Everything
It is quite arguably the most outrageous red carpet and ceremony on the awards season calendar. From bad beef within the industry’s A-list cohort, to explosive performances and avant garde red carpet looks, there is nothing boring when it comes to the annual MTV Video Music Awards, this year hosted by comedian and actor Sebastian Maniscalco.
In 2019, the likes of Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Shawn Mendes were expected to be big winners as they make up much of the nominees list this year. Elsewhere, newcomers including Lizzo and Lil Nas X triumphed during their performances, while comebacks from the Jonas Brothers and 5 Seconds Of Summer prove that boy bands are not dead. But like any ceremony there is always controversial decisions and unexpected surprises so scroll below for all the triumphs and upsets.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “A Lot” – Epic Records
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Ariana Grande – “Thank U, Next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Halsey – Astralwerks/Capitol Records
Jonas Brothers – Republic Records
Shawn Mendes– Island Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
Drake – “In My Feelings” – Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records
Ariana Grande – “Thank U, Next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” – Interscope Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST NEW ARTIST
Ava Max – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
ROSALÍA – Columbia Records
BEST COLLABORATION
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” – Interscope Records
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber – “I Don’t Care” – Atlantic Records
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records
PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bazzi – Atlantic Records
CNCO – RCA Records
Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records
Lauv – LAUV/AWAL
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
BEST POP
5 Seconds of Summer – “Easier” – Interscope Records
Cardi B & Bruno Mars – “Please Me” – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Ariana Grande – “Thank U, Next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST HIP HOP
2 Chainz ft. Ariana Grande – “Rule the World” – 2 Chainz Ps/Def Jam
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “a lot” – Epic Records
Cardi B – “Money” – Atlantic Records
DJ Khaled ft. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher” – We The Best/Epic Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Travis Scott ft. Drake – “SICKO MODE” – Epic Records/Grand Hustle/Cactus Jack
BEST R&B
Anderson .Paak ft. Smokey Robinson – “Make It Better” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music
Childish Gambino – “Feels Like Summer” – RCA Records
H.E.R. ft. Bryson Tiller – “Could’ve Been” – MBK/RCA Records
Alicia Keys – “Raise A Man” – RCA Records
Ella Mai – “Trip” – 10 Summers/Interscope Records
Normani ft. 6lack – “Waves” – Keep Cool/RCA Records
BEST K-POP
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records
BLACKPINK – “Kill This Love” – YG Entertainment/Interscope Records
Monsta X ft. French Montana – “Who Do You Love” – Epic Records
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Cat & Dog” – Republic Records
NCT 127 – “Regular” – SM Entertainment
EXO – “Tempo” – SM Entertainment
BEST LATIN
Anuel AA, Karol G – “Secreto” – Universal Music Latino
Bad Bunny ft. Drake – “MIA” – OVO Sound/Warner Bros. Records
benny blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez, J Balvin – “I Can’t Get Enough” – NEON16/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records
Daddy Yankee ft. Snow – “Con Calma” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Maluma – “Mala Mía” – Sony Music US Latin
ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura” – Columbia Records
BEST DANCE
The Chainsmokers ft. Bebe Rexha – “Call You Mine” – Disruptor/Columbia Records
Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato – “Solo” – Big Beat/Atlantic Records
DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B – “Taki Taki” – DJ Snake Music Productions Ltd/Geffen
David Guetta, Bebe Rexha & J Balvin – “Say My Name” – Big Beat/Atlantic Records
Marshmello & Bastille – “Happier” – Capitol Records
Silk City & Dua Lipa – “Electricity” – Columbia Records
BEST ROCK
