AMAs give BTS Artist of the Year award

BTS collects three awards at the American Music Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, including Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop Duo or Group and Favorite Pop Song for "Butter." [AP/YONHAP]

BTS was named Artist of the Year at the 2021 American Music Awards (AMAs), the first Asian artists to win the award. It also won two other awards: Favorite Pop Duo or Group and Favorite Pop Song for "Butter."

After winning Artist of the Year on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, member RM recalled in a speech that the group was there four years ago and gave its first performance at the event, singing "DNA."

“We were too excited and nervous at the time, and it's been a long and amazing ride since then," he said.

He marveled at how "seven boys from Korea united by the love for music" gained so much love and support from fans all over the world.

"The whole thing is a miracle. We will never take this for granted."

Member Jungkook followed RM.

“We just wanted to make people happy with our music,” he said. “We believe that this award opens the beginning of our new chapter.”

For Artist of the Year, BTS competed against Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Drake and Olivia Rodrigo.

It won all three categories it was nominated in. “Butter,” the band’s second English song after “Dynamite (2020),” competed against “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat featuring SZA, “Levitating” by Dua Lipa, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo, and “Save Your Tears (Remix)” by The Weeknd & Ariana Grande.

For Favorite Pop Duo or Group, the band competed against AJR, Glass Animals, Maroon 5, and Silk Sonic.

BTS was first honored at the AMAs by winning Favorite Social Artist in 2018. It won three awards including Favorite Social Artist, Pop/Rock Favorite Pop Duo or Group, and Tour of the Year in 2019. Last year, it won Pop/Rock Favorite Pop Duo or Group and Favorite Social Artist, a category that has been dropped, as was Tour of the Year.

“BTS winning AMAs, which choose winners with votes from fans and the public, really shows how big a fandom the Korean band has built in the United States,” said music critic Jung Min-jae.

“This year, BTS did a lot to stay on top of the music charts and these awards prove how successful they have been.”

During the ceremony, BTS performed “My Universe” with Coldplay. It was the first time the two bands performed the single since its release in September. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has remained on the chart since.

BTS also performed its megahit “Butter.” The band originally planned to perform the version it made with rapper Megan Three Stallion, which dropped in August after the original came out in May. But the rapper had to cancel due to an “unexpected personal matter.”

With the victories at the AMAs, attention now shifts to whether the band will be nominated for Grammy Awards this year. Nominees are announced on Nov. 24 for an awards ceremony set for Jan. 31.

Meanwhile, BTS is set to hold “BTS Permission to Dance on Stage” concerts in Los Angeles on Nov. 27 and 28 and Dec. 1 and 2. They will be the first live concerts the band has held in about two years.

BY LEE SUN-MIN [summerlee@joongang.co.kr]