Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, BTS and Canada’s The Weeknd were big winners at the 2020 MTV VMAs, which aired on Sunday night.
Gaga was named Artist of the Year and “Rain On Me,” with Grande, won Song of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Cinematography.
“Ariana and I really connected through this song,” said Gaga. “Me and Ariana are truly soul sisters. Girl, this is for us. We’ve both been through some s**t together but we were willing to share that with each other.
“I feel like when we were in the studio we turned our tears, which felt like endless rainfall, into diamonds and I will treasure those diamonds with you forever.”
Accepting the first ever “Tricon Award,” Gaga acknowledged the times in which we are living. “We’re separated right now and culture may feel less alive in some ways, [but] I know a renaissance is coming and the wrath of pop culture will inspire you and the rage of art will empower you as it responds to hardship with its generous and love,” she said. “This is what I believe.”
Gaga also urged fans to “stay safe and speak your mind … and wear a mask. It’s a sign of respect.”
The VMAs adapted to the realities of a pandemic with impressive use of green-screen technology to make it appear as if it was being broadcast live from a rooftop in New York City – even though most of the show was pre-taped last week on a Los Angeles soundstage.
There was no audience (fans and their cheers were digitally added) and winners like Taylor Swift and H.E.R. delivered acceptance speeches they recorded at home.
Performances by Gaga and Grande, as well as those by Miley Cyrus, Doja Cat and the Black Eyed Peas were recorded in L.A. and a BTS performance of “Dynamite” was taped in South Korea.
There were also new categories like Best Music Video From Home ("Stuck with U" by Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande) and Best Quarantine Performance (CNCO for Unplugged From Home).
The show opened with The Weeknd, in his After Hours character, performing “Blinding Lights” last Thursday night atop the Edge at Hudson Yards, followed by spectacular fireworks over the Hudson River.
Maluma performed “Hawaii” – and accepted the Best Latin VMA, for “Qué Pena” ft. J. Balvin – and CNCO performed “Beso” from Brooklyn’s Skyline Drive-In last Wednesday night.
BTS was named Best Group, Best Pop, Best K-Pop and Best Choreography. BLACKPINK won Song of the Summer for “How You Like That.”
The Weeknd used both of his acceptance speeches – for Best R&B and Video of the Year (“Blinding Lights”) to draw attention to two recent police shootings in the U.S.
“It’s really hard for me to celebrate right now and enjoy this moment,” said the Toronto native, who recorded his message last Thursday, “so I’m just going to say: Justice for Jacob Blake and Justice for Breonna Taylor.”
One Canadian shut out of VMAs this year was Drake, who had four nominations.
See the nominees and winners below:
VIDEO OF THE YEARBillie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted”Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – “Godzilla”Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain on Me”Taylor Swift – “The Man”The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – WINNER
ARTIST OF THE YEARDaBabyJustin BieberLady Gaga – WINNERMegan Thee StallionPost MaloneThe Weeknd
BEST GROUPBTS – WINNER5 Seconds of SummerThe 1975BLACKPINKChloe x HalleCNCOLittle MixMONSTA XNow Unitedtwenty one pilots
SONG OF THE YEARBillie Eilish – “Everything I Wanted”Doja Cat – “Say So”Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – WINNERMegan Thee Stallion – “Savage”Post Malone – “Circles”Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
BEST COLLABORATIONAriana Grande & Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U”Black Eyed Peas ft. J Balvin – “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid – “Beautiful People”Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa”Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain on Me” – WINNER
BEST NEW ARTISTDoja Cat – WINNERLewis CapaldiYUNGBLUD
BEST POPBTS – “On” – WINNERHalsey – “You Should Be sad”Jonas Brothers – “What a Man Gotta Do”Justin Bieber ft. Quavo – “Intentions”Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”Taylor Swift – “Lover”
BEST HIP-HOPDaBaby – “BOP”Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – “Godzilla”Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage” – WINNERRoddy Ricch – “The Box”Travis Scott – “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM”
