Lady Gaga’s impressive array of face masks aside, last year’s COVID-impacted MTV Video Music Awards is best forgotten as just another underwhelming virtual awards show.
But the ceremony returned to its former glory with an in-person event airing live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday night, where revamped Moon Person trophies rained down upon some of the biggest names in music.
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The 2021 ceremony hosted by Doja Cat, who took home the Best New Artist trophy last year, featured 14 gender-neutral categories across musical genres and a star-studded slate of performers.
Heading into the night, Justin Bieber led the pack with seven nominations and ultimately took home prizes in major categories, including Artist of the Year and Best Pop. Newly anointed Grammy royalty Megan Thee Stallion trailed closely behind with six nods of her own, including four for her anthem “WAP,” but failed to gain much traction at the ceremony. Artists Cardi B, Billie Eilish, BTS, Drake, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat and Olivia Rodrigo each earned five noms apiece.
Rodrigo, who delivered a camera-shattering performance of “Good 4 U” early in the show, won multiple awards, including Best New Artist and Song of The Year for her chart-topping ballad “Drivers License.”
But Lil Nas X managed to take home the night’s top award — Video of the Year — for his controversy-sparking “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” music video, and he thanked the “gay agenda” in his acceptance speech.
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The Foo Fighters, who scored three nominations this year, were also honored with the first-ever U.S. Global Icon Award.
Big-name acts Lorde and Nicki Minaj pulled out days before the show, but plenty of stars still performed at the ceremony, including Bieber, Alicia Keys, Normani, Chlöe, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, Kacey Musgraves, Busta Rhymes and Twenty One Pilots. Lil Nas X also took the stage, making a name for himself in the VMA history books with a steamy recreation of his latest music video.
Billy Porter, Kourtney Kardashian, Ashanti, Megan Fox, Hailey Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Ciara, Ja Rule, Simone Biles, SZA and Lance Bass were among the famous faces who presented awards throughout the night.
Check out the complete list of nominees and winners below.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “Popstar” (starring Justin Bieber)
Doja Cat ft. SZA – “Kiss Me More”
Ed Sheeran – “Bad Habits”
WINNER: Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
The Weeknd – “Save Your Tears”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
WINNER: Justin Bieber
Megan Thee Stallion
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
SONG OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior – “Mood”
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic – “Leave the Door Open”
BTS – “Dynamite”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Dua Lipa – “Levitating”
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo – “Drivers License”
BEST NEW ARTIST
24kGoldn
Giveon
The Kid LAROI
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo
Polo G
Saweetie
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
September 2020: Wallows – “Are You Bored Yet?“
October 2020: Ashnikko – “Daisy”
November 2020: SAINt JHN – “Gorgeous”
December 2020: 24kGoldn – “Coco”
January 2021: JC Stewart – “Break My Heart”
February 2021: Latto – “Sex Lies”
March 2021: Madison Beer – “Selfish”
April 2021: The Kid LAROI – “Without You”
WINNER: May 2021: Olivia Rodrigo – “Drivers License”
June 2021: girl in red “Serotonin”
July 2021: Fousheé – “my slime”
August 2021: jxdn – “Think About Me”
BEST COLLABORATION
24kGoldn ft. iann dior ― “Mood”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion ― “WAP”
WINNER: Doja Cat ft. SZA ― “Kiss Me More”
Drake ft. Lil Durk ― “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon ― “Peaches”
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa ― “Prisoner”
BEST POP
Ariana Grande ― “positions”
Billie Eilish ― “Therefore I Am”
BTS ― “Butter” ― BIGHIT MUSIC
Harry Styles ― “Treat People With Kindness”
