Award Shows

Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Cardi B & More Potential Record-Setters at the 2020 American Music Awards

Written by KingCnote on October 27, 2020

Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Cardi B could make history when the 2020 American Music Awards are presented live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Nov. 22.

Swift is nominated for favorite female artist pop/rock. If she wins, she’ll become the first five-time winner in the show’s history. She is currently tied with Olivia Newton-John and Whitney Houston with four wins each. Moreover, this would be Swift’s third consecutive win in that key category. She’d be the first woman to win three straight awards in that category since Houston from 1987-89.

The other two nominees for favorite female artist – pop/rock are Lady Gaga, who has two previous wins in the category, and Dua Lipa.

Swift is also nominated for favorite music video for “Cardigan.” She won last year for “You Need to Calm Down.” She’s vying to become the first two-time winner in the category since it was re-introduced in 2017.

The other nominees for favorite music video are Doja Cat’s “Say So,” Future ft. Drake’s “Life Is Good,” Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me” and The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.”

Bieber is vying for his fourth award as favorite male artist – pop/rock. That would, likewise, set a record in this category. The Bieb is currently tied for the lead with Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton, Eric Clapton and Michael Jackson, with three awards each.

The other two nominees in that category are Post Malone, who won two years ago, and The Weeknd.

There are separate male and female awards in rap/hip-hop for the first time since 2005, a sign of that genre’s current strength.

Cardi B, who won favorite rap/hip-hop artist the last two years running, is nominated for favorite female artist – rap/hip-hop, along with Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion. Minaj is a three-time winner for favorite rap/hip-hop artist.

Juice WRLD, who died of a seizure in December 2019, is vying for favorite male artist – rap/hip-hop. The other nominees are DaBaby and Roddy Ricch. Juice WRLD would not be the first winner in this genre to win posthumously. 2Pac took the 1997 award for favorite rap/hip-hop artist, four months after he was shot to death in Las Vegas.

The American Music Awards are billed as “the world’s largest fan-voted award show.” Nominations are based on key fan interactions including streaming, album and digital song sales, radio airplay and social activity. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and its data partners MRC Data and Next Big Sound, and reflect the time period of Sept. 27, 2019 through Sept. 24, 2020.

The 2020 American Music Awards is produced by dick clark productions, which is owned by MRC Entertainment, the parent company of Billboard. Amy Thurlow, Barry Adelman, Mark Bracco and Linda Gierahn are executive producers. Larry Klein is producer.

The show will air live on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. The host has yet to be announced.

Here are the nominations in these five categories in list form:

Favorite Male Artist – Pop/Rock

Justin Bieber

Post Malone

The Weeknd

Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock

Dua Lipa

Lady Gaga

Taylor Swift

Favorite Male Artist – Rap/Hip-Hop

DaBaby