Teen phenom Olivia Rodrigo leads American Music Award nominations

Pop newcomer Olivia Rodrigo leads the nominations for this year's American Music Awards, where she will compete for the top prize against fan favourites like Taylor Swift, BTS and Drake.

Rodrigo, 18, who burst onto the charts in January, makes her AMAs debut scoring seven nominations on Thursday (Friday morning AEDT) including Artist of the Year, Best New Artist, and Favourite Pop Song for her debut single, 'Drivers Licence'.

Canadian R&B singer and five-time AMA winner The Weeknd followed with six nods, while Doja Cat, reggaeton star Bad Bunny and first-time nominee R&B singer Giveon had five apiece.

Billie Eilish was notably absent from the nominations list despite releasing her second album in July. Kanye West, whose Donda album had the biggest first-week sales of 2021, got just one nod, for Favourite Gospel Artist.

Rodrigo, The Weeknd, K-Pop band BTS, rapper Drake and Ariana Grande will face off for Artist of the Year against Swift, who last year won the title for a record sixth time.

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The fan-voted event — one of the largest music award shows in the US — will take place at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on November 21. For the first time categories can be voted for on TikTok.

The nominations are based on performances on the Billboard music charts, streaming and album sales, radio play and social media engagement and cover the time period September 25, 2020, through to September 23, 2021.

Controversial country music singer Morgan Wallen scored two nominations this year but has been banned from attending in any form after he was caught saying the N-word on video in March and panned for statements he made in the fallout.

"Morgan Wallen is a nominee this year based on charting," reads a statement attributed to MRC Live & Alternative.

"As his conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity (performing, presenting, accepting)."

New categories this year are Favourite Trending Song — with nominees from TikTok on the year's most viral songs — Favourite Gospel Artist and Favourite Latin Duo or Group, which rounds out last year's expansion of the Latin categories, bringing the total to five in the genre.

First-time nominees, including rappers Saweetie, 24kGoldn and the late Pop Smoke, dominated the list. Silk Sonic, the new R&B duo formed in March by Bruno Mars and Anderson. Paak, got three nods including Favourite Pop Duo or Group.

BTS, whose single 'Butter', ruled the Billboard singles charts for 10 weeks this past summer, will compete in three categories — Artist of the Year, Favourite Pop Group, and Favourite Pop Song.

FULL LIST OF 2021 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES:

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande

BTS

Drake

Olivia Rodrigo

Taylor Swift

The Weeknd

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

24kGoldn

Giveon

Masked Wolf

Olivia Rodrigo

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"

Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon "Peaches"

FAVOURITE TRENDING SONG

Erica Banks "Buss It"

Måneskin "Beggin'"

Megan Thee Stallion "Body"

Olivia Rodrigo "drivers license"

Popp Hunna "Adderall (Corvette Corvette)"

FAVOURITE MUSIC VIDEO

Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) "Leave The Door Open"

Cardi B "Up"

Lil Nas X "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)"

Olivia Rodrigo "drivers license"

The Weeknd "Save Your Tears"

FAVOURITE MALE POP ARTIST

Drake

Ed Sheeran

Justin Bieber

Lil Nas X

The Weeknd

FAVOURITE FEMALE POP ARTIST

Ariana Grande

Doja Cat

Dua Lipa

Olivia Rodrigo

Taylor Swift

FAVOURITE POP DUO OR GROUP

AJR

BTS

Glass Animals

Maroon 5

Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)

FAVOURITE POP ALBUM

Ariana Grande "Positions"

Dua Lipa "Future Nostalgia"

Olivia Rodrigo "SOUR"

Taylor Swift "evermore"

The Kid LAROI "F*** LOVE"

FAVOURITE POP SONG

BTS "Butter"

Doja Cat ft. SZA "Kiss Me More"

Dua Lipa "Levitating"

Olivia Rodrigo "drivers license"

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande "Save Your Tears (Remix)"

FAVOURITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST

Chris Stapleton

Jason Aldean

Luke Bryan

Luke Combs

*Morgan Wallen

FAVOURITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST

Carrie Underwood

Gabby Barrett

Kacey Musgraves

Maren Morris

Miranda Lambert

FAVOURITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP

Dan + Shay

Florida Georgia Line

Lady A

Old Dominion

Zac Brown Band

FAVOURITE COUNTRY ALBUM

Chris Stapleton "Starting Over"

Gabby Barrett "Goldmine"

Lee Brice "Hey World"

Luke Bryan "Born Here Live Here Die Here"

*Morgan Wallen "Dangerous: The Double Album"

FAVOURITE COUNTRY SONG

Chris Stapleton "Starting Over"

Chris Young & Kane Brown "Famous Friends"

Gabby Barrett "The Good Ones"

Luke Combs "Forever After All"

Walker Hayes "Fancy Like"

FAVOURITE MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST

Drake

Lil Baby

Moneybagg Yo

Polo G

Pop Smoke

FAVOURITE FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST

Cardi B

Coi Leray

Erica Banks

Megan Thee Stallion

Saweetie

FAVOURITE HIP-HOP ALBUM

Drake "Certified Lover Boy"

Juice WRLD "Legends Never Die"

Megan Thee Stallion "Good News"

Pop Smoke "Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon"

Rod Wave "SoulFly"

FAVOURITE HIP-HOP SONG

Cardi B "Up"

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"

FAVOURITE MALE R&B ARTIST

Chris Brown

Giveon

Tank

The Weeknd

Usher

FAVOURITE FEMALE R&B ARTIST

Doja Cat

H.E.R.

Jazmine Sullivan

Jhené Aiko

SZA

FAVOURITE R&B ALBUM

Doja Cat "Planet Her"

Giveon "When It's All Said And Done… Take Time"

H.E.R. "Back of My Mind"

Jazmine Sullivan "Heaux Tales"

Queen Naija "missunderstood"

FAVOURITE R&B SONG

Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) "Leave The Door Open"

Chris Brown & Young Thug "Go Crazy"

Giveon "Heartbreak Anniversary"

H.E.R. "Damage"

Jazmine Sullivan "Pick Up Your Feelings"

FAVOURITE MALE LATIN ARTIST

Bad Bunny

J Balvin

Maluma

Ozuna

Rauw Alejandro

FAVOURITE FEMALE LATIN ARTIST

Becky G

Kali Uchis

KAROL G

Natti Natasha

ROSALÍA

FAVOURITE LATIN DUO OR GROUP

Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga

Calibre 50

Eslabon Armado

La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho

Los Dos Carnales

FAVOURITE LATIN ALBUM

Bad Bunny "EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO"

Kali Uchis "Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)"

KAROL G "KG0516"

Maluma "PAPI JUANCHO"

Rauw Alejandro "Afrodisíaco"

FAVOURITE LATIN SONG

Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez "DÁKITI"

Bad Bunny x ROSALÍA "LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE"

Farruko "Pepas"

Kali Uchis "telepatía"

Maluma & The Weeknd "Hawái (Remix)"

FAVOURITE ROCK ARTIST

AJR

All Time Low

Foo Fighters

Glass Animals

Machine Gun Kelly

FAVOURITE INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST

CAIN

Carrie Underwood

Elevation Worship

Lauren Daigle

Zach Williams

FAVOURITE GOSPEL ARTIST

Kanye West

Kirk Franklin

Koryn Hawthorne

Maverick City Music

Tasha Cobbs Leonard

FAVOURITE DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST

David Guetta

ILLENIUM

Marshmello

Regard

Tiësto

- Reported with Reuters and Variety