Rihanna was the first recipient of the American Music Awards Icon Award.
The award was introduced at the 2013 American Music Awards to honor an artist whose body of work had made a profound global impact on pop music. Rihanna received the inaugural honor at the November 24, 2013 ceremony. She also won Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist that night, adding a competitive award to the special recognition.
By 2013, Rihanna had established herself as one of the defining pop and R&B artists of the era. Songs such as “Umbrella,” “Only Girl (In the World),” “We Found Love,” and “Diamonds” demonstrated her range across pop, dance, and contemporary R&B. Her influence extended beyond hit singles through distinctive visual eras and collaborations with major artists.
The Icon Award has been presented only occasionally, so it is not an annual category. Lionel Richie became the second recipient in 2022, while Janet Jackson received the honor in 2025. Rihanna’s Barbadian nationality is central to the question: she was born in Saint Michael, Barbados, and became an international star after moving into the U.S. music industry.