BEST ROCKblink-182 – “Happy Days”Coldplay – “Orphans” – WINNEREvanescence – “Wasted on You”Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean – “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)”Green Day – “Oh Yeah!”The Killers – “Caution”
BEST ALTERNATIVEThe 1975 – “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”All Time Low – “Some Kind Of Disaster”FINNEAS – “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night”Lana Del Rey – “Doin’ Time”Machine Gun Kelly – “Bloody Valentine” – WINNERTwenty One Pilots – “Level of Concern”
BEST LATINAnuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin – “China”Bad Bunny – “Yo Perreo Sola”Black Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul – “MAMACITA”J Balvin – “Amarillo”Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa”Maluma ft. J Balvin – “Qué Pena” -– WINNER
BEST R&BAlicia Keys – “Underdog”Chloe x Halle – “Do It”H.E.R. ft. YG – “Slide”Khalid ft. Summer Walker – “Eleven”Lizzo – “Cuz I Love You”The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – WINNER
BEST K-POP(G)I-DLE – “Oh My God”BTS – “On” – WINNEREXO – “Obsession”Monsta X – “SOMEONE’S SOMEONE”Tomorrow X Together – “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)”Red Velvet – “Psycho”
VIDEO FOR GOODAnderson .Paak – “Lockdown”Billie Eilish – “All the Good Girls Go to Hell”Demi Lovato – “I Love Me”H.E.R. – ”I Can’t Breathe” – WINNERLil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”Taylor Swift – “The Man”
BEST MUSIC VIDEO FROM HOME5 Seconds of Summer – “Wildflower”Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U” – WINNERblink-182 – “Happy Days”Drake – “Toosie Slide”John Legend – “Bigger Love”Twenty One Pilots – “Level of Concern”
BEST QUARANTINE PERFORMANCEChloe & Halle – “Do It” from MTV’s Prom-athonCNCO – Unplugged At Home – WINNERDJ D-Nice – Club MTV presents #DanceTogetherJohn Legend – #togetherathome Concert SeriesLady Gaga – “Smile” from One World: Together At HomePost Malone – Nirvana Tribute
BEST DIRECTIONBillie Eilish – “Xanny” – Billie EilishDoja Cat – “Say So” – Hannah Lux DavisDua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now” – NabilHarry Styles – “Adore You” – Dave MeyersTaylor Swift – “The Man” – Taylor Swift – WINNERThe Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – Anton Tammi
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY5 Seconds of Summer – “Old Me” – Kieran FowlerCamila Cabello ft. DaBaby – “My Oh My” – Dave MeyersBillie Eilish – “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” – Christopher ProbstKaty Perry – “Harleys In Hawaii” – Arnau VallsLady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Thomas Kloss – WINNERThe Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – Oliver Millar
BEST ART DIRECTIONA$AP Rocky – “Babushka Boi” – A$AP Rocky & Nadia Lee CohenDua Lipa – “Physical” – Anna Colomé Nogu ́Harry Styles – “Adore You” – Laura Ellis CricksMiley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” – Christian Stone – WINNERSelena Gomez – “Boyfriend” – Tatiana Van SauterTaylor Swift – “Lover” – Ethan Tobman
BEST VISUAL EFFECTSBillie Eilish – “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” – Drive StudiosDemi Lovato – “I Love Me” – Hoody FXDua Lipa – “Physical” – EIGHTY4 – WINNERHarry Styles – “Adore You” – MathematicLady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain on Me” – Ingenuity StudiosTravis Scott – “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” – ARTJAIL, SCISSOR FILMS & FRENDER
BEST CHOREOGRAPHYBTS – “On” – Son Sung Deuk, Lee Ga Hun, Lee Byung Eun – WINNERCNCO & Natti Natasha – “Honey Boo” – Kyle HanagamiDaBaby – “BOP” – Dani Leigh and CherryDua Lipa – “Physical” – Charm La’DonnaLady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Richy JacksonNormani – “Motivation” – Sean Bankhead
BEST EDITINGHalsey – “Graveyard” – Emilie Aubry, Janne Vartia & Tim MontanaJames Blake – “Can’t Believe the Way We Flow” – Frank LebonLizzo – “Good As Hell” – Russell Santos & Sofia KerpanMiley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” – Alexandre Moors, Nuno Xico – WINNERROSALÍA – “A Palé” – Andre JonesThe Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
SONG OF THE SUMMERBLACKPINK “How You Like That” – WINNERCardi 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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