The 2021 American Music Awards (AMAs) took place on April 30, 2021 and was a night to remember. The night was filled with performances and awards from some of the biggest names in music. With so many incredible artists nominated for awards, the competition was fierce and it was thrilling to see who would come out as the ultimate winners. Read on to find out who won the biggest awards of the night and why they deserved them.
The 2021 American Music Awards
took place virtually on April 19th, 2021, celebrating the best in music across genres, from Pop to Rap/Hip-Hop to Country and more.This year's show was hosted by Taraji P. Henson and featured performances from Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, Shawn Mendes and many more. The award categories included Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Favorite Album - Pop/Rock, and many more. The list of nominees in each category was impressive, showcasing some of the biggest names in music.
Artist of the Year nominees included Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd and Dua Lipa, all of whom have had a major impact in the music industry. Taylor Swift was nominated for her eighth consecutive year, showing her continued success as one of the most popular artists in the world.
New Artist of the Year
nominees included Doja Cat, Lewis Capaldi, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch and Summer Walker - all of whom have had an incredible year.Favorite Album - Pop/Rock
nominees included Taylor Swift's Lover, Post Malone's Hollywood's Bleeding, Harry Styles' Fine Line, The Weeknd's After Hours and Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia.Each artist who performed on the night gave a fantastic performance, showcasing why they were nominated for awards. Justin Bieber performed his hit single “Holy”, Dua Lipa performed “Levitating” and Shawn Mendes performed his single “Wonder”. All of the performances were well-received by the audience and critics alike. The winners of the night were met with great joy and celebration.
Taylor Swift won both Artist of the Year and Favorite Album - Pop/Rock. Post Malone won Favorite Male Artist - Pop/Rock and Doja Cat won New Artist of the Year. In her acceptance speech for Artist of the Year, Taylor Swift thanked her fans for their continued support and said “I can’t believe I’m standing here right now, after everything we’ve been through this past year. I’m so proud to be a part of this amazing community of music makers”.
Although there were many deserving winners at this year’s AMA’s there were some notable omissions in certain categories.
Favorite Album - Rap/Hip-Hop
, for example, did not include Drake’s Dark Lane Demo Tapes or Lil Baby’s My Turn despite both albums having a huge impact in the music industry in 2020. It is possible that other artists were favoured due to their greater presence on streaming services or their social media following. The 2021 American Music Awards have already had a huge impact on the careers of all of the winners.For some of them it is their first major award win and for others it is a further confirmation of their status as one of the biggest stars in music today. It is also likely that their success will have an effect on the music industry more broadly as it will encourage people to listen to more diverse genres of music and to recognise smaller artists who may otherwise be overlooked. The show itself was also impressive with an innovative set design and state-of-the-art technical production. Taraji P.
Henson was an entertaining host throughout the night and overall it was an enjoyable evening for viewers who tuned in from all over the world. In addition to this, it was revealed that this year’s show had garnered more than 120 million votes from fans around the world – a testament to its popularity among music fans.
Analysis & Implications
The 2021 American Music Awards offered an impressive slate of performers and award winners, with a mix of veteran artists and newcomers being honored. However, some artists and genres were notably overlooked. For example, in the Pop/Rock category, artists such as The Weeknd and Harry Styles were shut out despite having major hits this year.This could be due to the industry's preference for younger talent and the fact that The Weeknd and Styles are both established stars. In the rap/hip-hop category, the award went to Cardi B, who has been a mainstay on the charts for the past few years. While she is undoubtedly a deserving winner, the absence of newer acts like Pop Smoke and Roddy Ricch was notable. This could be attributed to a lack of recognition for emerging talent or to a higher preference for established artists. The implications of the awards are twofold. On the one hand, it shows that established artists are still favored by the industry over newcomers.
On the other hand, it may give recognition to some lesser-known artists who may not have gotten it otherwise. It also provides an opportunity for rising stars to make their mark in the music industry. Overall, the 2021 American Music Awards offered a wide variety of winners across genres, but there are still some artists and genres that are being overlooked. It is important to recognize these trends in order to ensure that all kinds of music are being represented in awards ceremonies. Doing so will help foster diversity in the music industry and recognize emerging talent that may not have gotten recognition otherwise.
