Taylor Swift took the high road as she won six American Music Awards on Sunday to surpass Michael Jackson‘s all-time record, avoiding any direct mention of a bitter dispute with her old record company.
Swift won the top award, artist of the year, and four others.
She was also given an honorary artist of the decade award, taking her all-time total to 29 American Music Awards, organizers said. That easily outstripped the 24 awards picked up by Jackson.
“All that matters to me is the memories that I have had with you guys, with you the fans, over the years,” Swift, 29, told the audience at the ceremony in Los Angeles after performing a medley of her old hits.
Swift had been expected to speak out about a long feud with record industry executive Scooter Braun, who owns the master recordings to her first six albums after Swift signed with a new label in 2018.
She accused Braun last week of refusing permission for her to sing songs from her back catalog at the awards show. The public spat culminated last week with Braun saying that his family had received numerous death threats after the pop singer urged her 122 million Instagram fans to let Braun “know how you feel about this”.
“This year for me has been a lot. It’s been a lot of good, it’s been a lot of really complicated,” she said, without elaborating.
She beat Drake, Ariana Grande, Halsey and Post Malone as artist of the year.
Launch the gallery above to see photos of Taylor Swift at the 2019 American Music Awards.
A list of the winners at the 2019 American Music Awards, held Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
— Artist of the year: Taylor Swift
— New artist of the year: Billie Eilish
— Collaboration of the year: Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, “Senorita”
— Favorite pop/rock female artist: Taylor Swift
— Favorite pop/rock male artist: Khalid
— Favorite pop/rock duo or group: BTS
— Favorite pop/rock song: Halsey, “Without Me”
— Favorite pop/rock album: Taylor Swift, “Lover”
— Favorite rap/hip-hop artist: Cardi B
— Favorite rap/hip-hop song: Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road”
— Favorite rap/hip-hop album: Post Malone, “Hollywood’s Bleeding”
— Favorite soul/R&B female artist: Beyoncé
— Favorite soul/R&B male artist: Bruno Mars
— Favorite soul/R&B song: Khalid, “Talk”
— Favorite soul/R&B album: Khalid, “Free Spirit”
— Favorite country female artist: Carrie Underwood
— Favorite country male artist: Kane Brown
— Favorite country duo or group: Dan + Shay
— Favorite country song: Dan + Shay, “Speechless”
— Favorite country album: Carrie Underwood, “Cry Pretty”
— Favorite alternative rock artist: Billie Eilish
— Favorite adult contemporary artist: Taylor Swift
— Favorite Latin artist: J Balvin
— Favorite contemporary inspirational artist: Lauren Daigle
— Favorite electronic dance music artist: Marshmello
— Favorite social artist: BTS
— Favorite music video: Taylor Swift, “You Need to Calm Down”
— Artist of the decade: Taylor Swift
— Tour of the year: BTS
— Favorite soundtrack: “Bohemian Rhapsody”
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