# American Music Award for Artist of the Year

The American Music Award for Artist of the Year, which is the most prestigious award of the night, has been awarded since 1996. Years reflect the year during which the awards were presented, for works released in the previous year (until 2003 onward, when awards were handed out on November of the same year). The all-time biggest winner in this category is Taylor Swift with 7 wins. Swift is also the most nominated artist with 9 nominations, the first artist ever to be nominated in the category for five consecutive years and the only act to win the award for three consecutive years.

## Winners and nominees
### 1990s

| Year | Artist | Ref |
| 1996 (23rd) |
| 1996 (23rd) | Garth Brooks (Refused) | |
| 1996 (23rd) | TLC (Accepted) | |
| 1996 (23rd) | Boyz II Men | |
| 1996 (23rd) | Green Day | |
| 1996 (23rd) | Hootie & the Blowfish | |
| 1997 – 98 | — | — |
| [[American Music Awards of 1999|1999 (26th)]] |
| [[American Music Awards of 1999|1999 (26th)]] | Garth Brooks | |
| [[American Music Awards of 1999|1999 (26th)]] | Celine Dion (2nd place) | |
| [[American Music Awards of 1999|1999 (26th)]] | Shania Twain (3rd place) | |
| [[American Music Awards of 1999|1999 (26th)]] | Backstreet Boys (4th place) | |
| [[American Music Awards of 1999|1999 (26th)]] | Metallica (5th place) | |

### 2000s

| Year | Artist | Ref |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 2001 (28th) |
| 2001 (28th) | NSYNC | |
| 2001 (28th) | Britney Spears | |
| 2001 (28th) | Creed | |
| 2001 (28th) | Destiny's Child | |
| 2001 (28th) | Eminem | |
| 2001 (28th) | Faith Hill | |
| 2002 (29th) |
| 2002 (29th) | U2 | |
| 2002 (29th) | Destiny's Child | |
| 2002 (29th) | Janet Jackson | |
| 2002 (29th) | Alicia Keys | |
| 2002 (29th) | Tim McGraw | |
| 2002 (29th) | Shaggy | |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2003 (31st) |
| 2003 (31st) | Madonna | |
| 2003 (31st) | Christina Aguilera | |
| 2003 (31st) | Cher | |
| 2003 (31st) | Justin Timberlake | |
| 2003 (31st) | Shania Twain | |
| 2004 (32nd) | | |
| 2004 (32nd) | Kenny Chesney | |
| 2004 (32nd) | Evanescence | |
| 2004 (32nd) | Norah Jones | |
| 2004 (32nd) | Outkast | |
| 2004 (32nd) | Usher | |
| 2005 (33rd) | | |
| 2005 (33rd) | Kelly Clarkson | |
| 2005 (33rd) | 50 Cent | |
| 2005 (33rd) | Mariah Carey | |
| 2005 (33rd) | Green Day | |
| 2005 (33rd) | Toby Keith | |
| 2005 (33rd) | Gwen Stefani | |
| 2006 (34th) | | |
| 2006 (34th) | Rascal Flatts | |
| 2006 (34th) | Beyoncé | |
| 2006 (34th) | Mary J. Blige | |
| 2006 (34th) | Daniel Powter | |
| 2006 (34th) | The Pussycat Dolls | |
| 2007 (35th) | | |
| 2007 (35th) | Carrie Underwood | |
| 2007 (35th) | Akon | |
| 2007 (35th) | Daughtry | |
| 2007 (35th) | Fergie | |
| 2007 (35th) | Norah Jones | |
| 2008 (36th) | | |
| 2008 (36th) | Chris Brown | |
| 2008 (36th) | Coldplay | |
| 2008 (36th) | Eagles | |
| 2008 (36th) | Alicia Keys | |
| 2008 (36th) | Lil Wayne | |
| 2009 (37th) | | |
| 2009 (37th) | Taylor Swift | |
| 2009 (37th) | Eminem | |
| 2009 (37th) | Michael Jackson | |
| 2009 (37th) | Kings of Leon | |
| 2009 (37th) | Lady Gaga | |

