2021 MTV VMAs winners: See the full list
The MTV Video Music Awards took place at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Sunday night, with Doja Cat hosting the ceremony and music's biggest stars vying for those famed Moonperson statues.
The night's big winner was Lil Nas X, who took home multiple awards, including the coveted Video of the Year trophy as well as honors for Best Direction and Best Visual Effects, all for his single "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)." The artist dedicated his Video of the Year statute to "the gay agenda," a cheeky, layered reference to the queer-positive imagery and messaging he's presented with his recent singles.
Other winners included Olivia Rodrigo, who won Best New Artist and Song of the Year (for "Drivers License"); Justin Bieber, who won both Artist of the Year and Best Pop, for his song "Peaches," featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; Billie Eilish, who won Video for Good for her ballad "Your Power"; BTS, who won Group of the Year; and Travis Scott, who won Best Hip-Hop for "Franchise" (featuring Young Thug & M.I.A.).
Kevin Mazur/getty images; ANGELA WEISS/getty images; Jeff Kravitz/getty images MTV Video Music Awards winners Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish
Bieber returned to perform on the VMAs stage for the first time since his emotional breakdown in 2015. After joining the Kid Laroi for a rendition of their hit single "Stay," he sang "Ghost" off his recent solo album Justice. Meanwhile, Chloe Bailey, older half of sister R&B duo Chloe x Halle, proved she's a real boss with her debut solo performance, making the audience beg for more with her new single, "Have Mercy."
Lil Nas X made his own grand comeback alongside rapper Jack Harlow. The pair performed their new hit "Industry Baby," mirroring the viral music video that showed them locked up in Montero State Prison. Nas came out dressed in full drum-major regalia and conducted the song's blaring horns before rapping his verse shirtless with backup dancers portraying inmates. They eventually all ended up in nothing more than sparkly pink bottoms.
And speaking of bottoms, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez made separate cameos at the start of the event, toasting MTV for its 40th anniversary. Clad in leather, the former shared her story of first coming to New York City at the age of 19 and being dropped off by a cab driver at the "center" of it all: in Times Square, home of MTV headquarters. After declaring, "We're still here, motherf---ers," the Queen of Pop turned to exit the stage, flaunting a substantial portion of her backside.
Other highlights: Normani delivered a show-stopping performance of "Wild Side" that nodded to both Aaliyah and Janet Jackson. And in a touching moment, before Foo Fighters accepted their Global Icon Award, the band paid tribute to late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts during a medley of their hits in which drummer Taylor Hawkins' kit blazed the message "Charlie, RIP."
Check out the full list of winners below:
GROUP OF THE YEAR
WINNER: BTS
Blackpink
CNCO
Foo Fighters
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
Silk Sonic
Twenty One Pilots
GLOBAL ICON AWARD
HONOREE: Foo Fighters
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: "WAP" – Atlantic Records
DJ Khaled ft. Drake: "Popstar" (Starring Justin Bieber) – OVO /We The Best/Epic Records
Doja Cat ft. SZA: "Kiss Me More" – Kemosabe Records/RCA Records
Ed Sheeran: "Bad Habits" – Atlantic Records
WINNER: Lil Nas X: "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" – Columbia Records
The Weeknd: "Save Your Tears" – XO / Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records/RCA Records
WINNER: Justin Bieber – Def Jam
Megan Thee Stallion – 300 Entertainment
Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior: "Mood" – Records LLC/Columbia Records
Doja Cat: "Say So" – Kemosabe/RCA Records
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: "Leave the Door Open" – Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Records
BTS: "Dynamite" – Bighit Music
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: "WAP" – Atlantic Records
Dua Lipa: "Levitating" – Warner Records
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo: "Drivers License" – Geffen Records
