The 2017 MTV VMAs got underway Sunday night, bringing out the biggest names in music.
The ceremony kicked off with a fiery performance by Kendrick Lamar, who went on to be the big winner of the night. The rapper's "HUMBLE." took home several VMAs, including Video of the Year.
Host Katy Perry descended from above in a space suit before introducing the night's first presenter, Paris Jackson. Perry also closed the show with "Swish Swish."
Fifth Harmony had the first win of the night for Best Pop Video for “Down” featuring Gucci Mane. The group was gracious and emotional, thanking their fans, The Harmonizers.
Rich Fury / Getty Images
Not long after Canada's Shawn Mendes belted out his hit "Nothing Holdin' Me Back," Canadian singer Alessia Cara took the stage to accept the VMA for Best Dance Video – for her collaboration with Zedd, "Stay."
"I didn't expect the song to go as far as it did so thank you for all of you guys for embracing it and being so incredible," said Cara, who also thanked Zedd and the video's director. (On Twitter, Zedd thanked Cara. "You're the best!," he wrote.)
Cara – who performed "Scars To Your Beautiful" later in the show – also received the Best Fight Against The System award, along with the five other nominees in the category – as a tribute to Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer.
MORE: Watch Alessia Cara Perform At MTV VMAs
Before presenting a clip of Linkin Park’s 2010 VMAs performance (in honour of lead singer Chester Bennington, who took his own life this summer), Jared Leto of Thirty Seconds To Mars had a heartfelt message for those struggling with depression or feelings of hopelessness.
“Anyone who is watching this tonight, who feels like there is no hope” said Leto. “Hear me now: you are not alone. There is always a way forward; reach out, share your thoughts, don't give up, and I promise you this, the absolute biggest breakthroughs in life lie just beyond the darkest days.”
Ellen DeGeneres presented the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award to P!nk, who performed a medley of her hits. The daytime talk show host was a last-minute replacement for Cher, who was originally scheduled to present the tribute.
P!nk spoke about accepting all kinds of beauty. "To all the artists here, I'm so inspired by all of you," she said. "Thank you for being your true selves and for lighting the way for us."
Other performers during the show included Miley Cyrus, Lorde, Demi Lovato, Kyle, Logic, and DNCE with Rod Stewart.
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
Check out the full list of winners and nominees:
Video of the Year
Kendrick Lamar: “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars: “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara: “Scars to Your Beautiful”
DJ Khaled: “Wild Thoughts” [ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller]
The Weeknd: “Reminder”
Artist of the Year
Bruno Mars
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Ariana Grande
The Weeknd
Lorde
Best New Artist
Khalid
Kodak Black
SZA
Young M.A
Julia Michaels
Noah Cyrus
Best Collaboration
Charlie Puth: “We Don’t Talk Anymore” [ft. Selena Gomez]
DJ Khaled: “Wild Thoughts” [ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller]
D.R.A.M.: “Broccoli” [ft. Lil Yachty]
The Chainsmokers: “Closer” [ft. Halsey]
Calvin Harris: “Feels” [ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean]
Zayn and Taylor Swift: “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
Best Pop Video
Shawn Mendes: “Treat You Better”
Ed Sheeran: “Shape of You”
Harry Styles: “Sign of the Times”
Fifth Harmony: “Down” [ft. Gucci Mane]
Katy Perry: “Chained to the Rhythm” [ft. Skip Marley]
Miley Cyrus: “Malibu”
Best Hip Hop Video
Kendrick Lamar: “HUMBLE.”
Big Sean: “Bounce Back”
Chance the Rapper: “Same Drugs”
D.R.A.M.: “Broccoli” [ft. Lil Yachty]
Migos: “Bad and Boujee” [ft. Lil Uzi Vert]
DJ Khaled: “I’m the One” [ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne]
Best Dance Video
Zedd and Alessia Cara: “Stay”
Kygo and Selena Gomez: “It Ain’t Me”
Calvin Harris: “My Way”
Major Lazer: “Cold Water” [ft. Justin Bieber and MØ]
Afrojack: “Gone” [ft. Ty Dolla $ign]
Best Rock Video
Coldplay: “A Head Full of Dreams”
Fall Out Boy: “Young And Menace”
Twenty One Pilots: “Heavydirtysoul”
Green Day: “Bang Bang”
Foo Fighters: “Run”
Best Fight Against the System
Logic: “Black SpiderMan”
The Hamilton Mixtape: “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)”
Big Sean: “Light”
Alessia Cara: “Scars to Your Beautiful”
Taboo: “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL” [ft. Shailene Woodley]
John Legend: “Surefire”
Best Cinematography
Kendrick Lamar: “HUMBLE.”
Imagine Dragons: “Thunder”
Ed Sheeran: “Castle on the Hill”
DJ Shadow: “Nobody Speak” [ft. Run the Jewels]
Halsey: “Now or Never”
Best Direction
Kendrick Lamar: “HUMBLE.”
Katy Perry: “Chained to the Rhythm” [ft. Skip Marley]
Bruno Mars: “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara: “Scars to Your Beautiful”
The Weeknd: “Reminder”
Best Art Direction
Kendrick Lamar: “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars: “24K Magic”
Katy Perry: “Bon Appetit” [ft. Migos]
DJ Khaled: “Wild Thoughts” [ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller]
The Weeknd: “Reminder”
Best Visual Effects
Kendrick Lamar: “HUMBLE.”
A Tribe Called Quest: “Dis Generation”
KYLE: “iSpy” [ft. Lil Yachty]
Katy Perry: “Chained to the Rhythm” [ft. Skip Marley]
Harry Styles: “Sign of the Times”
Best Choreography
Kanye West: “Fade”
Ariana Grande: “Side to Side” [ft. Nicki Minaj]
Kendrick Lamar: “HUMBLE.”
Sia: “The Greatest”
Fifth Harmony: “Down” [ft. Gucci Mane]
Best Editing
Future: “Mask Off”
Young Thug: “Wyclef Jean”
Lorde: “Green Light”
The Chainsmokers: “Closer” [ft. Halsey]
The Weeknd: “Reminder”