ARMIES, we did it!
K-pop supergroup BTS won big at the 2026 American Music Awards on Monday, May 25, after making a triumphant return to the awards ceremony after four years.
The seven-member group (RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook) received deafening cheers from fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas as they celebrated a massive one-year comeback after their military hiatus.
After an electrifying performance, BTS finally won Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer for Swim, and Best K-Pop Male Artist.
BTS AMA 2026 performance
Although the group skipped the red carpet, they opened the night in dramatic fashion with a pre-recorded performance by Thug from his new album ARIRANG filmed during their ongoing world tour.
The performance instantly energized the stadium and reminded fans why BTS remains one of music’s most dominant live acts.
What awards did BTS win at the 2026 AMAs?
BTS had one of the biggest nights of the ceremony, winning in all three categories in which they were nominated. The group won Artist of the Year for the first time since 2021 and also took home Song of the Summer for Swim and Best Male K-Pop Artist.
Accepting Artist of the Year, presented by Busta Rhymes, RM thanked fans for supporting the group throughout their 13-year career. “As the legendary Busta Rhymes said, it’s a fan-voted award, so our biggest thanks and gratitude goes to ARMYs around the world,” he said. “You supported us for the last 13 years, thank you very much.”
J-Hope added: “Wow. We are overwhelmed by the reaction to this album.”
For the fan-voted honor, the group beat out a star-studded field of competitors that included Bad Bunny, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen and Sabrina Carpenter.
SZA fans on BTS
One of the sweetest moments of the night came when BTS presented SZA with the award for Best Female R&B Artist.
Clearly starstruck, SZA paused her acceptance speech to gush about the group. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, formally, in person… I had to take this moment to just… let this be the moment,” he told members before continuing his speech.
