Lil Nas X, Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Bieber won top prizes at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards.
Also, “Brown Skin Girl” by Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, and Nigeria’s Wizkid won the Best Cinematography category in the 2021 MTV VMA 2021.
Lil Nas X scored the night’s top award, Video of the Year, for “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” not long after a sensual performance just days before his album is set for release September 17.
In addition to performing pop, sensation Olivia Rodrigo scored three awards, including Song of the Year for “Drivers License” and Best New Artist.
Justin Bieber won Artist of the Year along with Best Pop for “Peaches.”
Video of the Year
- “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Lil Nas X, Columbia Records — Winner
- “WAP” – Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, Atlantic Records
- “Popstar” – DJ Khaled ft. Drake (starring Justin Bieber) OVO / We The Best / Epic Records
- “Kiss Me More” – Doja Cat ft. SZA, Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
- “Bad Habits” – Ed Sheeran, Atlantic Records
- “Save Your Tears” – The Weeknd, XO / Republic Records
Artist of the Year
- Justin Bieber — Winner
- Ariana Grande
- Doja Cat
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
- “Drivers License” – Olivia Rodrigo, Geffen Records — Winner
- “Mood” – 24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior, Records LLC / Columbia Records
- “Leave the Door Open” – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic, Aftermath Entertainment / Atlantic Records
- “Dynamite” – BTS, Bighit Music
- “WAP” – Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, Atlantic Records
- “Levitating” – Dua Lipa, Warner Records
Best New Artist
- Olivia Rodrigo — Winner
- 24kGoldn
- Giveon
- The Kid Laroi
- Polo G
- Saweetie
Push Performance of the Year
- “Drivers License” – Olivia Rodrigo, Geffen Records — Winner
- “Are You Bored Yet?” – Wallows, Atlantic Records
- “Daisy” – Ashnikko, Warner Records
- “Gorgeous” – Saint Jhn, Godd Complexx / HITCO
- “Coco” – 24kGoldn, Records LLC / Columbia Records
- “Break My Heart” – JC Stewart, Elektra Music Group
- “Sex Lies” – Latto, RCA Records
- “Selfish” – Madison Beer, Epic Records / Sing It Loud
- “Without You” – The Kid Laroi, Columbia Records
- “Serotonin” – Girl in Red, World in Red / AWAL
- “My Slime” – Fousheé, RCA Records
- “Think About Me” – Jxdn, DTA Records / Elektra Music Group
Best Collaboration
- “Kiss Me More” – Doja Cat ft. SZA, Kemosabe Records / RCA Records — Winner
- “Mood” – 24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior, Records LLC / Columbia Records
- “WAP” – Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, Atlantic Records
- “Laugh Now Cry Later” – Drake ft. Lil Durk, OVO / Republic Records
- “Peaches” – Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon, Def Jam
- “Prisoner” – Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa, RCA Records
Best Pop
- “Peaches” – Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon, Def Jam — Winner
- “Positions” – Ariana Grande, Republic Records
- “Therefore I Am” – Billie Eilish, Darkroom / Interscope Records
- “Butter” – BTS, Bighit Music
- “Treat People With Kindness” – Harry Styles, Columbia Records
- “Good 4 U” – Olivia Rodrigo, Geffen Records
- “Wonder” – Shawn Mendes, Island Records
- “Willow” – Taylor Swift, Republic Records
Best Hip-Hop
- “Franchise” – Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A., Cactus Jack / Epic Records — Winner
- “WAP” – Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, Atlantic Records
- “Laugh Now Cry Later” – Drake ft. Lil Durk, OVO / Republic Records
- “On Me (remix)” – Lil Baby ft. Megan Thee Stallion, Quality Control / Motown
- “Said Sum” – Moneybagg Yo, N-Less Entertainment / Interscope Records
- “Rapstar” – Polo G, Columbia Records
Best Alternative
- “My Ex’s Best Friend” – Machine Gun Kelly ft. Blackbear, Bad Boy / Interscope Records — Winner
- “Stop Making This Hurt” – Bleachers, RCA Records
- “Heat Waves” – Glass Animals, Republic Records
- “Follow You” – Imagine Dragons, Kidinakorner / Interscope Records
- “Shy Away” – Twenty One Pilots, Fueled By Ramen
- “Transparent Soul” – Willow ft. Travis Barker, MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation
Best R&B
- “Leave the Door Open” – Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic, Aftermath Entertainment / Atlantic Records — Winner
- “Brown Skin Girl” – Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn, WizKid, Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
- “Go Crazy” – Chris Brown and Young Thug, Chris Brown Entertainment/RCA Records
- “Heartbreak Anniversary” – Giveon, Epic Records / Not So Fast
- “Come Through” – H.E.R. ft. Chris Brown, MBK Entertainment / RCA Records
- “Good Days” – SZA, Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Best K-pop
- “Butter” – BTS, Bighit Music — Winner
- “Dumdi Dumdi” – G)I-DLE, Republic Records
- “Ice Cream” – Blackpink and Selena Gomez, YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
- “Gambler” – Monsta X, Starship Entertainment
- “Ready to love” – Seventeen, Pledis Entertainment
- “Alcohol-Free” – Twice, JYP Entertainment Company
Video For Good
- “Your Power” – Billie Eilish, Darkroom / Interscope Records — Winner
- “Dancing With the Devil” – Demi Lovato, Island
- “Fight For You” – H.E.R., MBK Entertainment / RCA Records
- “Worldwide Beautiful” – Kane Brown, Sony Music Nashville / RCA Records
- “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Lil Nas X, Columbia Records
- “Entrepreneur” – Pharrell Williams ft. Jay-Z, Columbia Records
Best Direction
- “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Lil Nas X directed by: Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino, Columbia Records — Winner
- “Your Power” – Billie Eilish, Directed by: Billie Eilish, Darkroom / Interscope Records
- “Popstar (starring Justin Bieber)” – DJ Khaled ft. Drake, Directed by: Julien Christian Lutz aka Director X, OVO / We The Best / Epic Records
- “Willow” – Taylor Swift, Directed by: Taylor Swift, Republic Records
- “Franchise” – Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A, Directed by: Travis Scott, Cactus Jack / Epic Records
- “Lumberjack” – Tyler, The Creator, Directed by: Wolf Haley, Columbia Records
Best Cinematography
- “Brown Skin Girl” – Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, WizKid, Cinematography by: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, Mohammaed Atta Ahmed, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan Helfant, Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records — Winner
- “Therefore I Am” – Billie Eilish, Cinematography by: Rob Witt, Darkroom / Interscope Records
- “Shame Shame” – Foo Fighters, Cinematography by: Santiago Gonzalez, Roswell Records / RCA Records
- “Holy” – Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper, Cinematography by: Elias Talbot, RBMG / Def Jam
- “911” – Lady Gaga, Cinematography by: Jeff Cronenweth, Interscope Records
- “Solar Power” – Lorde, Cinematography by: Andrew Stroud, LAVA/Republic Records
Best Choreography
- “Treat People With Kindness” – Harry Styles, Columbia Records — Winner
- “34+35” – Ariana Grande, Choreography by: Brian Nicholson & Scott Nicholson, Republic Records
- “Butter” – BTS, Choreography by: Son Sung with BHM Performance Directing Team, Bighit Music
- “Bad Habits” – Ed Sheeran, Choreography by: Natricia Bernard, Atlantic Records
- “Shame Shame” – Foo Fighters, Choreography by: Nina McNeely, Roswell Records / RCA Records
- “Be Kind” – Marshmello & Halsey, Choreography by: Dani Vitale, Astralwerks / Capitol Records