BEST NEW ARTIST
24kGoldn – Records LLC/Columbia Records
Giveon – Epic Records/Not So Fast
The Kid Laroi – Columbia Records
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records
Polo G – Columbia Records
Saweetie – Warner Records
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Wallows: "Are You Bored Yet?" – Atlantic Records
Ashnikko: "Daisy" – Warner Records
Saint Jhn: "Gorgeous" – Godd Complexx/HITCO
24kGoldn: "Coco" – Records LLC/Columbia Records
JC Stewart: "Break My Heart" – Elektra Music Group
Latto: "Sex Lies" – RCA Records
Madison Beer: "Selfish" – Epic Records/Sing It Loud
The Kid Laroi: "Without You" – Columbia Records
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo: "Drivers License" – Geffen Records
Girl in Red: "Serotonin" – World in Red/AWAL
Fousheé: "My Slime" – RCA Records
Jxdn: "Think About Me" – DTA Records/Elektra Music Group
BEST COLLABORATION
24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior: "Mood" – Records LLC/Columbia Records
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: "WAP" – Atlantic Records
WINNER: Doja Cat ft. SZA: "Kiss Me More" – Kemosabe Records/RCA Records
Drake ft. Lil Durk: "Laugh Now Cry Later" – OVO/Republic Records
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: "Peaches" – Def Jam
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa: "Prisoner" – RCA Records
BEST POP
Ariana Grande: "Positions" – Republic Records
Billie Eilish: "Therefore I Am" – Darkroom/Interscope Records
BTS: "Butter" – Bighit Music
Harry Styles: "Treat People With Kindness" – Columbia Records
WINNER: Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: "Peaches" – Def Jam
Olivia Rodrigo: "Good 4 U" – Geffen Records
Shawn Mendes: "Wonder" – Island Records
Taylor Swift: "Willow" – Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: "WAP" – Atlantic Records
Drake ft. Lil Durk: "Laugh Now Cry Later" – OVO/Republic Records
Lil Baby ft. Megan Thee Stallion: "On Me (remix)" – Quality Control/Motown
Moneybagg Yo – "Said Sum" – N-Less Entertainment/Interscope Records
Polo G: "Rapstar" – Columbia Records
WINNER: Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A.: "Franchise" – Cactus Jack/Epic Records
BEST ROCK
Evanescence: "Use My Voice" – BMG
Foo Fighters: "Shame Shame" – Roswell Records/RCA Records
WINNER: John Mayer: "Last Train Home" – Columbia Records
The Killers: "My Own Soul's Warning" – Island
Kings Of Leon: "The Bandit" – RCA Records
Lenny Kravitz: "Raise Vibration" – Roxie Records/BMG
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Bleachers: "Stop Making This Hurt" – RCA Records
Glass Animals: "Heat Waves" – Republic Records
Imagine Dragons: "Follow You" – Kidinakorner/Interscope Records
WINNER: Machine Gun Kelly ft. Blackbear: "My Ex's Best Friend" – Bad Boy/Interscope Records
Twenty One Pilots: "Shy Away" – Fueled By Ramen
BEST LATIN
Bad Bunny x Jhay Cortez: "Dákiti" – The Orchard
WINNER: Billie Eilish & Rosalía: "Lo Vas A Olvidar" – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Black Eyed Peas and Shakira: "Girl Like Me" – Epic Records
Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Tainy: "Un Die (One Day)" – Universal Music Latino/Neon16
Karol G: "Bichota" – Universal Music Latino
Maluma: "Hawái" – Sony Music US Latin
BEST R&B
Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn, WizKid: "Brown Skin Girl" – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
WINNER: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: "Leave the Door Open" – Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Records
Chris Brown and Young Thug: "Go Crazy" – Chris Brown Entertainment/RCA Records
Giveon: "Heartbreak Anniversary" – Epic Records/Not So Fast
H.E.R. ft. Chris Brown: "Come Through" - MBK Entertainment/RCA Records
SZA: "Good Days" – Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records
BEST K-POP
(G)I-DLE: "Dumdi Dumdi" – Republic Records
Blackpink and Selena Gomez: "Ice Cream" – YG Entertainment/Interscope Records
WINNER: BTS – "Butter" – Bighit Music
Monsta X: "Gambler" – Starship Entertainment
Seventeen: "Ready to love" – Pledis Entertainment
Twice: "Alcohol-Free" – JYP Entertainment Company
VIDEO FOR GOOD
WINNER: Billie Eilish: "Your Power" – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Demi Lovato: "Dancing With the Devil" – Island