Performances
The 2021 American Music Awards featured an array of incredible performances.Justin Bieber opened the show with a medley of his hits “Holy” and “Lonely,” while Dua Lipa sang her hit “Levitating.” Shawn Mendes performed a powerful acoustic rendition of “Wonder,” and twenty one pilots closed out the night with their song “Level of Concern.” Other performers included BTS, who performed their single “Butter,” Doja Cat, who sang her hit “Say So,” and Billie Eilish, who performed her song “Therefore I Am.” Katy Perry also made a surprise appearance to perform her new single “Electricity.”The show also featured special virtual appearances from Taylor Swift, Drake, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and many more. There were also special awards presented to artist legends such as Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston. The show was produced with impeccable precision, from the set design to the lighting effects. Every performance was captivating and full of energy, with the artists displaying their raw talent and emotion on stage. The winners also gave inspiring speeches upon accepting their awards.
Justin Bieber
thanked his fans for their love and support throughout the years, saying that “without you guys I wouldn’t be here.” Dua Lipa expressed gratitude for being able to make music and perform for her fans, saying “I love making music and I love being able to share it with all of you.” Shawn Mendes shared an inspiring message about embracing life's challenges with courage, saying “If we can all just take a moment to be brave together, I think we can get through anything.” The 2021 American Music Awards was an incredible night of music and entertainment.From the special guest appearances to the breathtaking performances, the show was a night to remember.
Award Categories & Nominees
The 2021 American Music Awards featured multiple categories recognizing artists in genres ranging from Pop to Rap/Hip-Hop to Country and more. The categories included Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Favorite Album - Pop/Rock, and Favorite Male Artist - Country. In the Artist of the Year category, the nominees were Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Roddy Ricch, Justin Bieber, and Dua Lipa. All five artists have achieved significant success in 2020, with Swift earning a record-breaking six Grammy Awards and Ricch becoming one of the first hip-hop artists to win Song of the Year at the Grammys.Post Malone has enjoyed a successful career in both music and film, Bieber is one of the most successful singers of all time, and Dua Lipa has become a major force in the pop industry. The New Artist of the Year nominees were Doja Cat, Lewis Capaldi, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby, and Pop Smoke. All five artists have seen tremendous success in 2020; Doja Cat has earned multiple awards for her hit single “Say So”, Lewis Capaldi has been nominated for multiple Brit Awards, Megan Thee Stallion’s single “Savage” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, DaBaby’s third studio album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, and Pop Smoke was posthumously nominated for Best New Artist at the 2021 Grammy Awards. The Favorite Album - Pop/Rock nominees were Taylor Swift’s folklore, Justin Bieber’s Changes, Harry Styles’ Fine Line, Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding, and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia. Each of these albums was met with critical acclaim and commercial success; Swift’s folklore was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2021 Grammy Awards and Bieber’s Changes debuted at number one on both the US Billboard 200 chart and the Canadian Albums Chart. Finally, the Favorite Male Artist - Country nominees were Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Thomas Rhett, and Chris Stapleton. All five artists have been nominated for multiple awards in 2020; Wallen is a three-time ACM Awards nominee, Combs won Album of the Year at the CMA Awards 2020, Brown won Best Collaboration at the 2021 Grammy Awards, Rhett was named Entertainer of the Year at the ACM Awards 2020, and Stapleton won Best Country Solo Performance at the 2021 Grammy Awards. The 2021 American Music Awards was certainly a memorable event, with performances from some of the biggest names in music, as well as some much-deserved recognition for talented artists across genres.
The awards show not only serves to recognize the successes of the year but also provides an indication of what the future of music may look like. As we move forward, we can expect to see more collaboration between artists, and a greater appreciation for all types of music. It's safe to say that this year's show set the bar high for future award shows.
