The DJ/Producer trusted to provide the soundtrack for the evening managed to sneak in some metal into the broadcast.
The 49th edition of the American Music Awards took place over the weekend with a host music’s biggest stars all convening at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles to honor the year’s standouts.
Hosted by pop culture fixture and hip hop superstar Cardi B, the event also featured Diplo as the house DJ for the evening, selecting the soundtrack for the night in between presenters and performances.
It was especially brief but for those that might have missed it, Diplo managed to slide in some selections that were surprising for the network television broadcast. Possibly injecting a bit of his own personal taste in the ceremony, Diplo also flexed his versatility when he dropped some metal into the set.
Arguably the best-timed bumper music drop happened when Machine Gun Kelly took to the stage to help present the ‘New Artist of the Year’ award. As MGK emerged onstage the first bars of Slipknot’s “Wait and Bleed” can be heard. The selection underscored Diplo not only has some range but equally a good sense of humor.
Machine Gun Kelly would go on to take home the hardware for ‘Favorite Rock Artist’ of the year, edging out the likes of Foo Fighters, Glass Animals, All Time Low, and AJR in the category. During his acceptance, MGK spoke about the success of his crossover album in Tickets To My Downfall and dedicated the win to emerging artists, “all the aspiring musicians – the one who wants to play an instrument, wants to rap, wants to sing. Not just the rock artists, but all the artists who are rock stars.”
Find a complete list the winners from the 2021 American Music Awards below.
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande
BTS (WINNER)
Drake
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn
Giveon
Masked Wolf
Olivia Rodrigo (WINNER)
The Kid LAROI
COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DÁKITI”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More” (WINNER)
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon “Peaches”
FAVORITE TRENDING SONG
Erica Banks “Buss It”
Måneskin “Beggin’”
Megan Thee Stallion “Body” (WINNER)
Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
Popp Hunna “Adderall (Corvette Corvette)”
FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open”
Cardi B “Up”
Lil Nas X “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” (WINNER)
Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
The Weeknd “Save Your Tears”
FAVORITE MALE POP ARTIST
Drake
Ed Sheeran (WINNER)
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
The Weeknd
FAVORITE FEMALE POP ARTIST
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
Dua Lipa
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift (WINNER)
FAVORITE POP DUO OR GROUP
AJR
BTS (WINNER)
Glass Animals
Maroon 5
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
FAVORITE POP ALBUM
Ariana Grande “Positions”
Dua Lipa “Future Nostalgia”
Olivia Rodrigo “SOUR”
Taylor Swift “evermore” (WINNER)
The Kid LAROI “F*CK LOVE”
FAVORITE POP SONG
BTS “Butter” (WINNER)
Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More”
Dua Lipa “Levitating”
Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears (Remix)”
FAVORITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Chris Stapleton
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan (WINNER)
Luke Combs
*Morgan Wallen
FAVORITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST
Carrie Underwood (WINNER)
Gabby Barrett
Kacey Musgraves
Maren Morris
Miranda Lambert
FAVORITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP
Dan + Shay (WINNER)
Florida Georgia Line
Lady A
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
FAVORITE COUNTRY ALBUM
Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
Gabby Barrett “Goldmine” (WINNER)
Lee Brice “Hey World”
Luke Bryan “Born Here Live Here Die Here”
*Morgan Wallen “Dangerous: The Double Album”
FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG
Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
Chris Young & Kane Brown “Famous Friends”
Gabby Barrett “The Good Ones” (WINNER)
Luke Combs “Forever After All”
Walker Hayes “Fancy Like”
FAVORITE MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Drake (WINNER)
Lil Baby
Moneybagg Yo
Polo G
Pop Smoke
FAVORITE FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Erica Banks
Megan Thee Stallion (WINNER)
Saweetie
FAVORITE HIP-HOP ALBUM
Drake “Certified Lover Boy”
Juice WRLD “Legends Never Die”
Megan Thee Stallion “Good News” (WINNER)
Pop Smoke “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon”
Rod Wave “SoulFly”
FAVORITE HIP-HOP SONG
Cardi B “Up” (WINNER)
Internet Money ft. Gunna, Don Toliver & NAV “Lemonade”
Lil Tjay ft. 6LACK “Calling My Phone”
Polo G “RAPSTAR”
Pop Smoke “What You Know Bout Love”
FAVORITE MALE R&B ARTIST
Chris Brown
Giveon
Tank
The Weeknd (WINNER)
Usher
FAVORITE FEMALE R&B ARTIST
Doja Cat (WINNER)
H.E.R.
Jazmine Sullivan
Jhené Aiko
SZA
FAVORITE R&B ALBUM
Doja Cat “Planet Her” (WINNER)
Giveon “When It’s All Said And Done… Take Time”
H.E.R. “Back of My Mind”
Jazmine Sullivan “Heaux Tales”
Queen Naija “missunderstood”
FAVORITE R&B SONG
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open” (WINNER)
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Giveon “Heartbreak Anniversary”
H.E.R. “Damage”
Jazmine Sullivan “Pick Up Your Feelings”
FAVORITE MALE LATIN ARTIST
Bad Bunny (WINNER)
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna
Rauw Alejandro
FAVORITE FEMALE LATIN ARTIST
Becky G (WINNER)
Kali Uchis
KAROL G
Natti Natasha
ROSALÍA
FAVORITE LATIN DUO OR GROUP
Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga (WINNER)
Calibre 50
Eslabon Armado
La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho
Los Dos Carnales
FAVORITE LATIN ALBUM
Bad Bunny “EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO” (WINNER)
Kali Uchis “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)”
KAROL G “KG0516”
Maluma “PAPI JUANCHO”
Rauw Alejandro “Afrodisíaco”
FAVORITE LATIN SONG
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DÁKITI”
Bad Bunny x ROSALÍA “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE”
Farruko “Pepas”
Kali Uchis “telepatía” (WINNER)
Maluma & The Weeknd “Hawái (Remix)”
FAVORITE ROCK ARTIST
AJR
All Time Low
Foo Fighters
Glass Animals
Machine Gun Kelly (WINNER)
FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST
CAIN
Carrie Underwood (WINNER)
Elevation Worship
Lauren Daigle
Zach Williams
FAVORITE GOSPEL ARTIST
Kanye West (WINNER)
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Maverick City Music
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
FAVORITE DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST
David Guetta
ILLENIUM
Marshmello (WINNER)
Regard
Tiësto
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