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 first live awards show since the coronavirus pandemic. The event which was originally slated to be held at the Barclays Center
Winners of the night Lady Gaga 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 Best collaboration for their pop hit, “Rain On Me.”
Machine Gun Kelly Best Alternative for “Bloody Valentine” starring his girlfriend Megan Fox BTS Best K-pop, Best Group, Best Choreography and Best Pop . Doja Cat Best new artist, while Taylor Swift 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 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 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 RecordsDaBaby – SCMG / Interscope Records Justin Bieber – RBMG / Def Jam Megan Thee Stallion – 300 Entertainment Post Malone – Republic RecordsThe Weeknd – XO / Republic Records SONG OF THE YEAR WINNER: Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope RecordsBillie Eilish: “Everything I Wanted” – Darkroom / Interscope Records Doja Cat : “Say So” – Kemosabe / RCA RecordsMegan 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 RecordsJack 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 RecordsAriana 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 RecordsFuture ft. Drake: “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj: “Tusa” – Universal Music Latin EntertainmentBEST POP WINNER: BTS – “On” – Big Hit EntertainmentHalsey – “You Should Be Sad” – Capitol RecordsJonas 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 EntertainmentDaBaby: “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 JackBEST ROCK WINNER: Coldplay: “Orphans” – Atlantic RecordsBlink-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 RecordsThe 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 LatinAnuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin: “China” – Real Hasta La Muerte Bad Bunny : “Yo Perreo Sola” – Rimas EntertainmentBlack Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul: “Mamacita” – Epic Records J Balvin : “Amarillo” – Universal Music Latin EntertainmentKarol 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 EntertainmentEXO: “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 RecordsAnderson .Paak: “Lockdown” – 12 Tone Music Group Billie Eilish: “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records Demi Lovato : “I Love Me” – Island RecordsLil 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 Jam5 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 HomeChloe 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 SwiftBillie 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 MeyersThe 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 Merriman5 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 VallsThe 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 StoneA$AP Rocky: “Babushka Boi” – Polo Grounds Music / RCA Records – Art Direction by A$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 MathematicBillie 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 DeukCNCO & 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 XicoHalsey: “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: BTSBlackpink 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”