The 1975 – “Love It If We Made It” – Dirty Hit/Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Bishops Knife Trick” – Island Records
Imagine Dragons – “Natural” – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records
Lenny Kravitz – “Low” – BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
Panic! At The Disco – “High Hopes” – Elektra Music Group
Twenty One Pilots – “My Blood” – Elektra Music Group
Video for Good
Taylor Swift: “You Need to Calm Down”
Halsey: “Nightmare”
The Killers: “Land of the Free”
Jamie N Commons / Skylar Grey: “Runaway Train” [ft. Gallant]
John Legend: “Preach”
Lil Dicky: “Earth”
Best Group
BTS
5 Seconds of Summer
Backstreet Boys
BLACKPINK
CNCO
Jonas Brothers
PRETTYMUCH
Why Don’t We
Best Power Anthem
Megan Thee Stallion: “Hot Girl Summer” [ft. Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign]
Ariana Grande: “7 rings”
DJ Khaled: “Wish Wish” [ft. Cardi B and 21 Savage]
Halsey: “Nightmare”
Lizzo: “Tempo” [ft. Missy Elliott]
Maren Morris: “Girl”
Miley Cyrus: “Mother’s Daughter”
Taylor Swift: “You Need To Calm Down”
Song of Summer
Ariana Grande and Social House: “Boyfriend”
Billie Eilish: “Bad Guy”
DaBaby: “Suge”
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber: “I Don’t Care”
Jonas Brothers: “Sucker”
Khalid: “Talk”
Lil Nas X: “Old Town Road (Remix)” [ft. Billy Ray Cyrus]
Lil Tecca: “Ransom”
Lizzo: “Truth Hurts”
Miley Cyrus: “Mother’s Daughter”
Post Malone: “Goodbyes” [ft. Young Thug]
Rosalía and J Balvin: “Con Altura” [ft. El Guincho]
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello: “Señorita”
Taylor Swift: “You Need To Calm Down”
The Chainsmokers and Bebe Rexha: “Call You Mine”
Young Thug: “The London” [ft. J. Cole and Travis Scott]
Fashion Trailblazer
WINNER: Marc Jacobs
Best Direction
Lil Nas X: “Old Town Road (Remix)” [ft. Billy Ray Cyrus] (dir. Calmatic)
Billie Eilish: “bad Guy” (dir. Dave Meyers)
FKA twigs: “Cellophane” (dir. Andrew Thomas Huang)
Ariana Grande: “thank u, next” (dir. Hannah Lux Davis)
LSD: “No New Friends” (dir. Dano Cerny)
Taylor Swift: “You Need to Calm Down” (dir. Drew Kirsch and Taylor Swift)
Best Visual Effects
Taylor Swift: “ME!” [ft. Brendon Urie] (visual effects: Loris Paillier & Lucas Salton for BUF VFX)
Billie Eilish: “when the party’s over” (visual effects: Ryan Ross, Andres Jaramillo)
FKA twigs: “Cellophane” (visual effects: Matt Chandler, Fabio Zaveti for Analog)
Ariana Grande: “God is a woman” (visual effects: Fabrice Lagayette, Kristina Prilukova & Rebecca Rice for Mathematic)
DJ Khaled: “Just Us” [ft. SZA] (visual effects: Sergii Mashevskyi)
LSD: “No New Friends” (visual effects: Ethan Chancer)
BEST EDITING
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Editing by Elias Talbot
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Record – Editing by Calmatic
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Editing by Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Republic Records – Editing by Hannah Lux Davis & Taylor Walsh
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Editing by Solange Knowles, Vinnie Hobbs, Jonathon Proctor
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Editing by Jarrett Fijal
BEST ART DIRECTION
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by JinSil Park, BoNa Kim (MU:E)
Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Republic Records – Art Direction by John Richoux
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by Itaru Dela Vegas
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
Kanye West and Lil’ Pump ft. Adele Givens – “I Love It” – Warner Records & Def Jam Music Group – Art Direction by Tino Schaedler
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Young Turks – Choreography by Kelly Yvonne
ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Ryan Heffington
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge, Sara Biv
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Maya Taylor, Solange Knowles
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Rie Hata
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Cinematography by Elias Talbot
Billie Eilish – “hostage” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Pau Castejon
Ariana Grande – “thank you, next” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Christopher Probst
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Chayse Irvin, Ryan Marie Helfant, Justin Hamilton
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Starr Whitesides
