Taylor Swift Wins Big at American Music Awards

LOS ANGELES - Less than two weeks after scoring the top prize at the Country Music Association Awards, Taylor Swift took home the night's biggest honor, artist of the year, at the American Music Awards.The show aired live on WAAY 31Sunday night.This is Swift's second time as the American Music Awards' artist of the year.Swift also won favorite country female artist and favorite country album for "Speak Now."She says she wrote "Speak Now" in hotel rooms and on tour buses at 4 in the morning, so it means a lot to be honored.Swift won artist of the year in 2009 as well.The award was Swift's third of the evening, but she appeared shocked when her name was called for the big prize."This is the craziest thing that has ever happened to me!" Taylor said over and over. "Fans, please never change. I can't believe this is happening to me!" Repeating "Oh my God" numerous times, Taylor thanked her fans profusely, as well as her friend Selena Gomez, whom she called "the little sister that I never had."Adele was also a three-time winner.Two of her awards - favorite adult contemporary artist and favorite pop/rock female artist - weren't given out on camera. On camera, she won for favorite pop/rock album for her multi-million-selling smash "21", but sadly wasn't able to be there to accept it, since she's recovering from vocal cord surgery.Nicki Minaj picked up two awards, for favorite rap/hip-hop artist and favorite rap/hip-hop album for Pink Friday, and also had the honor of opening the show. Wearing a curly pink bob, a voluminous green gown and heels so high she could barely walk across the stage, Nicki choked up at her win for favorite rap/hip-hop album.Nicki also thanked Taylor Swift, whose viral video of her rapping along to "Super Bass" Nicki credits with making that song a hit. Taylor and Selena Gomez were actually shown in the audience Sunday night rapping along to "Super Bass" as Nicki performed it as part of her opening number.Blake Shelton won favorite county male artist, and Lady Antebellum ! won favo rite country group.Other winners included Rihanna and Beyonce -- both of whom accepted their awards via video message, since they weren't there -- plus Maroon 5, Bruno Mars and Hot Chelle Rae, who was named Sprint New Artist of the Year. In addition, Katy Perry was given a special award of achievement for being the first woman ever to score five #1 hits from a single album. The only other artist who had ever done that was Michael Jackson.However, the American Music Awards was really all about the live performances -- 17 in all, including over half a dozen artist collaborations. In fact, watching it was like attending a concert called "2011: The Year in Pop Music," with nearly every big artist and hit of the year represented.Nicki Minaj had to be careful last night or she would have sat on her subwoofer. Minaj opened the show in an outfit with speakers on her behind and clocks on her breasts. LMFAO ended the show with a medley of "Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It" that included Justin Bieber as a backup dancer, an inflatable zebra thrown over the audience and David Hasselhoffalong withnumerous men ripping off their pants, showers of confetti and a giant inflatable zebra.Of note, Adam Lambert returned to the AMA stage Sunday night for the first time since his scandalously sexy performance on the show in 2009 caused him to be banned from the network for a brief time. "Has it been two years already? Time flies," he remarked wryly.

Complete list of winners at Sunday's 39th annual American Music Awards:

Alternative Rock Artist: Foo Fighters Contemporary Inspirational Artist: Casting Crowns Country Female Artist: Taylor Swift Country Male Artist: Blake Shelton Country Band, Duo or Group: Lady Antebellum Country Album: Taylor Swift, "Speak Now" Latin Music Artist: Jennifer Lopez Pop/Rock Female Artist: Adele Pop/Rock Male Artist: Bruno Mars Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group: Maroon 5 Pop/Rock Album: Adele, "21" Rap/Hip-Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj Rap/Hip-Hop Album: Nicki Minaj, "Pink Friday! " Soul/R &B Female Artist: Beyonce Soul/R&B Male Artist: Usher Soul/R&B Album: Rihanna, "Loud." Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift New Artist of the Year: Hot Chelle Rae