BTS Dominates 2026 AMAs: Artist of the Year Win Marks Historic K-Pop Sweep
BTS Dominates 2026 AMAs: Artist of the Year Win Marks Historic K-Pop Sweep
BTS cements their legend status with a huge Artist of the Year win at the 2026 AMAs! From Katseye’s major debut to Sabrina Carpenter’s sweep, here is everything that went down.
The Kings of K-pop are back and bigger than ever! South Korean superstars BTS have once again claimed the crown, winning Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards for the second consecutive year. Despite a recent hiatus for military service, the seven-piece group proved their global influence remains unmatched, beating out heavyweights like Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga for the night’s most prestigious prize.
But the wins didn’t stop there for the BTS Army. The group also took home the awards for Song of the Summer for their hit single "Swim" and Best Male K-pop Artist. Their victory comes in the midst of a massive $1 billion world tour, proving that their time away only made the fan demand grow stronger. Meanwhile, the night was also a massive success for their label partners, Katseye, who were named New Artist of the Year.
Katseye, performing as a five-member group in the absence of founding member Manon Bannerman, also secured trophies for Best Music Video for "Gnarly" and Breakthrough Pop Artist. During their acceptance speeches, the group made sure to give a special shout-out to their seniors, BTS, acknowledging the path the legends have paved for new K-pop acts on the American stage.
The 2026 AMAs weren't just about K-pop, though. Sabrina Carpenter had a stellar night, taking home Album of the Year for "Man’s Best Friend," along with Best Female Pop Artist and Best Pop Album. In a surprising turn of events, Taylor Swift, who entered the night with eight nominations and holds the record for most AMA wins, unfortunately went home empty-handed this year.
Other highlights included EJAE and Rei Ami winning Song of the Year for "Golden," the viral track from the animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters." The duo also snagged Best Pop Song and Best Vocal Performance. Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress won Collaboration of the Year for "Stateside," while Larsson also celebrated a win for Breakthrough Album of the Year for "Midnight Sun." It was truly a historic night that showcased the shifting landscape of the global music industry.
['#AMAs2026', '#BTSArtistOfTheYear', '#Katseye']
