Bruno Mars wins big at American Music Awards

Written by . Published: November 20 2017

Bruno Mars and Keith Urban were the big winners at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday (19Nov17).


Bruno was named Artist of the Year, while his haul also included Favorite Male Artist - Pop/Rock, Favorite Album - Pop/Rock, and Video of the Year, and Urban swept the country awards for which he was nominated and seemed genuinely shocked with his triple - for Male Artist, Song and Album.

Caught out by his big win, he instructed presenter Justin Hartley to hand two of his gongs to his wife Nicole Kidman, who was seated in the front row.

Luis Fonsi was a double winner as his Despacito hit with Justin Bieber and Daddy Yankee was named Favorite Song - Pop/Rock and Collaboration of the Year, while there were also victories for Imagine Dragons, Lady Gaga, Drake, Carrie Underwood, The Chainsmokers, Shawn Mendes, and Linkin Park, who dedicated their Favorite Artist - Alternative Rock honor to late frontman Chester Bennington, who committed suicide in July (17).

Soul legend Diana Ross also had a night to remember - she picked up the Lifetime Achievement award and performed, while her actress daughter Tracee Ellis Ross hosted the ceremony.

The show began on a somber note as Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne offered up a tribute to America's first responders.

Foxx introduced the night's opening act - Kelly Clarkson and Pink's emotional performance of R.E.M.'s Everybody Hurts, after delivering his own powerful message.

"This year more than perhaps any other in recent history, we needed the power of music to help us escape the news of the day," he said. "We needed the power of music to help us heal, from hurricanes, wildfires, hate, hatred-filled violence. 2017 was a year that tested our faith - in these moments of crisis, heroes emerged when it would’ve been so easy to run away."

Foxx and his daughter were then joined onstage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles by firefighters, paramedics, police officers and others who helped save lives and offer hope and help following 2017's disasters and tragedies.

"As this year comes to a close, we look forward to 2018 with hope," Foxx continued. "For, even as we mourn those who are lost, we know this - together our strength will pull us through, together we shall overcome the pain, together we can unite as a people and a nation.

Highlight performances included Demi Lovato's girl power anthem Sorry, Not Sorry, which she kicked off while sitting in the audience, watching as negative and mean tweets about her flashed across the monitors onstage.

"There's so much hate in this world," Lovato said as she made her way to the stage. "We have to rise up and never say sorry for who you are (sic)."

Hailee Steinfeld hit the stage with Alesso, Florida Georgia Line, and watt to perform Let Me Go - the most bizarre collaboration of the ceremony, while another talking point was Selena Gomez's return to performing live after her summer kidney transplant - she showed off her new blonde look as she sang her new track Wolves, wearing a nightdress. And Lady Gaga beamed in her performance of The Cure from Washington, D.C.'s Capital One Theater - her Sunday night Joanne World Tour stop.

Gaga was awarded the AMA for Favorite Female Artist later in the show and accepted the honor onstage in the capital.

But the night's biggest performances came from Christina Aguilera and Pink. Aguilera's much-anticipated 25th anniversary tribute to The Bodyguard soundtrack was a showstopper as the singer hit the stage to perform a medley of hits from the film, including I Will Always Love You and I Have Nothing.

And, not to be outdone by her one-time pop rival, Pink sang the title track from her new album, Beautiful Trauma, while dangling from wires on the side of the sky-rise Marriott hotel in Downtown L.A. After wowing with Kelly Clarkson at the top of the show, Pink went solo for the death-defying performance, which she admitted was "the craziest, most insane thing I've ever attempted to do" in a video she posted from her rehearsals last week (ends17Nov17).

The full list of 2017 AMA winners is:

Artist of the Year

Bruno Mars

Lifetime Achievement

Diana Ross

New Artist of the Year

Niall Horan

Collaboration of the Year

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber - Despacito

Favorite Female Artist - Pop/Rock

Lady Gaga

Favorite Duo or Group - Pop/Rock

Imagine Dragons

Favorite Male Artist - Country

Keith Urban

Favorite Album - Country

Keith Urban - Ripcord

Favorite Song - Country

Keith Urban - Blue Ain't Your Color

Favorite Song - Rap/Hip-Hop

DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne - I’m The One

Favorite Artist - Alternative Rock

Linkin Park

Favorite Artist - Adult Contemporary

Shawn Mendes

Favorite Artist - Electronic Dance Music

The Chainsmokers

Favorite Male Artist - Pop/Rock

Bruno Mars

Favorite Album - Pop/Rock

Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

Favorite Song - Pop/Rock

Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber - Despacito

Favorite Female Artist - Country

Carrie Underwood

Favorite Duo or Group - Country

Little Big Town

Favorite Artist - Rap/Hip-Hop

Drake

Favorite Album - Rap/Hip-Hop

Kendrick Lamar - DAMN

Favorite Male Artist - Soul/R&B

Bruno Mars

Favorite Female Artist - Soul/R&B

Beyonce

Favorite Album - Soul/R&B

Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

Favorite Song - Soul/R&B

Bruno Mars - That’s What I Like

Favorite Artist - Latin

Shakira

Favorite Artist - Contemporary Inspirational

Lauren Daigle

Top Soundtrack

Moana

Tour of the Year

Coldplay

Video of the Year

Bruno Mars - That’s What I Like