Taylor Swift performs on stage at the American Music Awards on Sunday. Photo: CFP

Boy bands bested pop's leading women in the top award categories at the American Music Awards on Sunday, but the ladies delivered the most high-octane performances including a derriere-flaunting number by Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea.

British boy band One Direction won the top award of the night for artist of the year, and led the winners with three accolades in the fan-voted awards.

"It's amazing because we worked so hard on these last two albums," band member Liam Payne said. The five-piece band performed its latest single "Night Changes" against a night-time forest backdrop.

Katy Perry also won three awards, but did not attend the awards show because she is on tour in Australia.

Boy band power proved strong as Australian newcomers 5 Seconds of Summer won the coveted new artist of the year award.

Azalea, the newcomer Australian rapper, won favorite rap/hip hop album for The New Classic and favorite rap/hip hop artist over Eminem and Drake in both categories.

"As musicians, we receive so much critique and we really question what we're doing, but I think this validates that I'm on the right path," the 24-year-old Azalea said.

A sultry Taylor Swift performed "Blank Space" on stage and was awarded the first-ever Dick Clark Award for Excellence, in memory of the founder of the American Music Awards who died in 2012.

Chinese pop duo the Chopsticks Brothers won the American Music Awards' first-ever International Song Award for their viral hit "Little Apple" at the awards, while Chinese pop star Jason Zhang (Zhang Jie) was awarded the newly established International Artist Award.

Reuters - Global Times