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ABC News
ABC News
National
music and pop culture reporter Mawunyo Gbogbo

For the first time, K-pop has its own dedicated category at the American Music Awards

Korean popular music, known as K-pop, is exactly that – popular.

And in 2022, the American Music Awards (AMAs) has come on board by recognising the genre with its first-ever AMA category dedicated to K-pop.

Nominees for what is the world's largest fan-voted awards show have been announced and people will for the first time be able to vote in the Favourite K-pop Artist category.

The artists nominated are Blackpink, BTS, Seventeen, Tomorrow X Together and Twice. BTS is also nominated in the Favourite Pop Duo or Group category.

K-pop's emergence in the 21st century as an international phenomenon has made it one of South Korea's most visible cultural exports.

Hip hop artist Rain is credited with being at the forefront of the movement, but it was rapper Psy with his satirical hit Gangnam Style who had an international breakout hit.

The video for the song has had more than 4.5 billion views on YouTube since its 2012 release.

It's the boy band BTS, however, with their impressive choreography, co-ordinated outfits and electronic dance music-sound combined with hip hop who in 2018 became the first K-pop artists to reach number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart.

Now, fans will have the chance to vote for them and other artists at the AMAs.

Other categories introduced this year include Favourite Afrobeats artist with Burna Boy, CKay, Fireboy DML, Tems and Wizkid up for awards.

Kamilaroi artist The Kid Laroi has been nominated in two categories for Stay, his collaboration with Justin Bieber – Favourite Pop Song and Collaboration of the Year.

Nominees are based on key fan interactions, as reflected on the Billboard charts. Streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay, and tour grosses are all taken into account.

 THE 2022 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES:

In alphabetical order by first name

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Adele
  • Bad Bunny
  • Beyoncé
  • Drake
  • Harry Styles
  • Taylor Swift
  • The Weeknd

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Dove Cameron
  • GAYLE
  • Latto
  • Måneskin
  • Steve Lacy

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

  • Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast – We Don't Talk About Bruno
  • Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart – PNAU Remix
  • Future ft. Drake & Tems – Wait for U
  • Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
  • The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – Stay

FAVOURITE TOURING ARTIST

  • Bad Bunny
  • Coldplay
  • Ed Sheeran
  • Elton John
  • The Rolling Stones

FAVOURITE MUSIC VIDEO

  • Adele – Easy On Me
  • Bad Bunny ft. Chencho Corleone – Me Porto Bonito
  • Harry Styles – As It Was
  • Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
  • Taylor Swift – All Too Well: The Short Film

FAVOURITE MALE POP ARTIST

  • Bad Bunny
  • Drake
  • Ed Sheeran
  • Harry Styles
  • The Weeknd

 FAVOURITE FEMALE POP ARTIST

  • Adele
  • Beyoncé
  • Doja Cat
  • Lizzo
  • Taylor Swift

FAVOURITE POP DUO OR GROUP

  • BTS
  • Coldplay
  • Imagine Dragons
  • Måneskin
  • OneRepublic

 FAVOURITE POP ALBUM

  • Adele – 30
  • Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
  • Beyoncé – Renaissance
  • Harry Styles – Harry's House
  • Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor's Version)
  • The Weeknd ¬– Dawn FM

 FAVOURITE POP SONG

  • Adele – Easy On Me
  • Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast – We Don't Talk About Bruno
  • Harry Styles – As It Was
  • Lizzo – About Damn Time
  • The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – Stay

 FAVOURITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST

  • Chris Stapleton
  • Cody Johnson
  • Luke Combs
  • Morgan Wallen
  • Walker Hayes

 FAVOURITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST

  • Carrie Underwood
  • Lainey Wilson
  • Maren Morris
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Taylor Swift

FAVOURITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP

  • Dan + Shay
  • Lady A
  • Old Dominion
  • Parmalee
  • Zac Brown Band

FAVOURITE COUNTRY ALBUM

  • Carrie Underwood – Denim & Rhinestones
  • Luke Combs – Growin' Up
  • Cody Johnson – Human: The Double Album
  • Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor's Version)
  • Walker Hayes – Country Stuff: The Album