WINNER: Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon ― “Peaches”
Olivia Rodrigo ― “good 4 u”
Shawn Mendes ― “Wonder”
Taylor Swift ― “willow”
BEST HIP-HOP
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion ― “WAP”
Drake ft. Lil Durk ― “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Lil Baby ft. Megan Thee Stallion ― “On Me (remix)”
Moneybagg Yo ― “Said Sum”
Polo G ― “RAPSTAR”
WINNER: Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A. ― “FRANCHISE”
BEST ROCK
Evanescence ― “Use My Voice”
Foo Fighters ― “Shame Shame”
WINNER: John Mayer ― “Last Train Home”
The Killers ― “My Own Soul’s Warning”
Kings Of Leon ― “The Bandit”
Lenny Kravitz ― “Raise Vibration”
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Bleachers ― “Stop Making This Hurt”
Glass Animals ― “Heat Waves”
Imagine Dragons ― “Follow You”
WINNER: Machine Gun Kelly ft. blackbear ― “my ex’s best friend”
twenty one pilots ― “Shy Away” ― Fueled By Ramen
WILLOW ft. Travis Barker ― “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l”
BEST LATIN
Bad Bunny x Jhay Cortez ― “Dákiti”
WINNER: Billie Eilish & ROSALÍA ― “Lo Vas A Olvidar”
Black Eyed Peas and Shakira ― “GIRL LIKE ME”
J. Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Tainy ― “UN DIA (ONE DAY)”
Karol G ― “Bichota”
Maluma ― “Hawái”
BEST R&B
Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, WizKid ― “BROWN SKIN GIRL”
WINNER: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic ― “Leave The Door Open”
Chris Brown and Young Thug ― “Go Crazy”
Giveon ― “HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY”
H.E.R. ft. Chris Brown ― “Come Through”
SZA ― “Good Days”
BEST K-POP
(G)I-DLE ― “DUMDi DUMDi”
BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez ― “Ice Cream”
WINNER: BTS ― “Butter”
Monsta X ― “Gambler”
SEVENTEEN ― “Ready to love”
TWICE ― “Alcohol-Free”
VIDEO FOR GOOD
WINNER: Billie Eilish ― “Your Power”
Demi Lovato ― “Dancing With The Devil”
H.E.R. ― “Fight For You”
Kane Brown ― “Worldwide Beautiful”
Lil Nas X ― “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”
Pharrell Williams ft. JAY-Z ― “Entrepreneur”
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Blackpink
WINNER: BTS
CNCO
Foo Fighters
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Silk Sonic
Twenty One Pilots
BEST DIRECTION
Billie Eilish ― “Your Power” ― Directed by: Billie Eilish
DJ Khaled ft. Drake ― “POPSTAR (Starring Justin Bieber)” ― Directed by: Julien Christian Lutz aka Director X
WINNER: Lil Nas X ― “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” ― Directed by: Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino
Taylor Swift ― “willow” ― Directed by: Taylor Swift
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A ― “Franchise” ― Directed by: Travis Scott
Tyler, The Creator ― “LUMBERJACK” ― Directed by: Wolf Haley
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER: Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, WizKid ― “BROWN SKIN GIRL” ― Cinematography by: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, MOHAMMAED ATTA AHMED, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan Helfant
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Billie Eilish ― “Therefore I Am” ― Cinematography by: Rob Witt
Foo Fighters ― “Shame Shame” ― Cinematography by: Santiago Gonzalez
Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper ― “Holy” ― Cinematography by: Elias Talbot
Lady Gaga ― “911” ― Cinematography by: Jeff Cronenweth
Lorde ― “Solar Power” ― Cinematography by: Andrew Stroud
BEST ART DIRECTION
Beyoncé, Shatta Wale, Major Lazer ― “ALREADY” ― Art Direction by: Susan Linns, Gerard Santos
Ed Sheeran ― “Bad Habits” ― Art Direction by: Alison Dominitz
Lady Gaga ― “911” ― Art Direction by: Tom Foden, Peter Andrus
Lil Nas X ― “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” ― Art Direction by: John Richoux
WINNER: Saweetie ft. Doja Cat ― “Best Friend” ― Art Direction by: Art Haynes
Taylor Swift ― “willow” ― Art Direction by: Ethan Tobman, Regina Fernandez
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Bella Poarch ― “Build A Bitch” ― Visual Effects by: Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, Yekaterina Vetrova
Coldplay ― “Higher Power” ― Visual Effects by: Mathematic
