At the annual American Music Awards on Sunday night, Taylor Swift took home the Dick Clark Award for Excellence (presented by music legend Diana Ross), and One Direction scooped up the Favorite Band, Duo, or Group — Pop/Rock and Favorite Album — Pop/Rock trophies. The British boy band also took home the Artist of the Year award, upsetting Beyoncé and Katy Perry. In another surprise decision, Iggy Azalea took home the prize for Favorite Artists — Rap/Hip-Hop and Favorite Album — Rap/Hip-Hop for her spring release, The New Classic. Britian’s Sam Smith won his first major award for Favorite Male Artist — Pop or Rock, and before the broadcast, Enrique Iglesis won Favorite Artist — Latin. Imagine Dragons won Favorite Artist — Alternative for the second year in a row, beating out Lorde and Bastille.
Swift kicked the show off with a fiery performance of her new single, “Blank Space,” featuring some highly self-aware nods (dead exes, withering stares, poison apples, and more). Charli XCX showed off her vocal chops during a medley of “Boom Clap” and new single “Break the Rules,” which she completed by smashing a Sucker-emblazoned guitar into pieces.
Stay tuned for updated winners as the night continues.
Artist of the Year
Iggy Azalea
Beyoncé
Luke Bryan
One Direction (winner)
Katy Perry
Dick Clark Award for Excellence
Taylor Swift (winner)
New Artist of the Year
5 Seconds of Summer (winner)
Iggy Azalea
Bastille
Sam Smith
Meghan Trainor
Single of the Year
Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX, “Fancy”
John Legend, “All of Me”
Magic!, “Rude”
Katy Perry feat. Juicy J, “Dark Horse” (winner)
Pharrell Williams, “Happy”
Favorite Male Artist — Pop/Rock
John Legend
Sam Smith (winner)
Pharrell Williams
Favorite Female Artist — Pop/Rock
Iggy Azalea
Lorde
Katy Perry (winner)
Favorite Band, Duo, or Group — Pop/Rock
Imagine Dragons
One Direction (winner)
OneRepublic
Favorite Album — Pop/Rock
Lorde, Pure Heroine
One Direction, Midnight Memories (winner)
Katy Perry, Prism
Favorite Male Artist — Country
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan (winner)
Blake Shelton
Favorite Female Artist — Country
Miranda Lambert
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood (winner)
Favorite Band, Duo, or Group — Country
Eli Young Band
Florida Georgia Line (winner)
Lady Antebellum
Favorite Album — Country
Garth Brooks, Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences
Eric Church, The Outsiders
Brantley Gilbert, Just as I Am (winner)
Favorite Artist — Rap/Hip-Hop
Iggy Azalea (winner)
Drake
Eminem
Favorite Album — Rap/Hip-Hop
Iggy Azalea, The New Classic (winner)
Drake, Nothing Was the Same
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Favorite Male Artist — Soul/R&B
Chris Brown
John Legend (winner)
Pharrell Williams
Favorite Female Artist — Soul/R&B
Jhene Aiko
Beyoncé (winner)
Mary J. Blige
Favorite Album — Soul/R&B
Beyoncé, Beyoncé (winner)
John Legend, Love in the Future
Pharrell Williams, G I R L
Favorite Artist — Alternative Rock
Bastille
Imagine Dragons (winner)
Lorde
Favorite Artist — Adult Contemporary
Sara Bareilles
OneRepublic
Katy Perry (winner)
Favorite Artist — Latin
Marc Anthony
Enrique Iglesias (winner)
Romeo Santos
Favorite Artist — Contemporary Inspirational
Casting Crowns (winner)
Hillsong United
Newsboys
Favorite Artist — Electronic Dance Music (EDM)
Avicii
Calvin Harris (winner)
Zedd
Top Soundtrack
Frozen (winner)
The Fault in Our Stars
Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix, Vol. 1
