The Hosts
The annual MTV Video Music Awards took place last night at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. The show took a different route this year sending out a few different hosts. DJ Khaled served up the pre-game show, while famous comedians Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele commentated most of the main event. They were accompanied by Nicole Byer and Jay Pharoah throughout the night. This year’s VMA’s went for variety in their choice for hosts so that viewers would stay interested and not grow tired of just one host.
The Performers
There were over ten performers for the main show, with Rihanna and Beyoncé leading the way. Rihanna performed four separate times throughout the night singing a medley of thirteen of her most beloved songs. Ariana Grande and Niki Minaj performed, “Side to Side”, and rap sensation Future sang one of his top tracks. Nick Jonas, Ty Dolla $ign, G-Eazy, Halsey, and The Chainsmokers also performed. The biggest treat for viewers might have been Britney Spears performing on the VMA stage for the first time in nearly ten years! Overall, the performances were top notch with two of the best singers in the world in Rihanna and Beyoncé leading the way with several songs. Beyoncé performed a medley of six songs, and showed the world how she is still naturally one of the best performers of all time.
The Winners
Beyoncé dominated several categories, winning eight awards this year. She now holds the records for the most awarded artist in the history of the Video Music Awards with 24. Here are all the winners and the nominees starting with video of the year:
Video of the Year
Beyoncé — “Formation”
Adele — “Hello”
Drake — “Hotline Bling”
Justin Bieber — “Sorry”
Kanye West — “Famous”
Best Male Video
Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna) — “This Is What You Came For”
Drake — “Hotline Bling”
Bryson Tiller — “Don’t”
The Weeknd — “Can’t Feel My Face”
Kanye West — “Famous”
Best Female Video
Beyoncé — “Hold Up”
Adele — “Hello”
Ariana Grande — “Into You”
Rihanna (featuring Drake) — “Work”
Sia — “Cheap Thrills”
Best New Artist
DNCE
Desiigner
Zara Larsson
Lukas Graham
Bryson Tiller
Best Pop Video
Beyoncé — “Formation”
Adele — “Hello”
Justin Bieber — “Sorry”
Alessia Cara — “Wild Things”
Ariana Grande — “Into You”
Best Rock Video
Twenty One Pilots — “Heathens”
All Time Low — “Missing You”
Coldplay — “Adventure of a Lifetime”
Fall Out Boy (featuring Demi Lovato) — “Irresistible”
Panic! at the Disco — “Victorious”
Best Hip-Hop Video
Drake — “Hotline Bling”
2 Chainz — “Watch Out”
Chance the Rapper (featuring Saba) — “Angels”
Desiigner — “Panda”
Bryson Tiller — “Don’t”
Best Electronic Video
Calvin Harris and Disciples — “How Deep Is Your Love”
99 Souls (featuring Destiny’s Child and Brandy) — “The Girl Is Mine”
Afrojack — “SummerThing!”
The Chainsmokers (featuring Daya) — “Don’t Let Me Down”
Mike Posner — “I Took a Pill in Ibiza”
Best Collaboration Video
Fifth Harmony (featuring Ty Dolla Sign) — “Work from Home”
Beyoncé (featuring Kendrick Lamar) — “Freedom”
Ariana Grande (featuring Lil Wayne) — “Let Me Love You”
Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna) — “This Is What You Came For”
Rihanna (featuring Drake) — “Work”
Breakthrough Long Form Video
Beyoncé — Lemonade
Justin Bieber — Purpose: The Movement
Chris Brown — Royalty
Florence + The Machine — The Odyssey
Troye Sivan — Blue Neighbourhood Trilogy
Best Direction
Beyoncé — “Formation” (Director: Melina Matsoukas)
Adele — “Hello” (Director: Xavier Dolan)
David Bowie — “Lazarus” (Director: Johan Renck)
Coldplay — “Up&Up” (Directors: Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia)
Tame Impala — “The Less I Know the Better” (Director: Canada)
Best Choreography
Beyoncé — “Formation” (Choreographers: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight and Dana Foglia)
Beyoncé — “Sorry” (Choreographers: Chris Grant, JaQuel Knight, Dana Foglia, Anthony Burrell & Beyoncé Knowles Carter)
Missy Elliott (featuring Pharrell) — “WTF (Where They From)” (Choreographer: Hi-Hat)
FKA Twigs — M3LL155X (Choreographer: Aaron Sillis, Benjamin Milan, Kenrick Sandy and FKA Twigs)
Florence + The Machine — “Delilah” (Choreographer: Holly Blakey)
Best Visual Effects
Coldplay — “Up&Up” (Visual Effects: Vania Heymann and GloriaFX)
Adele — “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” (Visual Effects: Jonathan Box and MPC)
FKA Twigs — M3LL155X (Visual Effects: Lewis Saunders and Jihoon Yoo)
The Weeknd — “Can’t Feel My Face” (Visual Effects: Louis Mackall and T.J. Burke)
Zayn — “Pillowtalk” (Visual Effects: David Smith)
Best Art Direction
David Bowie — “Blackstar” (Art Director: Jan Houllevigue)
Adele — “Hello” (Art Director: Colombe Raby)
Beyoncé — “Hold Up” (Art Director: Jason Hougaard)
Drake — “Hotline Bling” (Art Director: Jeremy MacFarlane)
Fergie — “M.I.L.F. $” (Art Director: Alexander Delgado)
Best Editing
Beyoncé — “Formation” (Editor: Jeff Selis)
Adele — “Hello” (Editor: Xavier Dolan)
David Bowie — “Lazarus” (Editor: Johan Söderberg)
Fergie — “M.I.L.F. $” (Editor: Vinnie Hobbs)
Ariana Grande — “Into You” (Editor: Hannah Lux Davis)
Best Cinematography
Beyoncé — “Formation” (Director of Photography: Malik Sayeed)
Adele — “Hello” (Director of Photography: André Turpin)
Alesso — “I Wanna Know” (Director of Photography: Corey Jennings)
David Bowie — “Lazarus” (Director of Photography: Crille Forsberg)
Ariana Grande — “Into You” (Director of Photography: Paul Laufer)
