BTS win Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards, a first for Asia, four years after their debut performance at AMAs

The K-pop act beat out Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift to take the honour at the AMAs ceremony in Los Angeles. They are the first Asian band to win

BTS’ RM salutes band’s Army fandom in his acceptance speech, saying: ‘Nobody could have ever bet on … us standing here receiving this award. Except you all’

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BTS accept the award for artist of the year at the American Music Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. The K-pop band are the first Asian act to win the award. Photo: AP

Published: 12:25pm, 22 Nov 2021Updated: 12:26pm, 22 Nov 2021

In 2017, BTS performed for the first time at the American Music Awards (AMAs). Four years later, the K-pop boy band made history by winning artist of the year at the prestigious US awards show.

BTS took home the award on Sunday evening in the United States after a whirlwind year for the band, who scored hit after hit, including Butter and the Coldplay collab My Universe, both of which they performed at the AMAs.

The history-making South Korean septetare the first Asian act to take home the title at the AMAs since the category was launched in 1996. (Bruno Mars, who is of Asian descent though born in the US, has also won the title.)

This year’s socially distanced AMAs ceremony in Los Angeles comes just ahead of the announcement on November 23 of nominations for the upcoming Grammy Awards, set to be held in January. BTS are expected to receive multiple nominations.

BTS beat out Ariana Grande, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd, and reigning AMAs Artist of the Year title holder Taylor Swift.