Doja Cat & The Weeknd ― “You Right” ― Visual Effects by: La Pac, Anthony Lestremau, Julien Missaire, Petr Shkolniy, Alexi Bailla, Micha Sher, Antoine Hache, Mikros MPC, Nicolas Huget, Guillaume Ho Tsong Fang, Benjamin Lenfant, Stephane Pivron, MPC Bangalore, Chanakya Chander, Raju Ganesh, David Rouxel
Glass Animals ― “Tangerine” ― Visual Effects by: Ronan Fourreau
WINNER: Lil Nas X ― “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” ― Visual Effects by: Mathematic
P!NK ― “All I Know So Far” ― Visual Effects by: Dave Meyers, Freenjoy Inc
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Ariana Grande ― “34+35” ― Choreography by: Brian Nicholson & Scott Nicholson
BTS ― “Butter” ―Choreography by: SON SUNG DEUK With BHM PERFORMANCE DIRECTING TEAM
Ed Sheeran ― “Bad Habits” ― Choreography by: Natricia Bernard
Foo Fighters ― “Shame Shame” ― Choreography by: Nina McNeely
WINNER: Harry Styles ― “Treat People With Kindness” ― Choreography by: Paul Roberts
Marshmello & Halsey ― “Be Kind” ― Choreography by: Dani Vitale
BEST EDITING
WINNER: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic ― “Leave The Door Open” ― Editing by: Troy Charbonnet
BTS ― “Butter” ― Editing by: Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens
Drake ― “What’s Next” ― Editing by: Noah Kendal
Harry Styles ― “Treat People With Kindness” ― Editing by: Claudia Wass
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon ― “Peaches” ― Editing by: Mark Mayr, Vinnie Hobbs
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa ― “Prisoner”
FAQs
Who won the VMA awards 2021? ›
2021 MTV Video Music Awards
Who were the winners at the VMAs last night? ›- VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD. Honoree: Nicki Minaj. ...
- ARTIST OF THE YEAR. WINNER: Bad Bunny. ...
- BEST NEW ARTIST. Baby Keem. ...
- BEST POP. Billie Eilish – "Happier Than Ever" ...
- BEST ROCK. Foo Fighters – "Love Dies Young" ...
- BEST LATIN. WINNER: Anitta – "Envolver" ...
- BEST K-POP. BTS – "Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)" ...
- BEST METAVERSE PERFORMANCE.
Kendrick Lamar, Swift, and Lil Nas X have further won the award for a video they co-directed: Lamar for "Humble" in 2017, Swift for "You Need to Calm Down" in 2019, and Lil Nas X for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" in 2021.
Who has won the most VMA ever? ›- Madonna - 20 Wins / 68 Nominations. ...
- Beyonce - 16 Wins / 64 Nomninations. ...
- Lady Gaga - 13 Wins / 26 Nominations. ...
- Michael Jackson - 12 Wins / 35 Nominations. ...
- Eminem - 12 Wins / 51 Nominations. ...
- Justin Timberlake - 11 Wins / 24 Nominations.
1987: At the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards, Peter Gabriel won ten awards, including the Video Vanguard Award and Video of the Year for his video "Sledgehammer", holding the VMA record for most Moonmen in a single night.
Who won artist of the year VMA? ›MTV Video Music Award for Artist of the Year
What song won video of the year? ›Billie Eilish – "Happier Than Ever" – Darkroom / Interscope Records -- **WINNER!
Who had the best performance at the VMAs? ›- Britney Spears, “I'm A Slave 4 U” (2001) ...
- Lady Gaga, “Paparazzi” (2009) ...
- Beyoncé, 'Lemonade' Medley (2016) ...
- Bon Jovi, “Livin' On a Prayer”/ “Wanted Dead or Alive” (1989) ...
- Michael Jackson, Medley (1995) ...
- Madonna, “Vogue” (1990)
| Year | Winner(s) | Shortlist |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Doja Cat | Lewis Capaldi Yungblud |
| 2021 | Olivia Rodrigo | The Kid Laroi |
| 2022 | Dove Cameron | Måneskin Seventeen |
The record for the most Grammy Awards won in a lifetime is held by Beyoncé, an American singer, songwriter, and dancer, who has won 32. It was previously held by Georg Solti, a Hungarian-British conductor, who won 31.
Who has the most amas? ›
Most wins. The record for most American Music Awards won is held by Taylor Swift with 40 awards. The record for most American Music Awards won by a male artist belongs to Michael Jackson, who has collected 26 awards.
Who has the most BET awards? ›David Bowie was the first artist to receive the top honor at the inaugural VMAs in 1984.
How many VMAs did Taylor Swift win? ›Swift has won fourteen MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year for "Bad Blood", "You Need To Calm Down" and All Too Well: The Short Film, making her the most-awarded person in the category.
