BTS rules AMA night

BTS completed a triumphant return to the global spotlight on Monday night, winning Artist of the Year at the 52nd American Music Awards in Las Vegas and cementing their place among the most successful acts in the history of the fan-voted awards show.

The seven-member K-pop phenomenon - Jungkook, Jin, Jimin, RM, J-Hope, V and Suga - collected the ceremony's top honour for the second time after first winning the category in 2021. Their victory placed them alongside Justin Bieber and One Direction as the only repeat group winners, while extending BTS's career AMA tally to 14 awards.

Accepting the prize before a roaring crowd inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, BTS leader RM thanked the group's loyal global fanbase, known as ARMY, for supporting the band throughout its 13-year journey. "We made it once again," he said, before paying tribute to fans who stood by the group during its lengthy hiatus.

The group had stepped away from collective activities in 2022 as all seven members fulfilled South Korea's mandatory military service requirements. Their comeback this year with the album 'Arirang' marked one of the most closely watched returns in international pop music.

The record topped the Billboard 200 chart for two consecutive weeks, making history as the first release by a K-pop act to achieve the feat. BTS also won Best Male K-pop Artist and Song of the Summer for 'Swim', underlining the scale of their comeback campaign.

The ceremony opened with a pre-recorded performance of 'Hooligan' from the group's recent Las Vegas concert, setting the tone for a night heavily shaped by international acts and younger audiences.

While BTS dominated the headlines, the evening produced several surprise outcomes. Taylor Swift entered the ceremony as the leading nominee with eight nods, including Album of the Year for 'The Life of a Showgirl' and Song of the Year for "The Fate of Ophelia", but left empty-handed and did not attend the event.

Sabrina Carpenter, another absentee from the ceremony, secured three trophies including Album of the Year for 'Man's Best Friend', Best Female Pop Artist and Best Pop Album, strengthening her standing among contemporary mainstream pop's leading names.

Global girl group KATSEYE emerged as one of the night's breakout winners, taking home New Artist of the Year along with awards for Best Music Video and Breakthrough Pop Artist. Their triumph continued a run of female winners in the category dating back to 2018.

Indie musician Sombr also claimed three honours, including Best Rock/Alternative Song for 'Back to Friends', Best Rock/Alternative Album for 'I Barely Know Her' and Breakthrough Rock/Alternative Artist. Speaking on stage, the 20-year-old reflected on writing 'Back to Friends' alone in his bedroom while struggling emotionally as a teenager.

Veteran rocker Billy Idol received the ceremony's lifetime achievement honour and delivered performances of 'Eyes Without a Face' and 'Dancing with Myself'. The 70-year-old recalled entering the punk scene in 1976 believing the movement might survive only a few months rather than half a century.

Other major winners included Bruno Mars, who secured three R&B awards, and Cardi B, who swept the hip-hop categories. Karol G won Best Latin Album for 'Tropicoqueta' and received the International Artist Award of Excellence.

Swedish pop star Zara Larsson collected two awards, while Twenty One Pilots won Best Rock/Alternative Artist for the fourth time, second only to Linkin Park in the category's history.

One of the more nostalgic moments of the night came when The Black Eyed Peas won the newly introduced Best Throwback Song category for 'Rock That Body', beating classics including 'What's Up' by 4 Non Blondes and 'Iris' by Goo Goo Dolls.

Hosted by Queen Latifah, the American Music Awards aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. Created by legendary producer Dick Clark in 1974, the ceremony remains one of the music industry's biggest fan-driven events, with nominees determined through streaming numbers, sales, radio airplay and touring data tracked by Billboard and Luminate.
(REUTERS WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)