Taylor Swift accepts the Artist of the Decade award from Carole King onstage during the 2019 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, U.S., November 24, 2019. /VCG Photo
Taylor Swift has moonwalked past Michael Jackson's record at the 2019 American Music Awards, taking home six honors including artist of the year and artist of the decade.
The pop star, who walked into Sunday night's show with 23 AMAs, surpassed the King of Pop's 24 wins at the fan-voted show. She rambled onstage as she won the final award of the night — artist of the year — and repeatedly thanked her fans for always showing up — during both the good and bad times.
"All that matters to me is the memories that I have had with you guys, with you the fans, over the years," Swift, 29, told the audience at the ceremony in Los Angeles after performing a medley of her old hits.
"This year for me has been a lot. It's been a lot of good, it's been a lot of really complicated," she said, who now has 29 AMAs. Her other wins include favorite female pop/rock artist, favorite adult contemporary artist and favorite music video for "You Need to Calm Down."
Other big winners at the AMAs included Khalid and BTS — neither act attended the show but won three prizes.
Billie Eilish performs onstage during the 2019 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, U.S., November 24, 2019. /VCG Photo
Newcomer Billie Eilish, 17, took home two statuettes for best new artist and best alternative rock artist after a breakout year that saw her top the U.S. charts with her single "Bad Girl".
Eilish showed her support for environmental causes by wearing a T-shirt with the slogan "No Music on a Dead Planet" as she gave her first awards show performance with "All the Good Girls Go to Hell".
Top nominee Post Malone took home favorite rap/hip-hip album for "Hollywood's Bleeding" and Carrie Underwood was appropriately teary-eyed as she won favorite country album for "Cry Pretty".
Selena Gomez performs onstage during the 2019 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, U.S., November 24, 2019. /VCG Photo
Selena Gomez kicked off the ceremony in her first live TV performance in two years after undergoing a kidney transplant in 2017 and battling anxiety and depression.
Body positive R&B singer Lizzo performed her new single "Jerome," and Cuban-born Camila Cabello and boyfriend Shawn Mendes sang their hit pop single "Senorita," which won the award for collaboration of the year.
British rocker Ozzy Osbourne, 70, who has been sidelined by serious health problems for a year, was mostly seated as he took to the stage with rappers Post Malone, Travis Scott and rocker WATT for their single "Take What You Want".
Punk rockers Green Day got the audience to its feet as they marked the 25th anniversary of their 1994 breakout album "Dookie".
Other performers included the Jonas Brothers, Kesha, Halsey, Christina Aguilera and Shania Twain.
(With input from AP and Reuters)