Emotional rapper, stinging Bey, hot 1D

London - One Direction were the big winners at the American Music Awards in Sunday night (23.11.14), taking home three prizes.

The 'Steal My Girl' hitmakers - who also took to the stage to perform 'Night Changes' - were thrilled to pick up the trophies for Best Pop/Rock Band and Best Pop/Rock Album for 'Midnight Memories', as well as the prestigious Artist of the Year award at the annual ceremony at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre.

Picking up their third honour of the night, Liam Payne said: "I can't believe we've won three, it's amazing, it's so cool."

Iggy Azalea took home two awards, Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album for 'The New Classic' and Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist, and gave an emotional speech when she picked up the first honour.

The Australian said: "This award is the first award I've ever won in my entire life, and means so much to me that it is for best hip-hop, because that's what inspired me to move to America and pursue my dreams.

"It's what helped me when I was a teenager to escape and to get through my life and to better times."

Taylor Swift dined with a handsome man and played with fire during her show-opening performance of 'Blank Space' and she was later honoured with the newly-created Dick Clark Award for Excellence.

During her acceptance speech, the 24-year-old beauty - who recently removed her music from Spotify - appeared to take a swipe at the streaming service.

She said: "What you did by going out and investing in music and albums is you are saying that you believe in the same thing that I believe in: that music is valuable and music should be consumed in albums and albums should be consumed as art and appreciated."

Other big winners on the night included Beyonce, who was honoured with Best Soul/R&B Female Artist and Best Soul/R&B Female Album for 'BEYONCE' and Katy Perry, who accepted the Best Pop/Rock Female Artist and Single of the Year for 'Dark Horse' via video link from Australia.

Performers at the ceremony included the evening's host Pitbull, Lorde, Iggy Azalea and Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez - who wept as she sang 'The Heart Wants What It Wants' - and Fergie.

American Music Awards 2014 full list of winners:

Dick Clark Award for Excellence:

Taylor Swift

Artist of the Year:

One Direction

Best Pop/Rock Band:

One Direction

Best Rap/Hip-Hop Album:

'The New Classic' - Iggy Azalea

Best Pop/Rock Album:

'Midnight Memories' - One Direction

Best Pop/Rock Male Artist:

Sam Smith

Best Pop/Rock Female Artist:

Katy Perry

Best Country Male Artist:

Luke Bryan

Best Alternative Rock Artist:

Imagine Dragons

Best New Artist of the Year:

5 Seconds of Summer

Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist:

Iggy Azalea

Best Country Album:

'Just As I Am' - Brantley Gilbert

Best Latin Artist:

Enrique Iglesias

Single of the Year:

'Dark Horse' - Katy Perry feat. Juicy J

Best Country Female Artist:

Carrie Underwood

Best Country Band:

Florida Georgia Line

Best Soul/R&B Male Artist:

John Legend

Best Soul/R&B Female Artist: Beyonce

Best Soul/R&B Album:

'BEYONCE' - Beyonce

Best Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Artist:

Calvin Harris

Best Soundtrack:

'Frozen'

- BANG Showbiz