FAVOURITE COUNTRY SONG

  • Chris Stapleton – You Should Probably Leave
  • Cody Johnson – 'Til You Can't
  • Dustin Lynch ft. MacKenzie Porter – Thinking 'Bout You
  • Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan – Buy Dirt
  • Morgan Wallen – Wasted on You

 FAVOURITE MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST

  • Drake
  • Future
  • Kendrick Lamar
  • Lil Baby
  • Lil Durk

FAVOURITE FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST

  • Cardi B
  • GloRilla
  • Latto
  • Megan Thee Stallion
  • Nicki Minaj

FAVOURITE HIP-HOP ALBUM

  • Future –I Never Liked You
  • Gunna – DS4EVER
  • Kendrick Lamar – Mr Morale & The Big Steppers
  • Lil Durk – 7220
  • Polo G – Hall of Fame 2.0

FAVOURITE HIP-HOP SONG

  • Future ft. Drake & Tems – Wait for U
  • Jack Harlow – First Class
  • Kodak Black – Super Gremlin
  • Latto – Big Energy
  • Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow – Industry Baby

FAVOURITE MALE R&B ARTIST

  • Brent Faiyaz
  • Chris Brown
  • Giveon
  • Lucky Daye
  • The Weeknd

FAVOURITE FEMALE R&B ARTIST

  • Beyoncé
  • Doja Cat
  • Muni Long
  • Summer Walker
  • SZA

FAVOURITE R&B ALBUM

  • Beyoncé – Renaissance
  • Drake – Honestly, Nevermind
  • Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) – An Evening with Silk Sonic
  • Summer Walker – Still Over It
  • The Weeknd – Dawn FM

FAVOURITE R&B SONG

  • Beyoncé – Break My Soul
  • Muni Long – Hrs And Hrs
  • Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak) – Smokin Out The Window
  • SZA – I Hate U
  • Wizkid ft. Tems – Essence

FAVOURITE MALE LATIN ARTIST

  • Bad Bunny
  • Farruko
  • J Balvin
  • Jhayco
  • Rauw Alejandro

FAVOURITE FEMALE LATIN ARTIST

  • Anitta
  • Becky G
  • Kali Uchis
  • Karol G
  • Rosalia

FAVOURITE LATIN DUO OR GROUP

  • Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
  • Calibre 50
  • Eslabon Armado
  • Grupo Firme
  • Yahritza Y Su Esencia

FAVOURITE LATIN ALBUM

  • Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
  • Farruko – La 167
  • J Balvin – JOSE
  • Rauw Alejandro – Vice Versa
  • Rosalia – Motomami

FAVOURITE LATIN SONG

  • Bad Bunny ft. Chencho Corleone – Me Porto Bonito
  • Becky G x Karol G – Mamiii 
  • Karol G – Provenza
  • Rauw Alejandro – Todo de Ti
  • Sebastián Yatra – Dos Oruguitas

 FAVOURITE ROCK ARTIST

  • Imagine Dragons
  • Machine Gun Kelly
  • Måneskin
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • The Lumineers

FAVOURITE ROCK SONG  New category

  • Foo Fighters – Love Dies Young
  • Imagine Dragons x JID – Enemy
  • Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
  • Måneskin – Beggin'
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers – Black Summer

FAVOURITE ROCK ALBUM  New category

  • Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
  • Ghost – Impera
  • Imagine Dragons – Mercury – Act 1
  • Machine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love

FAVOURITE INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST

  • Anne Wilson
  • For King & Country
  • Katy Nichole
  • Matthew West
  • Phil Wickham

FAVOURITE GOSPEL ARTIST

  • CeCe Winans
  • DOE
  • Dewey Smith
  • Maverick City Music
  • Tamela Mann

 FAVOURITE DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST

  • Diplo
  • Marshmello
  • Swedish House Mafia
  • The Chainsmokers
  • Tiësto

FAVOURITE SOUNDTRACK

  • Elvis
  • Encanto
  • Sing 2
  • Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series Season 4
  • Top Gun: Maverick

FAVOURITE AFROBEATS ARTIST  New category

  • Burna Boy
  • CKay
  • Fireboy DML
  • Tems
  • Wizkid

FAVOURITE K-POP ARTIST  New category

  • Blackpink
  • BTS
  • Seventeen
  • Tomorrow X Together
  • Twice

The American Music Awards will take place on November 20 (US time) in Los Angeles.

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