1. Queen Taylor takes the stage

A picture of Taylor Swift at the American Music Awards
Taylor Swift performed Blank Space at the event (Matt Sayles/AP/Press Association Images)

Taylor Swift proved why she is the reigning queen of the music world with a jaw-dropping TV debut of her new single Blank Space.

She opened the show with a live version of her music video, seated at a dinner table in a giant picture frame before marching through a mansion set, discarding lovers and burning roses before opening the front door to a new suitor.

She even had time to rip off her long bronze skirt to reveal a short, fringed number.

2. One Direction win big

A picture of One Direction at the American Music Awards
One Direction were big winners at the American Music Awards (Matt Sayles/Invision/Press Association Images)

One Direction gave girls at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles something to scream about when they picked up three gongs, making them the biggest winners of the night.

Early in the evening they scored both Best Pop/Rock Band and Album. Clutching the award for Midnight Memories, Harry Styles said: “Thank you so much, we had a lot of fun making this album and we want to say thank you to anyone who bought it or even listened to it and enjoyed it.”

The boys later beat heavyweights including Beyonce and Katy Perry to take home Artist of the Year.

3. Ariana strips it back

A picture of Ariana Grande at the American Music Awards
Ariana Grande performed a few songs at the ceremony (Matt Sayles/AP/Press Association Images)

Ariana Grande showed off her vocal chops as well as her underwear with her stripped-back performance of Problem, accompanied by just a piano.

Dressed in a floor-length sheer black lace dress, which showed off her sturdy knickers, the songstress also performed Break Free and was joined by The Weekend for Love Me Harder.

She also performed in a short, gold number.

4. Iggy and Charli run wild

A picture of Iggy Azalea at the American Music Awards
Iggy Azalea did a duet with Charli XCX (Matt Sayles/Invision/Press Association Images)

Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX brought a wild press conference to the AMAs stage with their performance of their smash hit Fancy.

Dressed in sexy power suits, the pair fended off dancers dressed as photographers and journalists before Iggy segued into her new single Beg For It.

5. Lorde thrashes in front of famous pals

A picture of Lorde at the American Music Awards
Lorde debuted her song Yellow Flicker Beat (Matt Sayles/AP/Press Association Images)

A star-packed front row showed off their best dance moves as Lorde debuted Yellow Flicker Beat, her song for the newest Hunger Games film, Mockingjay: Part 1.

Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and Victoria’s Secret model Karlie Kloss could not quite compete with Lorde’s own signature moves though, as she thrashed around in front of motionless dancers dressed all in white.

6. Selena tears up over Justin song

A picture of Selena Gomez at the American Music Awards
Selena Gomez’s new song is thought to be about Justin Bieber (Matt Sayles/Invision/Press Association Images)

Selena Gomez and her bestie Taylor Swift were both tearing up by the end of Selena’s emotional performance of her new single The Heart Wants What It Wants, which is rumoured to be about her ex Justin Bieber.

Dressed in a nude coloured floor length gown, Selena gave a raw and apparently overwhelming performance of the ballad.

7. Jamie Foxx does daddy duty

A picture of Jamie Foxx at the American Music Awards
Jamie Foxx’s daughter joined him at the awards (Matt Sayles/Invision/Press Association Images)

Jamie Foxx earned major points with his adorable five-year-old daughter Annalise when he brought her out on stage to announce Iggy Azalea’s The New Classic as the winner of Favourite Rap/Hip hop Album.

The youngster proved to be an awards season pro as she announced the winner without a hitch.

8. Josh Duhamel introduces Fergie

A picture of Josh Duhamel at the American Music Awards
Josh Duhamel introduced wife Fergie to the stage (Matt Sayles/Invision/Press Association Images)

Fergie got a very special introduction when she stepped out to perform her new single L.A. Love (La La) at the awards show.

Her husband Josh Duhamel introduced her as his “favourite Cali girl” who also “makes really cute babies” before Fergie gyrated in front of a huge brightly-coloured party bus wearing a monochrome leotard.

9. Taylor rules the night (again)

A picture of Taylor Swift at the American Music Awards
Taylor Swift won the Dick Clark award (Matt Sayles/AP/Press Association Images)

Taylor picked up the first-ever Dick Clark Award of Excellence from superstar Diana Ross and thanked fans for the stellar sales of her album 1989.

She also drew attention to the recent withdrawal of her music from streaming service Spotify by saying her record sales proved “music is valuable and should be consumed in albums and albums should be consumed as art”.

Dressed in a floor-length green dress with a midriff-revealing panel, Taylor was embraced by Selena Gomez, Lorde, Sam Smith and Karlie Kloss before receiving the gong.

She went on to say she was so happy fans wanted to glimpse into her life.

10. J-Lo and Iggy twerk it out

A picture of Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea at the American Music Awards
Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea strutted their stuff at the AMAs (Matt Sayles/AP/Press Association Images)

The night ended with booty everywhere as Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea performed their hit dressed in sequinned leotards.

The pair twerked and gyrated as they performed Booty to a packed house, closing the night with a high energy dance extravaganza.