Taylor Swift Walks Away Empty-Handed at 2026 AMAs Despite Eight Nominations

Taylor Swift came up empty at the 2026 American Music Awards, continuing a surprising streak for one of music's biggest names.

The 36-year-old artist earned eight nominations heading into Monday's ceremony (May 25) but didn't claim any wins. This marks back-to-back years of shutouts at the AMAs—she also left empty-handed last year despite six nominations in 2025.

The drought at this particular awards show stands in stark contrast to Swift's historic dominance overall. She holds the record for most AMA wins of all time with 40 victories, significantly outpacing Michael Jackson, who sits in second place with 24 wins.

Swift was not present for the ceremony. The artist opted to skip the event as she's been occupied with activities in New York City, including what appears to be wedding planning preparations.

Just days before the awards show, on Saturday night (May 23), Swift and her fiancé Travis Kelce attended game three of the semi-finals between the Knicks and Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, where they cheered on the Cavaliers.