Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Global K-pop idol group BTS made history once again at the 52nd American Music Awards (AMAs), held on May 25, 2026.
At the ceremony held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the seven members of BTS took home the prestigious Artist of the Year award for the second time and were crowned Song of the Summer.
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This victory marked BTS's return as a full group after all members completed their mandatory military service, reaffirming their dominance in the global music industry.
The full attendance of BTS members—RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook—was a highlight of the evening, especially after they concluded a successful four-night concert at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
They not only accepted their awards but also delivered an energetic opening performance and presented trophies to the other artists.
The 52nd American Music Awards (AMAs) aired live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+, with Queen Latifah hosting the ceremony, 31 years after she first co-hosted in 1995.
BTS's win in the Artist of the Year category was significant, as they beat out big names like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Harry Styles.
BTS Dominates the 2026 AMAs Stage
The Artist of the Year award at the 2026 American Music Awards was a major highlight for BTS, marking their second win in this prestigious category.
The group previously won the same award in 2021, demonstrating their continued consistency and appeal in the international music scene.
This victory came after BTS competed closely with a number of other popular nominees, including Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, and Sabrina Carpenter.
BTS's success in outperforming their competitors demonstrates the strength of their incredible fan base and the widespread impact of their music across various demographics.
The Artist of the Year award reflects high fan engagement metrics, such as streaming, album sales, radio airplay, and tour revenue.
RM and Jimin's acceptance speeches were also emotional moments, expressing their gratitude to ARMY for their unconditional support.
“First and foremost, big shout out to ARMY. Thank you so much for giving all the love for ‘SWIM.’ When we made this, we had a lot of pressure, and were trying to figure out what kind of music felt the most like us right now. The only thing we believed then was that we have to keep challenging [ourselves] and keep moving forward."
"SWIM" Named Song of the Summer
In addition to Artist of the Year, BTS also took home the Song of the Summer award for their song "SWIM."
This song is one of the featured tracks from their fifth studio album, ARIRANG, released in early 2026.
"SWIM" immediately captured the attention of the public and music critics upon its debut, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
This achievement makes "SWIM" BTS's seventh song to top the Billboard Hot 100.
Furthermore, "SWIM" also managed to hold the No. 1 spot for several weeks on the Billboard Global Charts.
This win adds to BTS's long list of achievements, making them one of the most successful artists at the 52nd American Music Awards, along with Bruno Mars, Cardi B, Katseye, Sombr, and Sabrina Carpenter, who also won three awards each.
BTS's Impressive Presence and Performance
All members of BTS, consisting of RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, attended the 2026 American Music Awards in person.
Their arrival in Las Vegas came shortly after their successful second sold-out four-night concert at Allegiant Stadium.
Jimin thanked fans for their continued support throughout their tour.
The night opened with BTS's energetic performance of "Hooligan," a song from their latest album, Arirang.
Although the performance was pre-recorded, it created a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
In addition to performing, BTS also had the honor of presenting the Best Female R&B Artist award to SZA.