2026 AMAs full coverage: BTS wins Artist of the Year as New Kids on the Block and Keith Urban bring the nostalgia

Key Points:

• BTS emerged as the biggest winners at the AMAs, taking home Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer for "Swim," and Best Male K-pop Artist, with member RM expressing gratitude to fans for their 13-year support.
• Bruno Mars, Katseye, Sombr, Sabrina Carpenter, and KPop: Demon Hunters stars Ejae, Audrey Nuna, and Rei Ami each won three awards, with Ejae also receiving Best Soundtrack; notably, Taylor Swift did not win any of her eight nominations.
• Billy Idol was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and delivered a performance of his classic hits, using his acceptance speech to encourage young musicians to pursue their artistic passions.
• Teyana Taylor delivered a futuristic, cinematic AMA performance introduced by Queen Latifah, featuring a video message from Missy Elliott praising her as "not from Earth," highlighting Taylor's success in both music and film.
• The AMAs paid tribute to Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha for his heroic actions in Afghanistan, coinciding with a Memorial Day salute to U.S. service members during Riley Green’s performance.