Apple Announces Winners of Third Annual Apple Music Awards

Apple has announced the winners of the third annual Apple Music Awards, which recognize "the best artists of 2021 and their influence on global culture."

apple apple music awards 2020 hero 11182020 big
The awards honor achievements in music across five categories, with winners chosen through a process that reflects both ‌‌Apple Music‌‌'s editorial perspective and what customers around the world have been listening to most.

Apple has named The Weeknd as Global Artist of the Year, while Olivia Rodrigo is Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Rodrigo also bagged the Album of the Year award for her debut album, "SOUR," and Single of the Year for "drivers license." The Songwriter of the Year award went to multi-instrumentalist H.E.R. especially in recognition of her 21-track R&B album "Back of My Mind."

This year, the ‌Apple Music‌ Awards also introduces a new category of awards for Regional Artist of the Year, recognizing artists from five countries and regions: Africa, France, Germany, Japan, and Russia. The Regional Artist of the Year awards recognize artists who made the greatest impact culturally and on the charts in their respective countries and regions, according to Apple.

"The past 12 months have proved to be a remarkable year for music, and we're thrilled to honor the artists who are shaping culture and connecting with fans around the world on Apple Music," said Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Apple Music and Beats. "This year we're also recognizing more regional artists, showing the world the impact of extraordinary talented musicians who are making waves globally."

The ‌Apple Music‌ Awards celebration kicks off Tuesday, December 7, 2021, with interviews, original content, and more all streaming worldwide on ‌Apple Music‌ and the Apple TV app. Apple's full article has a more complete list of details on all of the artists that are to be honored with a special Apple-designed award.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Sad Siri Feature

Apple AI Chief John Giannandrea Retiring After Siri Delays

Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today. Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Netflix Smaller 4

Netflix Kills Casting From Its Mobile App to Most Modern TVs

Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer. The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Cyber Week Deals 2025

Best Cyber Week Apple Deals Include Big Discounts on AirPods, Apple Watch, and More

Sunday November 30, 2025 7:33 am PST by
Cyber Week is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically,...
iOS 26

What to Expect From Apple This December: iOS 26.3 Beta, Replay 2025, and More

Monday December 1, 2025 8:40 am PST by
The calendar has turned to December, and the quieter year-end holiday season is now upon us. Nevertheless, we can still expect a few things from Apple this month. Apple previously announced that iOS 26.2 will be released to the general public in December, and we can expect corresponding updates to be released as well, including iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and visionOS...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
52 months ago
Well deserved! The weekend Wins!

Congratulations!!!


The Weekend wins Global Artist of the Year at the third annual Apple Music Awards.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bandaman Avatar
52 months ago
Ugh no.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bug-Creator Avatar
52 months ago

Aya Nakamura for France?
Dunno, but considering that they went with a 100% talent free autotune "rapper" for Germany gives me a hint....
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Upeo Avatar
52 months ago

She’s the exact opposite of an artist. She is an empty product created for mass consumption with no idea of what she’s doing. She even recognized herself that she didn’t know what the lyrics she’s been writing meant (because they don’t mean anything whatsoever). Appart from the lyrics, the music is also quite… appalling.
I never really understood this argument regarding pop music, regardless of how I feel about it. Let's say she is an empty product created for mass consumption, doesn't that mean the appetite for whatever it is she's producing is out there? You think it's just ignorance that has people consuming what she's producing? Can't it be that they're simply looking for something in their music that you're not looking for in yours?

Music is meant to elicit an emotional response out of people. Whether to energise, help contemplate or think, inform, emotional processing, or what else, it's popular with human beings precisely because it affects the way we feel and it can do so in multiple different ways.

You can't judge a song for what it's not trying to be, she's not going after a Pulitzer. It's music meant to help you decompress. That has its value too. Apple Music is a streaming platform, they go by what people listen to. We may not enjoy it, but for something as utterly and completely subjective as music, who are we to either say they're not allowed to or the music we listen to is better?

If these people are doing good, more power to them. Music you like is still out there, music I like is still out there. There's room for both. Not everything has to be for everybody.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RobertoDLV Avatar
52 months ago

Why do you say that?
She’s the exact opposite of an artist. She is an empty product created for mass consumption with no idea of what she’s doing. She even recognized herself that she didn’t know what the lyrics she’s been writing meant (because they don’t mean anything whatsoever). Appart from the lyrics, the music is also quite… appalling.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stevez67 Avatar
52 months ago
Industry awards like these are intended to continue the corporate revenue stream from performers who are already part of that stream. These awards go to performers in whom the music industry has already invested. It's a bit like slapping insurance policy onto an asset. I've listened to all the awardees and they're listenable, but unremarkable. They break no new ground, musically.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)