The American Music Awards finds its place in the elite Big Three award shows in the music. The coveted award has immense relevance in the global music arena.
The award show which makes its presence felt at every Fall has got a fascinating story, to begin with. The network contract for airing the Grammy Awards with ABC expired. It was Dick Clark who was a cultural icon in the USA and also a famous film, television and radio personality, who initiated this award which was then aired through ABC. The American Music Awards is on the top of the list among the Big Three Awards as the other two awards being the very popular Grammy and Billboard Music. The winners, as well as the nominations, are selected rightfully by members who belong to the music industry and this happened till the edition that was held in 2005. The commercial performance was the primary parameter on which recognition was given to the awardees as figures of airplay and sales are of paramount importance. But things started to change from the edition that was held in 2006 where public polls are implemented by the authority for the award show as fans got an opportunity to vote for their favorite artist through the website of AMA and henceforth determining the winner. Society Awards which is a famous firm based out of New York manufactures the statues for the award.
The award was hosted by Smokey Robinson, Roger Miller, and Helen Reddy as it was telecasted for the first time. It was quite a coincidence that in the favorite female artist category for pop-rock Helen Reddy was awarded as she also holds the record for winning the American Music Awards as a female artist. Glen Campbell also holds the record for hosting and co-hosting the show for the maximum number of times. However, things have changed in the recent past as a single host takes the responsibility to carry the show on his or her stride. Generally, the award show is hosted in the second half of January.
The award touches upon almost all the genres starting from pop-rock to country and also includes the very popular rap/hip hop and soul/R&B. There is a category called the General where awards are given to the year’s best artist as well as the best debutant in the new artist category. The most popular soundtrack are also awarded in several other important categories like best collaboration, best video and best tour in that particular year. Earlier the categories were termed slightly differently but the relevance of the recognition has always been immense and it is the same till today.
Taylor Alison Swift, the famous pop musician, holds the record of winning the American Music Awards for the highest number of times which is a staggering figure, twenty-nine. She is followed by the pop legend and the arguably the most famous dancing sensation the world has ever seen, Michael Jackson who won the award twenty-four times. As a group, Alabama holds the record of winning it the most number of times which is twenty-three.
The long list glitters with many legends of the world of music and the show has enthralled the global audience with its grandeur every year. It is a very special global recognition of talent that makes the artist stand in good stead in the future and helps there career to flourish even more.
In the last edition of the award that was held in 2019 was hosted by Ciara in Los Angeles’s Microsoft theatre as the audience were witness to some swashbuckling performance. In the year 2020the award will be hosted in the same venue for the previous year and is slated for 22nd November where we will get to see some of the top-notch performances for the year.