BTS won Favorite Social Artist at the 2018 American Music Awards.
The South Korean group received the award at the ceremony held on October 9, 2018, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. BTS won after a fan-driven voting campaign and became the first K-pop group to win an American Music Award.
The victory marked an important moment in the group’s rapid rise in the United States. BTS had already built a large international following through social media, fan communities, music videos, and frequent online interaction with its supporters, known collectively as ARMY.
This award is easy to confuse with Artist of the Year or Favorite Duo or Group—Pop/Rock, which are separate AMA categories. Favorite Social Artist specifically highlighted online popularity and audience engagement. BTS later won additional AMAs, including Favorite Duo or Group—Pop/Rock in 2019.