1978 | Glen Campbell, Natalie Cole, David Soul | ||
| 1979 | 6 | January 12, 1979 | Glen Campbell, Helen Reddy, Donna Summer | ||
| 1980 | 7 | January 18, 1980 | Elton John, Toni Tennille, Natalie Cole | ABC Studios | |
| 1981 | 8 | January 30, 1981 | Mac Davis, Crystal Gayle, Teddy Pendergrass | ||
| 1982 | 9 | January 25, 1982 | Glen Campbell, Sheena Easton, Donna Summer | Shrine Auditorium | |
| 1983 | 10 | January 17, 1983 | Mac Davis, Aretha Franklin, Melissa Manchester | ||
| 1984 | 11 | January 16, 1984 | Lionel Richie | ||
| 1985 | 12 | January 28, 1985 | |||
| 1986 | 13 | January 27, 1986 | Diana Ross | ||
| 1987 | 14 | January 26, 1987 | |||
| 1988 | 15 | January 25, 1988 | Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Mick Fleetwood, Robin Gibb and Whitney Houston | ||
| 1989 | 16 | January 30, 1989 | Anita Baker, Debbie Gibson, Kenny Rogers and Rod Stewart | ||
| 1990 | 17 | January 22, 1990 | Alice Cooper, Anita Baker, Gloria Estefan, Naomi Judd and Wynonna Judd | ||
| 1991 | 18 | January 28, 1991 | Keenen Ivory Wayans | ||
| 1992 | 19 | January 27, 1992 | MC Hammer, Reba McEntire | ||
| 1993 | 20 | January 25, 1993 | Bobby Brown, Gloria Estefan and Wynonna Judd | ||
| 1994 | 21 | February 7, 1994 | Meat Loaf, Reba McEntire and Will Smith | ||
| 1995 | 22 | January 30, 1995 | Queen Latifah, Tom Jones, Lorrie Morgan | ||
| 1996 | 23 | January 29, 1996 | Sinbad | ||
| 1997 | 24 | January 27, 1997 | |||
| 1998 | 25 | January 26, 1998 | Drew Carey | ||
| 1999 | 26 | January 11, 1999 | Brandy and Melissa Joan Hart | ||
| 2000 | 27 | January 17, 2000 | Norm Macdonald | ||
| 2001 | 28 | January 8, 2001 | Britney Spears and LL Cool J | ||
| 2002 | 29 | January 9, 2002 | Jenny McCarthy and Sean Combs | ||
| 2003 (January) | 30 | January 13, 2003 | Jack Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne | ||
| 2003 (November) | 31 | November 16, 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel | ||
| 2004 | 32 | November 14, 2004 | |||
| 2005 | 33 | November 22, 2005 | Cedric the Entertainer | ||
| 2006 | 34 | November 21, 2006 | Jimmy Kimmel | ||
| 2007 | 35 | November 18, 2007 | Peacock Theater | ||
| 2008 | 36 | November 23, 2008 | |||
| 2009 | 37 | November 22, 2009 | No host | ||
| 2010 | 38 | November 21, 2010 | |||
| 2011 | 39 | November 20, 2011 | |||
| 2012 | 40 | November 18, 2012 | |||
| 2013 | 41 | November 24, 2013 | Pitbull | ||
| 2014 | 42 | November 23, 2014 | |||
| 2015 | 43 | November 22, 2015 | Jennifer Lopez | ||
| 2016 | 44 | November 20, 2016 | Gigi Hadid and Jay Pharoah | ||
| 2017 | 45 | November 19, 2017 | Tracee Ellis Ross | ||
| 2018 | 46 | October 9, 2018 | |||
| 2019 | 47 | November 24, 2019 | Ciara | ||
| 2020 | 48 | November 22, 2020 | Taraji P. Henson | ||
| 2021 | 49 | November 21, 2021 | Cardi B | ||
| 2022 | 50 | November 20, 2022 | Wayne Brady | ||
| Not held in 2023–2024 | |||||
| 2025 | 51 | May 26, 2025 | Jennifer Lopez | Fontainebleau Las Vegas | CBS |
Award Categories
The AMAs give out awards in many different music categories. Here are some of the main ones:
Current Award Categories
- Artist of the Year
- New Artist of the Year
- Collaboration of the Year
- Song 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 Dance/Electronic Artist
- Favorite Afrobeats Artist
- Favorite K-Pop Artist
- Favorite Soundtrack
- Social Song of the Year
- Album of the Year
Awards No Longer Given
Over the years, some award categories have been stopped. These include:
- Fan's Choice Award (2003)
- Favorite Social Artist (2018–2020)
- Favorite Trending Song (2021)
- Favorite Inspirational Artist (2002–2022)
- Favorite Gospel Artist (2002–2022)
- Favorite Pop/Rock Video (1984–1988)
- 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 New Artist (1989–Jan 2003)
- Favorite Country Video (1984–1988)
- 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)
Artists with the Most Wins
The artist who has won the most American Music Awards is Taylor Swift, with 40 awards. The male artist with the most wins is Michael Jackson, who has 26 awards. The group with the most wins is Alabama, with 18 awards.
