RATINGS FOR AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS SOAR

Ratings for this year’s American Music Awards were up more than 30 percent as some 12.90 million viewers watched Taylor Swift claim the artist of the year award for the third consecutive year Sunday night. She also won for best country album of the year for Red and favorite female country artist and pop/rock artist. Justin Timberlake came away with three trophies, for soul/R&B album, soul/R&B male artist and pop/rock male artist. Nevertheless, football remained the top attraction of the night, with NBC’s telecast of Sunday Night Football’s game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots averaging 23.99 million viewers, peaking in the 8:30 p.m. half-hour with 26.80 million, and the overrun of the NFL afternoon game on Fox at 7:00 p.m. attracting 22.03 million.