Here Are The Winners Of The 2025 American Music Awards

sza american music awards 2025
Getty Image

The 2025 American Music Awards returned with a star-studded list of nominees, performers, and presenters, as well as a powerhouse host, Jennifer Lopez. While Kendrick Lamar led all nominees, with ten nominations, the night was anyone’s to take, with Post Malone nominated for eight awards, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey tied for seven each, and a whole bunch of both breakout stars and established vets competing for America’s votes in one of the only fan-voted award shows currently airing. You can check out the full list of winners below.

Artist Of The Year

Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan
Kendrick Lamar
Morgan Wallen
Post Malone
Sabrina Carpenter
SZA
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan

New Artist Of The Year

Gracie Abrams
Benson Boone
Chappell Roan
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims
Tommy Richman

Album Of The Year

Beyoncé — Cowboy Carter
Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard And Soft
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli XCX — Brat
Gracie Abrams — The Secret of Us
Future & Metro Boomin — We Don’t Trust You
Kendrick Lamar — GNX
Post Malone — F-1 Trillion
Sabrina Carpenter — Short N’ Sweet
Taylor Swift — The Tortured Poets Department

Song Of The Year

Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”
Billie Eilish — “Birds of a Feather”
Chappell Roan — “Good Luck, Babe!”
Hozier — “Too Sweet”
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”

Collaboration Of The Year

Kendrick Lamar & SZA — “Luther”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Marshmello & Kane Brown — “Miles on It”
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
Rosé & Bruno Mars — “APT.”
Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone — “Fortnight”

Social Song Of The Year

Chappell Roan — “Hot To Go!”
Djo — “End of Beginning”
Doechii — “Anxiety”
Lola Young — “Messy”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Tommy Richman — “Million Dollar Baby”

Favorite Touring Artist

Billie Eilish
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan

Favorite Music Video

Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”
Karol G — “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”

Favorite Male Pop Artist

Benson Boone
Bruno Mars
Hozier
Teddy Swims
The Weeknd

Favorite Female Pop Artist

Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan
Lady Gaga
Sabrina Carpenter
Taylor Swift

Favorite Pop Album

Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard And Soft
Chappell Roan — The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli XCX — Brat
Sabrina Carpenter — Short N’ Sweet
Taylor Swift — The Tortured Poets Department

Favorite Pop Song

Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”
Billie Eilish — “Birds of a Feather”
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars — “Die With A Smile”
Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”
Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”

Favorite Male Country Artist

Jelly Roll
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Post Malone
Shaboozey

Favorite Female Country Artist

Beyoncé
Ella Langley
Kacey Musgraves
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney

Favorite Country Duo Or Group

Dan + Shay
Old Dominion
Parmalee
The Red Clay Strays
Zac Brown Band

Favorite Country Album

Beyoncé — Cowboy Carter
Jelly Roll — BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN
Megan Moroney — AM I OKAY?
Post Malone — F-1 Trillion
Shaboozey — Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going

Favorite Country Song

Jelly Roll — “I Am Not Okay”
Koe Wetzel & Jessie Murph — “High Road”
Luke Combs — “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”
Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”
Shaboozey — “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”

Favorite Male Hip-Hop Artist

Drake
Eminem
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Tyler The Creator

Favorite Female Hip-Hop Artist

Doechii
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Sexyy Red

Favorite Hip-Hop Album

Eminem — The Death Of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)
Future & Metro Boomin — We Don’t Trust You
Gunna — one of wun
Kendrick Lamar — GNX
Tyler The Creator — Chromakopia

Favorite Hip-Hop Song

Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar — “Like That”
GloRilla — “TGIF”
GloRilla & Sexyy Red — “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME”
Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar & SZA — “Luther”

Favorite Male R&B Artist

Bryson Tiller
Chris Brown
PartyNextDoor
The Weeknd
Usher

Favorite Female R&B Artist

Kehlani
Muni Long
Summer Walker
SZA
Tyla

Favorite R&B Album

Bryson Tiller — Bryson Tiller
PartyNextDoor — PartyNextDoor 4 (P4)
PartyNextDoor & Drake — Some Sexy Songs 4 U
SZA — SOS Deluxe: LANA
The Weeknd — Hurry Up Tomorrow

Favorite R&B Song

SZA — “Saturn”
Chris Brown — “Residuals”
Muni Long — “Made For Me”
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti — “Timeless”
Tommy Richman — “Million Dollar Baby”

Favorite Male Latin Artist

Bad Bunny
Feid
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
Tito Double P

Favorite Female Latin Artist

Becky G
Karol G
Natti Natasha
Shakira
Young Miko

Favorite Latin Duo Or Group

Calibre 50
Fuerza Regida
Grupo Firme
Grupo Frontera
Julión Álvarez y su Norteño Banda

Favorite Latin Album

Bad Bunny — DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Fuerza Regida — Dolido Pero No Arrepentido
Peso Pluma — ÉXODO
Rauw Alejandro — Cosa Nuestra
Tito Double P — INCÓMODO

Favorite Latin Song

Bad Bunny — “DtMF”
FloyyMenor X Cris Mj — “Gata Only”
Karol G — “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”
Oscar Maydon & Fuerza Regida — “Tu Boda”
Shakira — “Soltera”

Favorite Rock Artist

Hozier
Linkin Park
Pearl Jam
Twenty One Pilots
Zach Bryan

Favorite Rock Album

Hozier — Unreal Unearth: Unending
Koe Wetzel — 9 lives
The Marías — Submarine
Twenty One Pilots — Clancy
Zach Bryan — The Great American Bar Scene

