Swift to receive Dick Clark award for excellence

NEW YORK (AP) -- Taylor Swift is getting a special - and new - award from the American Music Awards.

Dick Clark productions announced Friday that Swift would receive the Dick Clark Award for Excellence at Sunday's show.

Swift is receiving the honor for her record-setting sales. Titled "1989," her fifth album that was released last month, became the singer's third album to sell more than 1 million units in its debut week.

Dick Clark's widow, Kari Clark, said in a statement that "the first time Dick saw Taylor perform, he knew she was something special."

Swift will kick off the awards show with a performance of "Blank Space," her new single which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart this week.

The AMAs will air live on ABC. Iggy Azalea is the lead nominee with six.

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