| Rank | Artist | Number of awards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Swift | 40 |
| 2 | Michael Jackson | 26 |
| 3 | Whitney Houston | 22 |
| 4 | Kenny Rogers | 19 |
| 5 | Alabama | 18 |
| Beyoncé | ||
| Justin Bieber | ||
| 6 | Carrie Underwood | 17 |
| Garth Brooks | ||
| 7 | Bruno Mars | 14 |
| Reba McEntire | ||
| 8 | Rihanna | 13 |
| Janet Jackson | ||
| 9 | Stevie Wonder | 11 |
| BTS |
Most Wins in One Show
The record for winning the most AMAs in a single year is 8 awards. This record is held by Michael Jackson (in 1984) and Whitney Houston (in 1994). Both artists also received a special "Award of Merit" in those years.
Most Wins by Category
Here are some artists who have won the most awards in specific categories:
- Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift (7 wins)
- Collaboration of the Year: Justin Bieber (3 wins)
- Song of the Year: Kenny Rogers (5 wins)
- Favorite Music Video: Taylor Swift (3 wins)
- Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock: Justin Bieber (4 wins)
- Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock: Taylor Swift (6 wins)
- Favorite Duo or Group – Pop/Rock: BTS (4 wins)
- Favorite Album – Pop/Rock: Taylor Swift (4 wins)
- Favorite Male Artist – Country: Garth Brooks (8 wins)
- Favorite Female Artist – Country: Reba McEntire (11 wins)
- Favorite Duo or Group – Country: Alabama (13 wins)
- Favorite Album – Country: Carrie Underwood (6 wins)
- Favorite Artist – Rap/Hip-Hop: Nicki Minaj (5 wins)
- Favorite Song – Rap/Hip-Hop: Cardi B (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, Rihanna (7 wins each)
- Favorite Album – Soul/R&B: Michael Jackson (4 wins)
- Favorite Artist – Alternative Rock: Linkin Park (6 wins)
- Favorite Artist – Adult Contemporary: Celine Dion (4 wins)
- Favorite Artist – Latin Music: Enrique Iglesias (7 wins)
- Favorite Artist – Contemporary Inspirational: Casting Crowns (4 wins)
- Favorite Artist – Electronic Dance Music: Marshmello (3 wins)
Special Awards
The AMAs also give out special awards to honor artists for their amazing careers and impact on music.
Award of Merit
This award has been given to 32 artists. The most recent artist to receive it was Sting in 2016.
International Artist Award of Excellence
This award celebrates artists whose music and popularity are known all over the world. It is only given to artists who truly deserve to be recognized for their global achievements. Seven artists have received this award:
- Michael Jackson (1993)
- Rod Stewart (1994)
- Led Zeppelin (1995)
- Bee Gees (1997)
- Aerosmith (2001)
- Beyoncé (2007)
- Whitney Houston (2009)
Icon Award
The Icon Award started in 2013. It honors an artist whose work has had a huge influence on pop music around the world.
- Rihanna (2013)
- Lionel Richie (2022)
- Janet Jackson (2025)
Dick Clark Award for Excellence
This award was first given in 2014. It recognizes an artist who has done something truly amazing or created a very important piece of work.
