BTS Wins Three Awards at AMA for First Time in 5 Years, Including Artist of the Year

BTS attended the American Music Awards (AMA) in person for the first time in five years and claimed the Artist of the Year title. At the event held on May 25, 2026, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, BTS competed against nine other global pop stars, including Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, and Lady Gaga, to win the top honor. In addition to this award, BTS also received the Song of the Summer award and the Best Male K-Pop Artist award for their comeback song “Swim,” becoming winners in three categories.

“Swim” is the lead single from BTS’s comeback album ARIRANG and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Winning an award for this track reaffirmed BTS’s influence in the global music market. Leader RM and V expressed their gratitude to all ARMY members during their acceptance speech. RM said, “We felt a lot of pressure while preparing ‘Swim,’ and we wondered what kind of song we should release for our comeback. But we firmly believed we had to keep pushing forward.” He added, “We are grateful for the honor of receiving this precious award again after all members have completed their military service. Thank you to ARMY members around the world who have been with us for the past 13 years.”

This was BTS’s first appearance at the AMA in person since 2021, marking approximately five years since their last live participation. By winning Artist of the Year for the second time overall, following their victory in 2021, BTS symbolized a spectacular return from members who had finished their military service.

The global prominence of K-pop was also evident at this AMA. KATSEYE won the New Artist of the Year award, while EJAE of HUNTR/X, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI took home the Song of the Year award for “Golden.” “Golden” stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eight weeks and, in addition to winning Song of the Year, also received the Best Pop Song and Best Vocal Performance awards. KPop Demon Hunters became the winner of the Best Soundtrack category. These results demonstrate the significant impact that K-pop and related music content have on the mainstream American music market.