One Direction and Sam Smith scoop prizes at American…

One Direction and Sam Smith scoop prizes at American music awards

Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles of One Direction American Music Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, America — Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles of One Direction at the American music awards. Photograph: Stewart Cook/Rex

British artists’ dominance in the US was felt at the American music awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, with One Direction winning every category they were nominated in, and Sam Smith picking up best pop/rock male artist.

Scooping the prize for artist of the year, favourite pop/rock album and favourite band, duo or group in the pop and rock category, the boyband were the big winners at the fan-voted event on 23 November. With their album Midnight Memories, One Direction beat the likes of Iggy Azalea, Beyonce, Eminem, Lorde and Pharrell Williams to the coveted artist of the year award. “This has been a real perfect day ... America feels like a second home to us,” Liam Payne said on stage.

Sam Smith at the AMAs in LA. Photograph: Image Group LA/Getty Images

Meanwhile Sam Smith, whose debut album In the Lonely Hour came out this summer, picked up the prize for favourite pop/rock male artist. His album set sales records in the US earlier this year – selling 166,000 copies in its first week of release – the most sold in the first week by a UK male artist’s debut album. His US success was led by his single Stay With Me, which has sold more than 1m copies in the US. Smith performed I’m Not the Only One alongside A$AP Rocky at the show.

Aside from winning awards, UK-based Charli XCX was involved with some of the most memorable performances of the night. Although her collaboration with Iggy Azalea, Fancy, lost out to Katy Perry for single of the year, Charli joined the Australian rapper on stage for a quick take of the No 1 track, before she merged versions of her own songs Boom Clap and Break the Rules.