- Taylor Swift (2014)
Award of Achievement
This award celebrates special achievements by artists.
- Michael Jackson (1989)
- Prince (1990)
- Mariah Carey (2000 and 2008)
- Katy Perry (2011)
Lifetime Achievement Award
This award honors artists for their long and successful careers in music.
- Diana Ross (2017)
- Rod Stewart (2025)
Artist of the Decade
- 2010s: Taylor Swift (2019)
- 1990s: Garth Brooks (2000)
In 2000, the AMAs also held a poll to choose the Artist of the Decade for earlier decades. The winners were:
- 1950s: Elvis Presley
- 1960s: The Beatles
- 1970s: Stevie Wonder
- 1980s: Michael Jackson
Artist of the Century
In 2002, Michael Jackson received the Artist of the Century award. This was because of his huge influence and impact on the music industry.
Veterans Voice Award
This award was given at the 2025 ceremony. It recognizes artists who have helped veterans and their families through their music.
- Zac Brown (2025)
How Many People Watch the AMAs
The table below shows how many people watched the American Music Awards each year. The numbers are in millions of viewers.
| Year | Day | Date | Viewers (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Tuesday | February 19 | 39.76 |
| 1975 | Tuesday | February 18 | 32.21 |
| 1976 | Saturday | January 31 | 30.02 |
| 1977 | Monday | January 31 | 37.25 |
| 1978 | Monday | January 16 | 41.86 |
| 1979 | Friday | January 12 | 33.57 |
| 1980 | Friday | January 18 | 26.03 |
| 1981 | Friday | January 30 | 18.91 |
| 1982 | Monday | January 25 | 33.43 |
| 1983 | Monday | January 17 | 36.17 |
| 1984 | Monday | January 16 | 47.11 |
| 1985 | Monday | January 28 | 48.16 |
| 1986 | Monday | January 27 | 33.18 |
| 1987 | Monday | January 26 | 39.30 |
| 1988 | Monday | January 25 | 28.41 |
| 1989 | Monday | January 30 | 32.95 |
| 1990 | Monday | January 22 | 32.43 |
| 1991 | Monday | January 28 | 34.37 |
| 1992 | Monday | January 27 | 29.93 |
| 1993 | Monday | January 25 | 35.03 |
| 1994 | Monday | February 7 | 24.52 |
| 1995 | Monday | January 30 | 24.51 |
| 1996 | Monday | January 29 | 21.57 |
| 1997 | Monday | January 27 | 19.72 |
| 1998 | Monday | January 26 | 18.36 |
| 1999 | Monday | January 11 | 15.60 |
| 2000 | Monday | January 17 | 16.68 |
| 2001 | Monday | January 8 | 16.20 |
| 2002 | Wednesday | January 9 | 16.02 |
| 2003 | Monday | January 13 | 12.90 |
| 2003 | Sunday | November 16 | 12.77 |
| 2004 | Sunday | November 14 | 12.90 |
| 2005 | Tuesday | November 22 | 11.68 |
| 2006 | Tuesday | November 21 | 10.85 |
| 2007 | Sunday | November 18 | 11.81 |
| 2008 | Sunday | November 23 | 12.20 |
| 2009 | Sunday | November 22 | 14.24 |
| 2010 | Sunday | November 21 | 11.72 |
| 2011 | Sunday | November 20 | 12.07 |
| 2012 | Sunday | November 18 | 9.52 |
| 2013 | Sunday | November 24 | 13.14 |
| 2014 | Sunday | November 23 | 11.61 |
| 2015 | Sunday | November 22 | 11.01 |
| 2016 | Sunday | November 20 | 8.18 |
| 2017 | Sunday | November 19 | 9.15 |
| 2018 | Tuesday | October 9 | 6.59 |
| 2019 | Sunday | November 24 | 6.68 |
| 2020 | Sunday | November 22 | 4.01 |
| 2021 | Sunday | November 21 | 4.01 |
| 2022 | Sunday | November 20 | 3.53 |
| 2025 | Monday | May 26 | 4.86 |
See also
In Spanish: Premios American Music para niños
- Latin American Music Awards