H.E.R.: "Fight For You" – MBK Entertainment/RCA Records
Kane Brown: "Worldwide Beautiful" – Sony Music Nashville/RCA Records
Lil Nas X: "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" – Columbia Records
Pharrell Williams ft. Jay-Z: "Entrepreneur" – Columbia Records
BEST DIRECTION
Billie Eilish: "Your Power" – Darkroom / Interscope Records; Directed by: Billie Eilish
DJ Khaled ft. Drake: "Popstar (Starring Justin Bieber)" – OVO/We The Best/Epic Records – Directed by: Julien Christian Lutz a.k.a. Director X
WINNER: Lil Nas X: "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" – Columbia Records – Directed by: Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino
Taylor Swift: "Willow" – Republic Records – Directed by: Taylor Swift
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A: "Franchise" – Cactus Jack/Epic Records – Directed by: Travis Scott
Tyler, The Creator: "Lumberjack" – Columbia Records; Directed by: Wolf Haley
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER: Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, WizKid: "Brown Skin Girl" – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records – Cinematography by: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, Mohammaed Atta Ahmed, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan Helfant
Billie Eilish: "Therefore I Am" – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Cinematography by: Rob Witt
Foo Fighters: "Shame Shame" – Roswell Records/RCA Records – Cinematography by: Santiago Gonzalez
Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper: "Holy" – RBMG/Def Jam – Cinematography by: Elias Talbot
Lady Gaga: "911" – Interscope Records – Cinematography by: Jeff Cronenweth
Lorde: "Solar Power" – Republic Records – Cinematography by: Andrew Stroud
BEST ART DIRECTION
Beyoncé, Shatta Wale, Major Lazer: "Already" – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records – Art Direction by: Susan Linns, Gerard Santos
Ed Sheeran: "Bad Habits" – Atlantic Records – Art Direction by: Alison Dominitz
Lady Gaga: "911" – Interscope Records – Art Direction by: Tom Foden, Peter Andrus
Lil Nas X: "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" – Columbia Records – Art Direction by: John Richoux
WINNER: Saweetie ft. Doja Cat: "Best Friend" – Warner Records – Art Direction by: Alec Contestabile
Taylor Swift – "Willow" – Republic Records – Art Direction by: Ethan Tobman, Regina Fernandez
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Bella Poarch: "Build a Bitch" – Warner Records – Visual Effects by: Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, Yekaterina Vetrova
Coldplay: "Higher Power" – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by: Mathematic
Doja Cat & The Weeknd – "You Right" – Kemosabe Records/RCA Records – 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" – Republic Records – Visual Effects by: Ronan Fourreau
WINNER: Lil Nas X: "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by: Mathematic
P!nk: "All I Know So Far" – RCA Records – Visual Effects by: BUF, VFX Supervisors: Dominique Vidal & Geoffrey Niquet, VFX Producers: Annabelle Zoellin & Camille Gibrat
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Ariana Grande – "34+35" – Republic Records – Choreography by: Brian Nicholson & Scott Nicholson
BTS – "Butter" – Bighit Music – Choreography by: Son Sung with BHM Performance Directing Team
Ed Sheeran – "Bad Habits" – Atlantic Records – Choreography by: Natricia Bernard
Foo Fighters – "Shame Shame" – Roswell Records/RCA Records – Choreography by: Nina McNeely
WINNER: Harry Styles – "Treat People With Kindness" – Columbia Records
Marshmello & Halsey – "Be Kind" – Astralwerks/Capitol Records – Choreography by: Dani Vitale
BEST EDITING
WINNER: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: "Leave the Door Open" – Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Records – Editing by: Troy Charbonnet
BTS: "Butter" – Bighit Music – Editing by: Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens
Drake: "What's Next" – OVO/Republic Records – Editing by: Noah Kendal
Harry Styles: "Treat People With Kindness" – Columbia Records
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: "Peaches" – Def Jam
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa: "Prisoner" – RCA Records
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