One Direction have proved American girls love British boys – they won the artist of the year title at the American Music Awards as well as two other accolades.

The band were the night’s big winner next to Katy Perry at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

Competition in the category was tough, with Iggy Azalea, Beyonce, Luke Bryan, Eminem, Imagine Dragons, John Legend, Lorde, Katy Perry and Pharrell Williams competing for the honour.

The One Direction boys - Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles (Lionel Hahn/ABACA USA/Empics)
The One Direction boys – Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles (Lionel Hahn/ABACA USA/Empics)

One Direction also won favourite band, duo or group — pop/rock and favourite album — pop/rock for Midnight Memories at the awards show, decided by fan votes.

“This has been a real perfect day … America feels like a second home to us,” Liam Payne said on stage with his band mates when they won the night’s first award. The group released their new album, Four, last week.

Sam Smith with his award for favourite pop/rock male artist (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Sam Smith with his award for favourite pop/rock male artist (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Another British success was Sam Smith, who won the favourite male artist, pop/rock award, beating Pharrell and John Legend.

“Genuinely from my heart I didn’t think I was going to be winning this. This is unreal,” he said.

“But mainly, thank you to my fan base. You guys are amazing, and last year I wrote an album about being lonely and tonight, I couldn’t feel further from lonely, so thank you so much.”

Katy Perry couldn't attend the awards (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Katy Perry couldn’t attend the awards (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Perry won three honours as well, including single of the year for No 1 hit Dark Horse, favourite female artist — pop/rock and favourite artist — adult contemporary.

Though she was absent — she is on tour in Australia — the 2014 AMAs was still jam-packed with star power.

Iggy Azalea was joined on stage by Jennifer Lopez (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Iggy Azalea was joined on stage by Jennifer Lopez (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Breakthrough Australian newcomer Azalea, 24, who was the top nominee with six nods, won favourite album — rap/hip-hop for The New Classic and favourite artist — rap/hip-hop, defeating rap heavyweights Eminem and Drake.

Azalea performed her massive hit, Fancy, which was nominated for single of the year, as well as her new song, Beg For It.

The boys - Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin, Calum Hood and Michael Clifford (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
The boys – Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin, Calum Hood and Michael Clifford (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Australian boy band 5 Seconds of Summer won new artist of the year, and performed a cover of The Romantics’ What I Like About You.

Taylor Swift seemed to have perfected the mad woman look (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)
Taylor Swift seemed to have perfected the mad woman look (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Taylor Swift kicked off the show 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 new number one song, Blank Space. She received the first-ever Dick Clark award for excellence from singer Diana Ross.

“To the fans who went out and bought over a million copies of my last three albums, what you did by going out and investing in music and albums is you’re saying you believe in the same thing I believe in — that music is valuable and that music should be consumed in albums and albums should be consumed as art and appreciated,” said Swift, who recently removed her music from streaming service Spotify.

Beyonce couldn't attend the AMAs (Dennis Van Tine/ABACA USA/Empics)
Beyonce couldn’t attend the AMAs (Dennis Van Tine/ABACA USA/Empics)

Beyonce, who did not attend, won favourite female artist — soul/R&B and favourite album — soul/R&B for her self-titled effort. Luke Bryan took home favourite male artist — country.

Carrie Underwood took the award for favourite female artist (Starmax/Starmax/Empics)
Carrie Underwood took the award for favourite female artist (Starmax/Starmax/Empics)

Carrie Underwood was named favourite female artist — country and Frozen, the year’s top-selling album, was named top soundtrack.