The much anticipated 2020 MTV Video Music Awards aired Sunday night. Despite the pandemic, the glamorous outdoor event still went on with some of the biggest names in music making appearances across five of New York’s boroughs for this year’s socially distant installment.
Hosted by Keke Palmer, this year’s ceremony, kicked off the first live awards show since the coronavirus pandemic. The event which was originally slated to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, was instead put on at various outdoor locations around New York.
Winners of the night
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, the night’s most-nominated artists, walked away with five and four wins, respectively. Gaga won big as she took the stage multiple times, bagging the Artist of the year and Song of the year honour. The queen of pop was also honoured with the First-Ever Tricon Award, the ostensible replacement for the annual Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Gaga and Grande also scored the Best collaboration for their pop hit, “Rain On Me.”
Machine Gun Kelly took home the first award of the night during the VMA pre-show, winning Best Alternative for “Bloody Valentine” starring his girlfriend Megan Fox. K-pop sensations BTS swept their four nominations. Winning Best K-pop, Best Group, Best Choreography and Best Pop. Doja Cat won for Best new artist, while Taylor Swift won for Best direction and sent in an acceptance video message from home.
This year’s VMAs also featured two new categories in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Best Music Video From Home and Best Quarantine Performance. Which went to Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber “Stuck with U” and CNCO’s “Unplugged at Home,” respectively.
The Weeknd took home the night’s biggest award, winning Video of the Year for “Blinding Lights.” He opened the show with a performance of the single.
Special Performances
We saw some truly special performances like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s showstopping TV debut of their collaboration “Rain on Me.” K-pop superstars BTS gave an ‘explosive’ TV debut of their latest all-english single, “Dynamite” all the way from South Korea. The Weeknd, who bagged the biggest win, dedicated his two award speeches to justice for Jacob Blake and Breonna Taylor.
The full list of winners from this year’s show
TRICON AWARD
- WINNER: Lady Gaga
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
- WINNER: The Weeknd — “Blinding Lights”
- Billie Eilish — “Everything I Wanted”
- Eminem feat. Juice WRLD — “Godzilla”
- Future feat. Drake — “Life Is Good”
- Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande — “Rain on Me”
- Taylor Swift — “The Man”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
- WINNER: Lady Gaga – Streamline / Interscope Records
- DaBaby – SCMG / Interscope Records
- Justin Bieber – RBMG / Def Jam
- Megan Thee Stallion – 300 Entertainment
- Post Malone – Republic Records
- The Weeknd – XO / Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
- WINNER: Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
- Billie Eilish: “Everything I Wanted” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
- Doja Cat: “Say So” – Kemosabe / RCA Records
- Megan Thee Stallion: “Savage” – 300 Entertainment
- Post Malone: “Circles” – Republic Records
- Roddy Ricch: “The Box” – Atlantic Records
PUSH BEST NEW ARTIST
- WINNER: Doja Cat — Kemosabe / RCA Records
- Jack Harlow — Generation Now / Atlantic Records
- Lewis Capaldi — Capitol Records
- Roddy Ricch — Atlantic Records
- Tate McRae — RCA Records
- Yungblud – Locomotion Recordings / Geffen Records / Interscope Records
BEST COLLABORATION
- WINNER: Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
- Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber: “Stuck with U” – Republic Records / Def Jam
- Black Eyed Peas ft. J Balvin: “Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)” – Epic Records / We The Best
- Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid: “Beautiful People” – Atlantic Records
- Future ft. Drake: “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
- Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj: “Tusa” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
BEST POP
- WINNER: BTS – “On” – Big Hit Entertainment
- Halsey – “You Should Be Sad” – Capitol Records
- Jonas Brothers – “What a Man Gotta Do” – Republic Records
- Justin Bieber ft. Quavo – “Intentions” – RBMG/Def Jam
- Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain on Me” – Streamline/Interscope Records
- Taylor Swift – “Lover” – Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP
- WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion: “Savage” – 300 Entertainment
- DaBaby: “Bop” – SCMG / Interscope Records
- Eminem ft. Juice WRLD: “Godzilla” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
- Future ft. Drake: “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
- Roddy Ricch: “The Box” – Atlantic Records
- Travis Scott: “Highest in the Room” – Epic Records / Cactus Jack
BEST ROCK
- WINNER: Coldplay: “Orphans” – Atlantic Records
- Blink-182: “Happy Days” – Columbia Records
- Evanescence: “Wasted On You” – BMG
- Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean: “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)” – Island Records
- Green Day: “Oh Yeah!” – Reprise / Warner Records
- The Killers: “Caution” – Island Records
Best Alternative
- WINNER: Machine Gun Kelly: “Bloody Valentine” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records
- The 1975: “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” – Dirty Hit / Interscope Records
- All Time Low: “Some Kind Of Disaster” – Fueled By Ramen
- Finneas: “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night” – AWAL
- Lana Del Rey: “Doin’ Time” – Interscope Records
- Twenty One Pilots: “Level of Concern” – Elektra Music Group / Fueled By Ramen
BEST LATIN
- WINNER: Maluma ft. J Balvin: “Qué Pena” – Sony Music Latin
- Anuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin: “China” – Real Hasta La Muerte
- Bad Bunny: “Yo Perreo Sola” – Rimas Entertainment