Favorite Rock Song

Green Day — “Dilemma”
Hozier — “Too Sweet”
Linkin Park — “The Emptiness Machine”
Myles Smith — “Stargazing”
Zach Bryan — “Pink Skies”

Favorite Dance/Electronic Artist

Charli XCX
David Guetta
John Summit
Lady Gaga
Marshmello

Favorite Soundtrack

Arcane League of Legends: Season 2
Hazbin Hotel (Original Soundtrack)
Moana 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Twisters: The Album
Wicked: The Soundtrack

Favorite Afrobeats Artist

Asake
Rema
Tems
Tyla
Wizkid

Favorite K-Pop Artist

ATEEZ
Jimin
RM
Rosé
Stray Kids



source https://uproxx.com/music/2025-american-music-awards-winners-list/

Comments

Hip Hop and Music: A Cultural Evolution

Hip Hop and Music: A Cultural Evolution and What Listeners Look For Hip hop is more than just a genre of music; it is a cultural movement that has deeply influenced the world for over four decades. Originating in the South Bronx during the 1970s, hip hop was birthed from the creative expression of marginalized communities. What started as a fusion of DJing, breakdancing, graffiti art and MCing (rapping) quickly became a global phenomenon. Over the years, hip hop has expanded its reach, influencing various aspects of society, from fashion and language to politics and social movements. But what exactly do listeners seek when they tune in to their favorite hip hop tracks? Let’s explore.

The Evolution of Hip Hop Music

The Evolution of Hip Hop Music At its core, hip hop music is built on rhythm and lyricism. Early pioneers like DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Run-D.M.C. laid the foundation for what we now recognize as hip hop. They mixed disco, funk, and soul beats with rhythmic rapping to create a unique sound. Through the 1980s and 1990s, iconic artists such as Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and Jay-Z further shaped the genre, adding deeper narratives that explored social issues, struggles, and triumphs.
In the 2000s, hip hop saw its golden age evolve into new sub-genres, from Southern hip hop (e.g., OutKast and Lil Wayne) to the rise of trap music (led by artists like Future, Gucci Mane, and Migos). Today, artists continue to experiment with hybrid sounds, blending trap with pop, rock, and electronic music, creating a more diverse landscape for the genre.

What Listeners Look for in Hip Hop Music

What Listeners Look for in Hip Hop Music While the genre has evolved, the heart of hip hop music still beats with certain core elements that listeners continue to seek. Here’s what attracts audiences to hip hop music:

1. Authenticity

One of the most important qualities of hip hop is its authenticity. Listeners are drawn to artists who stay true to themselves, their roots, and their experiences. Whether an artist is rapping about overcoming hardship, life in the streets, or personal triumphs, their genuineness resonates with fans. Authenticity gives hip hop its raw edge, connecting the artist's voice with listeners on a deeply personal level.

2. Lyricism and Wordplay

Hip hop has always been a platform for storytelling, and the craft of lyricism is highly valued. Fans look for clever wordplay, metaphors, punchlines, and deep storytelling in their favorite tracks. Rappers like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Nas are revered for their intricate lyricism and ability to convey powerful messages through their words. A song with sharp bars, vivid imagery, and emotional depth can elevate a listener’s connection to the music.

3. Beat and Production Quality

The beat is often the first thing people notice in a hip hop song. A catchy, hard-hitting beat can make or break a track, and producers play an integral role in shaping the sound of hip hop music. Producers like Dr. Dre, Kanye West, and Metro Boomin have become household names for their distinctive production styles. From boom-bap beats to trap drums, the instrumental elements are essential in drawing listeners into the rhythm and groove of the song.

4. Innovation and Evolution

Hip hop is known for its constant evolution. Fans of the genre are often on the lookout for artists who push boundaries and experiment with new sounds. This spirit of innovation keeps the genre fresh and exciting. From the rise of auto-tune with artists like T-Pain to the blend of electronic and rap seen with artists like Travis Scott, listeners are eager for new music that challenges the traditional limits of hip hop.

5. Vibe and Energy

Hip hop isn’t just about the lyrics or the beat—it’s also about the energy the music brings. Whether it’s a party anthem, an introspective track, or a political statement, the vibe and energy of a song play a crucial role in how it resonates with fans. Artists like Drake, Cardi B, and Lil Uzi Vert have mastered the art of creating tracks that make listeners feel a certain way, whether it’s hyped up, laid back, or reflective.

6. Relatability and Emotional Connection

Hip hop has always been an outlet for self-expression and commentary on life experiences. Because of this, listeners often gravitate toward songs that reflect their own lives, struggles, and aspirations. Whether it’s a song about the challenges of growing up in a tough environment, the celebration of personal success, or the experience of love and heartbreak, hip hop has the unique ability to connect emotionally with audiences. Fans often seek songs that speak to their individual journeys and provide comfort, validation, or empowerment.

The Global Reach of Hip Hop

What was once confined to the streets of New York City has now become a global cultural force. From Tokyo to Paris, hip hop has spread across continents, influencing artists and listeners worldwide. In recent years, artists from outside the U.S. have brought their own cultural influences to the genre, blending hip hop with local sounds, languages, and traditions. The genre’s global reach is a testament to its universal themes of struggle, self-expression, and empowerment.

Conclusion

Hip hop music is an ever-evolving cultural powerhouse that has grown from a localized subculture into a global sensation. The authenticity, lyricism, production quality, innovation, energy, and emotional depth are the main ingredients that attract listeners to hip hop. While the genre continues to change, its core values remain consistent—offering a space for self-expression, storytelling, and connection. As hip hop continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly remain a major force in shaping the future of music. Whether you’re a fan of classic boom-bap or modern trap, hip hop’s diverse range offers something for everyone, proving that its cultural impact is here to stay.