1D Win Top Award At American Music Awards

One Direction have won three honours at the American Music Awards, including the coveted artist of the year prize.

The British boy band also won favourite band, duo or group - pop/rock and favourite album - pop/rock for Midnight Memories at the fan-voted show.

Katy Perry, who was absent from Sunday's award show because of her world tour, matched One Direction for most wins.

She won single of the year for her No 1 hit Dark Horse, favourite female artist - pop/rock and favourite artist - adult contemporary.

"This has been a real perfect day," Liam Payne of One Direction said onstage.

"America feels like a second home to us."

The band performed their latest single Night Changes against a night-time forest backdrop.

Australian newcomers 5 Seconds Of Summer won the coveted new artist of the year award.

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

Sam Smith won favourite male artist - pop/rock.

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.

She received the award from R&B diva Diana Ross.

"I'm so blown away to have just received an award from Diana Ross, who over the course of her career stood up for herself so many times in a period when it wasn't popular for women to stand up for themselves," Swift said.