AMA Recap: One Direction Is Artist Of The Year, Taylor Swift's 'Blank Space' Song Of The Year, Sam Hunt New Artist Of The Year

One Direction, Taylor Swift, Sam Hunt Win Big

As ALL ACCESS reported last night (NET NEWS 11/22), ONE DIRECTION were the big winners at the AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, earning their seventh AMA  -- and second in a row -- as Artist Of The Year, giving them a total of two for the evening. TAYLOR SWIFT was the other leader on the board, earning a field-leading three AMA statues (out of a high six nominations), including Song Of The Year for "Blank Space." Country star SAM HUNT earned New Artist Of The Year honors.

ONE DIRECTION also received a nod for Favorite Duo or Group -- Pop/Rock, while, in addition to Song Of The Year, TAYLOR SWIFT took home Favorite Album -- Pop/Rock for "1989" and Favorite Artist -- Adult Contemporary.

NICKI MINAJ, THE WEEKND and FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE were the others who scored two AMAs apiece, while LUKE BRYAN, CARRIE UNDERWOOD, ED SHEERAN, RIHANNA, FALL OUT BOY, CALVIN HARRIS, ENRIQUE IGLESIAS, COUNTING CROWNS, SKRILLEX, DIPLO and JUSTIN BIEBER were among the other winners at tonight's ceremony, which aired live on ABC from the MICROSOFT THEATRE at L.A. LIVE.

THE WEEKND got the evening's first award from an Afro-clad, 3rdEYE-shades-wearing PRINCE for Favorite Album -- Soul & R&B for his chart-topping "Beauty Behind The Madness," then took home Favorite Male Artist -- Soul/R&B later that night.

NICKI MINAJ was awarded Favorite Album -- Rap/Hip-Hop for "The Pinkprint" over DRAKE and J. COLE and Favorite Artist -- Rap/Hip-Hop, while FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE took home Favorite Album -- Country honors for "Anything Goes" and Favorite Duo Or Group -- Country.

ARIANA GRANDE upset SWIFT for Favorite Female Artist -- Pop/Rock. while ED SHEERAN earned Favorite Male Artist -- Pop/Rock over NICK JONAS and SAM SMITH and RIHANNA was voted Favorite Female Artist -- Soul/R&B. 

LUKE BRYAN was named Favorite Male Artist -- Country, and CARRIE UNDERWOOD was tapped Favorite Female Artist -- Country, while ED SHEERAN copped Favorite Male Artist. ENRIQUE IGLESIAS won Favorite Artist -- LATIN, COUNTING CROWNS Favorite Artist -- Contemporary Inspirational, CALVIN HARRIS took home Favorite Artist -- Electronic Dance Music and "Pitch Perfect 2" was named Top Soundtrack.

PUFF DADDY presented T-MOBILE's "Collaboration of the Year" award to SKRILLEX and DIPLO featuring JUSTIN BIEBER for his surprise comeback hit, "Where Are U Now," as FALL OUT BOY earned Favorite Artist -- Alternative Rock honors over HOZIER and WALK THE MOON.

JENNIFER LOPEZ got the proceedings off to a dazzling start as the show's ostensible hostess with the mostest. "This is about the music," she claimed, then launched into a dance routine to a medley of the year's biggest hits, including "Uptown Funk," "Anaconda," "7.11," "Can't Feel My Face" and "Bad Blood," the first of what would be 17 live performances during the star-studded evening.

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER leaned into their harmony-laded pop-punk rocker, "Hey Everybody," SELENA GOMEZ followed with her hit, "Same Old Love" and CARRIE UNDERWOOD, resplendent in a floor-length red gown slit to her thigh, crooned "Heartbeat."

A short-skirted, red-lipsticked, raven-haired DEMI LOVATO proved her rock bona fides with a confident version of "Confident," but it was venerable star MISS PIGGY who hogged the limelight with her rendition of ADELE"s "Hello" to a clearly enraptured KERMIT THE FROG on an ABC promo spot that almost overshadowed the main event itself.

MEGHAN TRAINOR upstaged her own "Like I"m Going To Lose You," by segueing into her duet with CHARLIE PUTH on "Marvin Gaye," that included a OMG "Let's Get It On" liplock with her willing partner.

ARIANA GRANDE killed with what pundits were terming a "lounge-salsa-R&B mash-up" on "Focus," before ONE DIRECTION caused a fair amount of audience hysteria, celebrating their earlier AMA award with a take TWITTER followers deemed a "perfect" version of "Perfect," followed by ex-teen idol NICK JONAS performing a soulful "Levels," accompanied by a rousing gospel choir.

WALK THE MOON then delighted the crowd with a colorful, glittery jacket and holiday-sweater themed performance of their smash hit, "Shut Up And Dance," followed by GWEN STEFANI with her kiss-off song to GAVIN ROSSDALE, "Used To Love You," and COLDPLAY, with CHRIS MARTIN offering a "trippy, kaleidoscopic" take on their new single, "Adventures Of A Lifetime,' from the band's upcoming album, "A Head Full Of Dreams," scheduled for release DECEMBER 4th.

THE WEEKND threatened to burn the place down, taking the stage for a fiery "The Hills." followed by LUKE BRYAN and LITTLE BIG TOWN's KAREN FAIRCHILD's country-rockin' duet, "Home Alone Tonight." MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS were joined by special guest LEON BRIDGES for a powerful new song that takes aim at the pharmaceutical industry.

DEMI LOVATO joined ALANIS MORISSETTE for a searing 20th anniversary performance of "You Oughta Know."  CELINE DION then took the stage for a moving tribute to FRANCE with a take on EDITH PIAFs "Hymne a L'Amour" that elicited a warm, standing ovation.

Up next was PENTATONIX, dressed in "Star Wars" gear, teamed up with a full symphony orchestra on JOHN WILLIAMS' famed score for the sci-fi classic.

For the finale, JUSTIN BIEBER performed a simple, soulful "What Do You Mean?" with just an acoustic guitar for backing, then followed with his winning collaboration, "Where Are U Now" and the mea culpa, "Sorry," an appropriately cathartic end to an evening of celebration.

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