Lil Nas X, Wizkid, Beyonce, BTS and more win big at 2021 VMAs
On September 13, 2021, the 40th MTV Video Music Awards held at Brooklyn’s Barclays
Center. Justin Bieber was the most nominated artist with nine nods. Olivia Rodrigo, BTS and Lil Nas X were the most award acts with three wins each. Beyonce also extended her run as the most awarded acts in history with her 29th win.
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.).
The award was hosted by Doja Cat. Here are the big winners on the night;
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
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- 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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