One Direction won three honors at the American Music Awards, including artist of the year over powerhouse acts like Beyonce and Luke Bryan, while breakthrough newcomer Iggy Azalea beat out heavyweights Eminem and Drake in the rap categories.
Katy Perry, who was absent from Sunday’s award show because of her world tour, matched One Direction for most wins with three.
The boy band won also won favorite band, duo or group – pop/rock and favorite album – pop/rock for “Midnight Memories” at the fan-voted show.
“This has been a real perfect day … America feels like a second home to us,” Liam Payne said onstage with his band mates when they won the night’s first award. The group released its new album, “Four,” last week.
They wore all black as they sang the groove “Night Changes” at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live. Taylor Swift kicked off the AMAs as a mad woman and man eater by feeding a boy a poisonous apple, holding burning roses and giving crazy eyes during a performance of her song about her dating life according to the media.