How many VMAs has Mariah Carey won? ›...
List of awards and nominations received by Mariah Carey.
| Totals | |
|---|---|
| Nominations | 251 |
Like mother, like daughter
Blue Ivy Carter, the eldest daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, has officially become the youngest person EVER to win an MTV Video Music Award.
Luke Combs also had a big night, taking the stage both as a performer and winner. Combs won the coveted entertainer of the year award and album of the year.
Who won music event of the Year? ›| Year | Winner | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Lil Nas X Billy Ray Cyrus | "Old Town Road" |
| 2018 | David Lee Murphy Kenny Chesney | "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" |
| 2017 | Glen Campbell Willie Nelson | "Funny How Time Slips Away" |
| 2016 | Dierks Bentley Elle King | "Different for Girls" |
Bonnie Raitt's 'Just Like That' Takes Song of the Year in Surprise Grammys Win. The singer was up against heavyweights including Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Lizzo and more.
Who won music video of the Year 2023? ›Taylor Swift Makes GRAMMY History (Again) With Best Music Video Win For "All Too Well: The Short Film" | 2023 GRAMMYs.
What is the most successful music video? ›
1. 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson. From the moment it was released in December 1983, 'Thriller' was destined to become one of the most legendary music videos of all time. Nearly 40 years later, it remains profoundly influential and supremely audacious, even to contemporary eyes.
Who kissed at the VMAs? ›Instead, Madonna smooched Spears with Aguilera onstage near the end of the iconic VMA performance, which shocked fans worldwide at the time. “'I was filming a movie in Canada and we had met — me, her and Britney to do it — at her home,” the “Jenny From the Block” singer said.
Who won the VMA for Best Viral Dance? ›Lizzo accepts the Video for Good Award for her viral hit turned popular TikTok dance track "About Damn Time" at the MTV VMAs 2022.
Who was in all black at the VMAs? ›Lil Nas X Arrived at the 2022 VMAs in an All-Black Version of Iman's Met Gala Outfit.
Who won push performance of the year? ›MTV Video Music Award for Push Performance of the Year
Who won Best Collaboration at VMAs? ›| Year | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello – "Señorita" |
| 2020 | Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – "Rain on Me" |
| 2021 | Doja Cat (featuring SZA) – "Kiss Me More" |
| 2022 | Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow – "Industry Baby" |
As the name indicated, the winner was decided by audience members, who could vote up until the very night of the show via phone calls and, later on, internet votes and text messages.
What singer has won 10 GRAMMYs? ›Linda Ronstadt – 10 Grammys
She also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Georg Solti (31 wins)
Formerly the most awarded musician of all time was classical conductor Georg Solti, whose 31 Grammy victories span opera, choral and classical categories from 1962 all the way to 1997, the year of his death at age 84.
Aside from the recognition, Grammy Awards are essentially priceless. The statuette that is. Although the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) doesn't compensate artists after they've won a Grammy, the award itself is known to boost their record sales and stature.
What singer holds most GRAMMYs? ›
Beyoncé made history at the 2023 GRAMMYs by becoming the artist with the most GRAMMY wins — ever — when she won the GRAMMY for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for her 2022 album, Renaissance. Beyoncé now counts 32 total GRAMMY wins.
Who got artist of the year AMAs? ›Taylor Swift was the star of Sunday night's (Nov. 20) 2022 American Music Awards, taking home six awards total, including the final prize of the night: artist of the year.
What is the biggest bet ever won? ›Texas furniture kingpin Jim McIngvale—better known as “Mattress Mack”—won $75 million on Saturday after his bet that the Houston Astros would win the World Series paid off, taking home what is believed to be the largest payout in legal sports betting history.
What is the biggest bet ever? ›An American man, known as Mattress Mack, has won what's claimed to be the world's biggest-ever sports bet. The 71-year-old scooped a massive $75 million, which comes in at €75,026,250 in euros.
What is the largest bet ever made? ›William Lee Bergstrom (1951 – February 4, 1985) commonly known as The Suitcase Man or Phantom Gambler, was a gambler and high roller known for placing the largest bet in casino gambling history at the time amounting to $777,000 ($2.56 million present day amount) at the Horseshoe Casino, which he won.
Who was the first rapper to win an award? ›Feb. 22, 1989. D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's “Parents Just Don't Understand” becomes the first hip-hop recording to win a Grammy (best rap performance).
