2019 MTV Video Music Awards

Taylor Swift performs at 2019 VMA

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The 36th annual ceremony kicked off Monday night at the Prudential Center in New Jersey with comedian Sebastian Maniscalco taking the reins from no one as the master of ceremonies ― last year’s ceremony was a host-less affair ― as music’s biggest stars gathered to celebrate the year’s best music videos.

When it comes to the VMAs, it’s better to expect the unexpected, as the awards show is best remembered for its wildest moments (Miley twerking, Kanye interrupting, Britney and Madonna kissing, etc.) and career-making performances.

But besides major wins from Grande and Swift, who opened the show with back-to-back numbers, it’s safe to say newcomers Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X made an impression. After battling it out on the Billboard charts all summer, the two scored nine and eight nominations respectively, but Eilish was the one to take home the trophy for Best New Artist.

And, of course, everybody lost control when Missy Elliot took the stage to accept the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and performed a medley of her greatest hits.

Miley Cyrus, Shawn Mendes, and Camila Cabello, Normani, Bad Bunny, Jonas Brothers, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Ozuna and H.E.R are performed, while famous faces like the cast of “The Sopranos,” “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness and U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team players Alex Morgan, Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris were on hand to present the awards.

Check out the complete list of nominees and winners below:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “a lot”
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy”
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next”
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)”
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down”

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Cardi B
Billie Eilish
WINNER: Ariana Grande
Halsey
Jonas Brothers
Shawn Mendes

SONG OF THE YEAR
Drake – “In My Feelings”
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next”
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker”
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow”
WINNER: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)”
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down”

BEST NEW ARTIST
Ava Max
WINNER: Billie Eilish
H.E.R.
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
ROSALÍA

BEST COLLABORATION
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)”
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow”
WINNER: Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita”
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!”
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber – “I Don’t Care”
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv”

PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bazzi
CNCO
WINNER: Billie Eilish
H.E.R.
Lauv
Lizzo

BEST POP
5 Seconds of Summer – “Easier”
Cardi B & Bruno Mars – “Please Me”
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy”
Khalid – “Talk”
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next”
WINNER: Jonas Brothers – “Sucker”
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down”

BEST HIP HOP
2 Chainz ft. Ariana Grande – “Rule the World”
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “a lot”
WINNER: Cardi B – “Money”
DJ Khaled ft. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)”
Travis Scott ft. Drake – “SICKO MODE”

BEST R&B
Anderson .Paak ft. Smokey Robinson – “Make It Better”
Childish Gambino – “Feels Like Summer”
H.E.R. ft. Bryson Tiller – “Could’ve Been”
Alicia Keys – “Raise A Man”
Ella Mai – “Trip”
WINNER: Normani ft. 6lack – “Waves”

BEST K-POP
WINNER: BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv”
BLACKPINK – “Kill This Love”
Monsta X ft. French Montana – “Who Do You Love”
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Cat & Dog”
NCT 127 – “Regular”
EXO – “Tempo”

BEST LATIN
Anuel AA, Karol G – “Secreto”
Bad Bunny ft. Drake – “MIA”
Benny Blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez, J Balvin – “I Can’t Get Enough”
Daddy Yankee ft. Snow – “Con Calma”
Maluma – “Mala Mía”
WINNER: ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura”

BEST DANCE
WINNERS: The Chainsmokers ft. Bebe Rexha – “Call You Mine”
Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato – “Solo”
DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B – “Taki Taki”
David Guetta, Bebe Rexha & J Balvin – “Say My Name”
Marshmello & Bastille – “Happier”
Silk City & Dua Lipa – “Electricity”

BEST ROCK
The 1975 – “Love It If We Made It”
Fall Out Boy – “Bishops Knife Trick”
Imagine Dragons – “Natural”
Lenny Kravitz – “Low”
WINNER: Panic! At The Disco – “High Hopes”
twenty one pilots – “My Blood”

VIDEO FOR GOOD
Halsey – “Nightmare”
The Killers – “Land of the Free”
Jamie N Commons, Skylar Grey ft. Gallant – “Runaway Train”
John Legend – “Preach”
Lil Dicky – “Earth”
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down”

SONG OF SUMMER
WINNER: Ariana Grande & Social House – “boyfriend”
Billie Eilish – “bad guy”
DaBaby – “Suge”
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber – “I Don’t Care”
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker”
Khalid – “Talk”
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)”
Lil Tecca – “Ransom”
Lizzo – “Truth Hurts”
Miley Cyrus- “Mother’s Daughter”
Post Malone ft. Young Thug – “Goodbyes”
ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura”
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita”
Taylor Swift – “You Need To Calm Down”
The Chainsmokers & Bebe Rexha – “Call You Mine”
Young Thug ft. J. Cole & Travis Scott – “The London”

BEST GROUP NOMINEES:
5 Seconds of Summer
Backstreet Boys
BLACKPINK
WINNER: BTS
CNCO
Jonas Brothers
PRETTYMUCH
Why Don’t We

BEST POWER ANTHEMS:
Ariana Grande – “7 Rings”
DJ Khaled, ft. Cardi B & 21 Savage – “Wish Wish”
Halsey – “Nightmare”
Lizzo ft. Missy Elliott – “Tempo”
Maren Morris – “GIRL”
Miley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter”
Taylor Swift – “You Need To Calm Down”
WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign “Hot Girl Summer”

BEST DIRECTION
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Directed by Dave Meyers
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Directed by Andrew Thomas Huang
Ariana Grande – “thank you, next” Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
WINNER: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Directed by Calmatic​
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Directed by Dano Cerny​
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Directed by Drew Kirsch & Taylor Swift

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Billie Eilish – “when the party’s over” – Visual Effects by Ryan Ross, Andres Jaramillo
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Visual Effects by Matt Chandler, Fabio Zaveti for Analog
Ariana Grande – “God is a Woman” – Visual Effects by Fabrice Lagayette, Kristina Prilukova & Rebecca Rice for Mathematic
DJ Khaled ft. SZA – “Just Us” – Visual Effects by Sergii Mashevskyi​
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Visual Effects by Ethan Chancer​
WINNER: Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier & Lucas Salton for BUF VFX​

BEST EDITING
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Editing by Elias Talbot
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Editing by Calmatic​
WINNER: Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Editing by Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Editing by Hannah Lux Davis & Taylor Walsh
Solange – “Almeda” – Editing by Solange Knowles, Vinnie Hobbs, Jonathon Proctor
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Editing by Jarrett Fijal​

BEST ART DIRECTION
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Art Direction by JinSil Park, BoNa Kim (MU:E)
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Art Direction by John Richoux​
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Art Direction by Itaru Dela Vegas
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter​
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
Kanye West and Lil’ Pump ft. Adele Givens – “I Love It” – Art Direction by Tino Schaedler​

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Choreography by Kelly Yvonne
WINNER: ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura” – Choreography by Charm La’Donna​
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Choreography by Ryan Heffington​
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Choreography by Calvit Hodge, Sara Biv
Solange – “Almeda” – Choreography by Maya Taylor, Solange Knowles
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Choreography by Rie Hata​

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Cinematography by Elias Talbot
Billie Eilish – “hostage” – Cinematography by Pau Castejon
Ariana Grande – “thank you, next” – Cinematography by Christopher Probst​
WINNER: Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
Solange – “Almeda” – Cinematography by Chayse Irvin, Ryan Marie Helfant, Justin Hamilton
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Cinematography by Starr Whitesides

About the Author

Michael Onas
Africa - Online Founder & Senior Editor Africa - Online.Com was founded by Michael Onas in 1997, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in African news sector, with millions of readers around the world and followers on social media.