### 2010s

| Year | Artist |
| 2010 (38th) |
| 2010 (38th) | Justin Bieber |
| 2010 (38th) | Eminem |
| 2010 (38th) | Kesha |
| 2010 (38th) | Lady Gaga |
| 2010 (38th) | Katy Perry |
| 2011 (39th) | |
| 2011 (39th) | Taylor Swift |
| 2011 (39th) | Adele |
| 2011 (39th) | Lady Gaga |
| 2011 (39th) | Lil Wayne |
| 2011 (39th) | Katy Perry |
| 2012 (40th) | |
| 2012 (40th) | Justin Bieber |
| 2012 (40th) | Drake |
| 2012 (40th) | Maroon 5 |
| 2012 (40th) | Katy Perry |
| 2012 (40th) | Rihanna |
| 2013 (41st) | |
| 2013 (41st) | Taylor Swift |
| 2013 (41st) | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis |
| 2013 (41st) | Bruno Mars |
| 2013 (41st) | Rihanna |
| 2013 (41st) | Justin Timberlake |
| 2014 (42nd) | |
| 2014 (42nd) | One Direction |
| 2014 (42nd) | Iggy Azalea |
| 2014 (42nd) | Beyoncé |
| 2014 (42nd) | Luke Bryan |
| 2014 (42nd) | Katy Perry |
| 2015 (43rd) | |
| 2015 (43rd) | One Direction |
| 2015 (43rd) | Luke Bryan |
| 2015 (43rd) | Ariana Grande |
| 2015 (43rd) | Nicki Minaj |
| 2015 (43rd) | Taylor Swift |
| 2016 (44th) | |
| 2016 (44th) | Ariana Grande |
| 2016 (44th) | Justin Bieber |
| 2016 (44th) | Selena Gomez |
| 2016 (44th) | Rihanna |
| 2016 (44th) | Carrie Underwood |
| 2017 (45th) | |
| 2017 (45th) | Bruno Mars |
| 2017 (45th) | The Chainsmokers |
| 2017 (45th) | Drake |
| 2017 (45th) | Kendrick Lamar |
| 2017 (45th) | Ed Sheeran |
| 2018 (46th) | |
| 2018 (46th) | Taylor Swift |
| 2018 (46th) | Drake |
| 2018 (46th) | Ed Sheeran |
| 2018 (46th) | Imagine Dragons |
| 2018 (46th) | Post Malone |
| 2019 (47th) |
| 2019 (47th) | Taylor Swift |
| 2019 (47th) | Ariana Grande |
| 2019 (47th) | Drake |
| 2019 (47th) | Halsey |
| 2019 (47th) | Post Malone |

### 2020s

| Year | Artist |
| 2020 (48th) |
| 2020 (48th) | Taylor Swift |
| 2020 (48th) | Justin Bieber |
| 2020 (48th) | Post Malone |
| 2020 (48th) | Roddy Ricch |
| 2020 (48th) | The Weeknd |
| 2021 (49th) |
| 2021 (49th) | BTS |
| 2021 (49th) | Ariana Grande |
| 2021 (49th) | Drake |
| 2021 (49th) | Olivia Rodrigo |
| 2021 (49th) | Taylor Swift |
| 2021 (49th) | The Weeknd |
| 2022 (50th) |
| 2022 (50th) | Taylor Swift |
| 2022 (50th) | Adele |
| 2022 (50th) | Bad Bunny |
| 2022 (50th) | Beyoncé |
| 2022 (50th) | Drake |
| 2022 (50th) | Harry Styles |
| 2022 (50th) | The Weeknd |

## Multiple wins

| Rank | Artist | Wins | Years |
| 1. | Taylor Swift | 7 wins | 2009, 2011, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 |
| 2. | Justin Bieber | 2 wins | 2010 and 2012 |
| 2. | One Direction | 2 wins | 2014 and 2015 |