Who was the first band to perform on MTV? ›The very first music video shown on MTV was The Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star." While the channel's distribution was hard to come by, the rallying cry of "I want my MTV" became a mantra for consumers.
Who won the first GRAMMY for best performance? ›David Seville & The Chipmunks (Ross Bagdasarian, Sr.)
How many GRAMMYs does Adele have? ›She is the recipient of twelve Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, sixteen Grammy Awards, eighteen Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards, and two Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the Year. Premios Oye!
How many VMA awards does Beyonce have? ›Beyoncé is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Throughout the course of her career, Beyoncé has won 29 MTV Video Music Awards, making her the most-awarded artist in the award show history. Beyoncé is also the most-awarded artist at the BET Awards and the Soul Train Awards.
How many GRAMMYs does Nicki Minaj have? ›
Although nominated 10 times for the prestigious award throughout her career, Minaj has never actually taken home a Grammy.
How many Grammys does Katy Perry have? ›Katy Perry has 13 nominations but no wins.
She's been nominated 13 times over the last 10 years, but current "American Idol" judge, Katy Perry, still doesn't have a Grammy award to adorn her mantle.
| Awards and nominations | ||
|---|---|---|
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | 0 | 4 |
| MTV Video Music Awards | 9 | 43 |
| MTV Video Music Awards Japan | 4 | 5 |
| MTV Video Play Awards | 5 | 5 |
BTS ARMY backs Jungkook and Charlie Puth after 'Left and Right' loses at MTV VMAs 2022. Jungkook and Charlie Puth get massive love and support from the ARMY despite losing at this year's MTV VMAs.
Who won at the American Music Awards? ›American Music Awards
Did Single ladies win a VMA? ›...
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
| "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Dance-pop bounce R&B |
| Length | 3:13 |
| Label | Columbia |
Reading & Leeds “saddened” that Måneskin and Jack Harlow pulled out to play MTV VMAs. Reading & Leeds Festival organisers have said that Måneskin and Jack Harlow pulled out of this year's festival to play an awards ceremony.
How many VMAs has 1d won? ›One Direction have released five albums, Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), Four (2014), and Made in the A.M. (2015). The band has won numerous awards, among them six Billboard Music Awards, seven Brit Awards, seven American Music Awards and 28 Teen Choice Awards.
What song did Taylor Swift win a VMA for? ›Aug 28 (Reuters) - Taylor Swift won the top honor at MTV's annual Video Music Awards on Sunday for a 10-minute version of her 2012 breakup song "All Too Well" and made a surprise announcement of a new album coming in October.
Who won best hip hop VMA? ›Who got artist of the year 2023? ›
The big four winners were: Bonnie Raitt (Song of the Year), Lizzo (Record of the Year), Samara Joy (Best New Artist), and Harry Styles (Album of the Year).
Who won Fan Favorite at AMAs? ›Ghost took home the first-ever AMA for Favorite Rock Album for their latest album “Impera.” This year's most-nominated artist, Bad Bunny, took home two AMAs for Favorite Male Latin Artist, Favorite Latin Album for “Un Verano Sin Ti.”
Who won Music Awards 2023? ›Beyoncé and Wet Leg each won two awards. Beyoncé won international artist of the year and international song of the year. Wet Leg took group of the year and best new artist.
Did Kanye West ever apologize to Taylor Swift? ›June 16, 2013: Kanye West says he takes back his apology to Taylor Swift. "I don't have one regret. If anyone's reading this waiting for some type of full-on, flat apology for anything, they should just stop reading right now," he told the New York Times. "I have, as a human being, fallen to peer pressure."
Did Whitney Houston win an Emmy? ›American entertainer Whitney Houston, nicknamed “The Voice”, accolades include 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards (including Record and Album of the year wins), 14 World Music Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards and collected a total 28 entries in within the Guinness World Records.
Who opened up the VMAs? ›Jack Harlow Enlists Fergie for a 'First Class' VMAs 2022 Opening Performance.
Did Nicki Minaj go to VMA? ›Dressed entirely in pink from head to toe, the performance marked her first at the VMAs in four years. Among the fellow artists Minaj thanked for giving her “huge opportunities” that she'll “never forget” were Kanye West, Beyoncé, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Eminem, Britney Spears, and Rihanna.