| 23rd Annual American Music Awards | |
| Runtime: | 180 min. |
| Location: | Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California |
| Country: | United States |
| Most Awards: | Garth Brooks and Eagles (3 each) |
| Most Nominations: | Boyz II Men and Hootie & the Blowfish (5 each) |
| Date: | January 29, 1996 |
| Host: | Jeff Foxworthy Sinbad |
| Previous: | 1995 |
| Next: | 1997 |
The 23rd Annual American Music Awards were held on January 29, 1996, at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles, California. The awards recognized the most popular artists and albums from the year 1995.
The ceremony was remembered by country singer-songwriter Garth Brooks refusing to accept the Favorite Artist of the Year Award.
| Artist(s) | Song(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mariah Carey | "Fantasy" | |
| Luther Vandross | "The Impossible Dream" | |
| Shania Twain | "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!" | |
| Reba McEntire | "Please Come to Boston" | |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | "1979" | |
| Brandy | "Baby" | |
| Neil Diamond | "Can Anybody Hear Me" | |
| Lionel Richie | "Don't Wanna Lose You" | |
| LL Cool J | "Mama Said Knock You Out" "Hey Lover" | |
| Garth Brooks | "The Change" |
| Subcategory | Winner | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| Artist of the Year | ||
| Artist of the Year | Garth Brooks (Refused) TLC (Accepted) | |
| Pop/Rock Category | ||
| Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist | Michael Jackson | |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist | Mariah Carey | Melissa Etheridge Alanis Morissette |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group | Eagles | Boyz II Men Hootie & the Blowfish |
| Favorite Pop/Rock Album | Hell Freezes Over – Eagles | II – Boyz II Men Cracked Rear View – Hootie & the Blowfish |
| Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist | Hootie & the Blowfish | Blues Traveler Alanis Morissette |
| Soul/R&B Category | ||
| Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist | Luther Vandross | Michael Jackson Barry White |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist | Mariah Carey | Anita Baker Brandy |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group | Boyz II Men | Jodeci TLC |
| Favorite Soul/R&B Album | II – Boyz II Men | My Life – Mary J. Blige CrazySexyCool – TLC |
| Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist | Brandy | Monica Soul for Real |
| Country Category | ||
| Favorite Country Male Artist | Garth Brooks | Alan Jackson George Strait |
| Favorite Country Female Artist | Reba McEntire | Mary Chapin Carpenter Shania Twain |
| Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group | Alabama | BlackHawk Brooks & Dunn |
| Favorite Country Album | The Hits – Garth Brooks | Waitin' on Sundown – Brooks & Dunn The Woman in Me – Shania Twain |
| Favorite Country New Artist | Shania Twain | Rhett Akins Ty Herndon |
| Adult Contemporary Category | ||
| Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist | Eagles | Hootie & the Blowfish Michael Jackson |
| Alternative Category | ||
| Favorite Alternative Artist | Pearl Jam | Green Day Nine Inch Nails |
| Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Category | ||
| Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist | Pearl Jam | Green Day Van Halen |
| Rap/Hip-Hop Category | ||
| Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist | Coolio | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Naughty by Nature |
| Soundtrack Category | ||
| Favorite Soundtrack | The Lion King | Dangerous Minds Forrest Gump |
| Merit | ||
| Tammy Wynette |