Swift mum on dispute as she beats Jackson with 6 awards

LOS ANGELES: Taylor Swift won six American Music Awards on Sunday to surpass Michael Jackson's record.

She won artist of the year, and the other five included an honorary artist of the decade award, taking her all-time total to 29 American Music Awards, easily outstripping Jackson's 24.

"All that matters to me is the memories that I have had with you guys, with you the fans, over the years," Swift, 29, told the audience at the ceremony in Los Angeles, after performing a medley of her old hits.

She had been expected to speak about a feud with record industry executive Scooter Braun, who owns master recordings to her first six albums after she signed with a new label last year. Swift accused Braun last week of refusing permission for her to sing songs from her back catalogue at the awards show.

The spat culminated with Braun saying his family had received death threats after the pop singer urged her 122 million Instagram fans to let him "know how you feel about this".

But on Sunday, she made no mention of the dispute, although she wore a white shirt printed with the titles of her old albums. She beat Drake, Ariana Grande, Halsey and Post Malone as artist of the year.

Newcomer Billie Eilish, 17, took home two statuettes for best new artist and best alternative rock artist after topping US charts with her single Bad Girl.

She showed her support for environmental causes by wearing a T-shirt with the slogan "No Music on a Dead Planet" as she performed All The Good Girls Go To Hell.

Selena Gomez kicked off the ceremony in her first live TV performance in two years after a kidney transplant in 2017 and battling anxiety and depression.

R&B singer Lizzo performed her new single Jerome, and Cuban-born Camila Cabello and boyfriend Shawn Mendes sang their hit pop single Senorita, which won the award for collaboration of the year.

British rocker Ozzy Osbourne, 70, who has health problems, was mostly seated as he took to the stage with rappers Post Malone, Travis Scott and rocker WATT for their single Take What You Want.

Punk rockers Green Day marked the 25th anniversary of their breakout album Dookie, and other performers included the Jonas Brothers, Kesha, Halsey, Christina Aguilera and Shania Twain. - REUTERS

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AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS KEY WINNERS

Artist of the year: Taylor Swift

Artist of the decade: Taylor Swift

New artist of the year: Billie Eilish

Collaboration of the year: Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, Senorita

Favourite music video: Taylor Swift, You Need to Calm Down

Favourite male artist pop/rock: Khalid

Favourite female artist pop/rock: Taylor Swift

Favourite duo or group pop/rock: BTS

Favourite album pop/rock: Taylor Swift, Lover

Favourite artist rap/hip-hop: Cardi B

Favourite male artist soul/R&B: Bruno Mars

Favorite female artist soul/R&B: Beyonce