BTS Wins Artist of the Year at 2026 AMAs, Ties One Direction for Most Group Wins in Category History

BTS added another historic chapter to their American Music Awards legacy at the 2026 ceremony, taking home Artist of the Year for the second time in their career.

The K-pop superstars first won the prestigious category in 2021 and have now become one of only four repeat winners in the history of the award. Among all artists, Taylor Swift remains the record-holder with seven Artist of the Year victories.

With their second win, BTS is now tied with Justin Bieber and One Direction for the second-most Artist of the Year wins in AMA history, behind only Swift. BTS is also now tied with One Direction as the group with the most victories ever in the category.

The group's massive night did not stop there.

BTS also won:

• Song of the Summer for "Swim"
• Best Male K-Pop Artist

Those victories pushed BTS' overall American Music Awards total to 14 career wins, further cementing their place among the most awarded groups in AMA history.

Among duos and groups, only legendary country band Alabama has won more American Music Awards, with 23 career trophies.

The wins mark yet another milestone for BTS as the group continues to dominate globally across pop, touring, streaming, and fan-voted awards. Their continued success at the AMAs highlights both their enduring fan support and their historic impact on bringing K-pop deeper into mainstream Western award recognition.

Fans online celebrated the group's latest achievements throughout the night, with "BTS" and "Artist of the Year" quickly trending across social media following the announcement.