- Black Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul: “Mamacita” – Epic Records
- J Balvin: “Amarillo” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
- Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj: “Tusa” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
BEST R&B
- Winner: The Weeknd — “Blinding Lights”
- Alicia Keys — “Underdog”
- Chloe x Halle — “Do It”
- H.E.R. feat. YG — “Slide”
- Khalid feat. Summer Walker — “Eleven”
- Lizzo — “Cuz I Love You”
BEST K-POP
- WINNER: BTS: “On” – Big Hit Entertainment
- EXO: “Obsession” – SM Entertainment
- (G)I-DLE: “Oh My God” – Republic Records
- Monsta X: “Someone’s Someone” – Epic Records
- Red Velvet: “Psycho” – SM Entertainment
- Tomorrow X Together: “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)” – Big Hit Entertainment
VIDEO FOR GOOD
- WINNER: H.E.R.: “I Can’t Breathe” – MBK / RCA Records
- Anderson .Paak: “Lockdown” – 12 Tone Music Group
- Billie Eilish: “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
- Demi Lovato: “I Love Me” – Island Records
- Lil Baby: “The Bigger Picture” – Quality Control Music / Motown / Capitol Music Group
- Taylor Swift: “The Man” – Republic Records
BEST MUSIC VIDEO FROM HOME
- WINNER: Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber: “Stuck with U” – Republic Records / Def Jam
- 5 Seconds of Summer: “Wildflower” – Interscope Records
- Blink-182: “Happy Days” – Columbia Records
- Drake: “Toosie Slide” – OVO/Republic Records
- John Legend: “Bigger Love” – Columbia Records
- Twenty One Pilots: “Level of Concern” – Elektra Music Group / Fueled By Ramen
BEST QUARANTINE PERFORMANCE
- WINNER: CNCO: MTV Unplugged At Home
- Chloe x Halle: “Do It (from MTV Prom-Athon)”
- DJ D-Nice: Club MTV Presents: #DanceTogether
- John Legend: #TogetherAtHome Concert Series
- Lady Gaga: “Smile” from One World: Together At Home
- Post Malone: Nirvana Tribute
BEST DIRECTION
- WINNER: Taylor Swift: “The Man” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
- Billie Eilish: “Xanny” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Directed by Billie Eilish
- Doja Cat: “Say So” – Kemosabe / RCA Records – Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
- Dua Lipa: “Don’t Start Now” – Warner Records – Directed by Nabil
- Harry Styles: “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Directed by Dave Meyers
- The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Directed by Anton Tammi
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
- WINNER: Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Michael Merriman
- 5 Seconds of Summer: “Old Me” – Interscope Records – Cinematography by Kieran Fowler
- Camila Cabello ft. DaBaby: “My Oh My” – Syco Music / Epic Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
- Billie Eilish: “all the good girls go to hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Christopher Probst
- Katy Perry: “Harleys In Hawaii” – Capitol Records – Cinematography by Arnau Valls
- The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Cinematography by Oliver Millar
BEST ART DIRECTION
- WINNER: Miley Cyrus: “Mother’s Daughter” – RCA Records – Art Direction by Christian Stone
- A$AP Rocky: “Babushka Boi” – Polo Grounds Music / RCA Records – Art Direction by A$AP Rocky & Nadia Lee Cohen
- Dua Lipa: “Physical” – Warner Records – Art Direction by Anna Colomer Nogué
- Harry Styles: “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by Laura Ellis Cricks
- Selena Gomez: “Boyfriend” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
- Taylor Swift: “Lover” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Kurt Gefke
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
- WINNER: Dua Lipa: “Physical” – Warner Records – Visual Effects by EIGHTY4 and Mathematic
- Billie Eilish: “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Drive Studios
- Demi Lovato: “I Love Me” – Island Records – Visual Effects by Hoody FX
- Harry Styles: “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Mathematic
- Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios
- Travis Scott: “Highest in the Room” – Epic Records / Cactus Jack – Visual Effects by ARTJAIL, SCISSOR FILMS & FRENDER
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
- WINNER: BTS: “On” – Big Hit Entertainment – Choreography by The Lab, Son Sung Deuk
- CNCO & Natti Natasha: “Honey Boo” – Sony Music Latin / RCA Records – Choreography by Kyle Hanagami
- DaBaby: “BOP” – SCMG / Interscope Records – Choreography by Dani Leigh and Cherry
- Dua Lipa: “Physical” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
- Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Choreography by Richy Jackson
- Normani: “Motivation” – Keep Cool / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
BEST EDITING
- WINNER: Miley Cyrus: “Mother’s Daughter” – RCA Records – Edited by Alexandre Moors, Nuno Xico
- Halsey: “Graveyard” – Capitol Records – Edited by Emilie Aubry, Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
- James Blake: “Can’t Believe the Way We Flow” – Republic Records – Edited by Frank Lebon
- Lizzo: “Good As Hell” – Atlantic Records – Edited by Russell Santos & Sofia Kerpan
- Rosalía: “A Palé” – Columbia Records – Edited by Andre Jones
- The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Edited by Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
BEST GROUP
- WINNER: BTS
- Blackpink
- Monsta X
- Little Mix
- 5 Seconds of Summer
- The 1975
- Chloe x Halle
- CNCO
- Now United
- Twenty One Pilots
SONG OF THE SUMMER
- WINNER: Blackpink – “How You Like That”
- Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
- DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch – “Rockstar”
- DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “Popstar”
- Doja Cat – “Say So”
- Dua Lipa – “Break My Heart”
- Harry Styles – “Watermelon Sugar”
- Jack Harlow – “Whats Poppin”
- Lil Baby ft. 42 Dugg – “We Paid”
- Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé – “Savage (Remix)”
- Miley Cyrus – “Midnight Sky”
- Pop Smoke ft. 50 Cent & Roddy Ricch – “The Woo”
- SAINt JHN – “Roses”
- Saweetie – “Tap In”
- Taylor Swift – “cardigan”
- The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights”
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