Who has won the most American Music Awards overall?

Taylor Swift has won the most American Music Awards overall, with 40 awards. That total places her ahead of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Kenny Rogers, and other major figures in the ceremony’s history.

Swift’s success at the AMAs spans country, pop, and multiple generations of listeners. She first became a prominent AMA winner during her country-music years, then continued adding awards as her sound expanded through albums such as Fearless, 1989, Reputation, Lover, and Midnights.

The overall record is different from several related AMA statistics. Michael Jackson holds the male-artist record, Alabama holds the group record, and Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston share the record for most wins at a single ceremony, with eight each. Those distinctions are why a quiz asking for the all-time individual leader points to Swift.

The American Music Awards were created in 1973 by Dick Clark, with winners chosen through a system centered on public popularity rather than the Recording Academy voting process used for the Grammys. Swift’s record therefore reflects repeated fan recognition across her career.