The MTV Video Music Awards which took place at The Forum in Inglewood, California is one of the most fun-filled nights of the showbiz calendar with stars from music, film, TV and reality shows coming together to celebrate one another. Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards show was about performances and powerful words.
Kendrick Lamar kicked off the show with a mini-medley of his songs where he proceeded to set the VMAs on fire.
The most nominated artists going into the 2017 VMAs were Kendrick Lamar who had 8 nominations, followed by The Weeknd and VMA host Katy Perry who had 5 nominations each. The California rapper went home with six statuettes, including the top award for video of the year and best hip hop video for “Humble.”
The most anticipated moment of the show arrived with the premiere of Taylor Swift‘s music video for her new single “Look What You Made Me Do.” The video was a much darker look for Swift, who appeared in it as different versions of herself, including as a zombie with snakes.
In the video, she rises from the dead, quite literally, as a zombified version of the pop star crawls from the grave. It then gets much more glamorous, as Swift bathes in a tub of diamonds before cutting to a shot of her on a golden throne with snakes popping up behind her. Swift ended the video with a bit that included every iteration of herself — from her innocent first album to her infamous 2009 VMAs appearance to her new, edgy self.
A list of the nominees and winners below…
Video of the Year
***WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records)
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records)
Song of Summer
Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi, Feat. Justin Bieber – “Despacito (Remix)”
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
Shawn Mendes – “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back”
Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry”
DJ Khaled Feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
Camila Cabello Feat. Quavo – “OMG”
Fifth Harmony Feat. Gucci Mane – “Down”
***WINNER: Lil Uzi Vert – “XO Tour Llif3”
Artist of the Year
Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)
Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
***WINNER: Ed Sheeran (Atlantic Records)
Ariana Grande (Republic Records)
The Weeknd (XO/Republic Records)
Lorde (Republic Records)
Best New Artist
***WINNER: Khalid (RCA Records)
Kodak Black (Atlantic Records)
SZA (TDE/RCA Records)
Young M.A (3D)
Julia Michaels (Republic Records)
Noah Cyrus (Records)
Best Collaboration
Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (Atlantic Records)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best)
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records)
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records)
Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean – “Feels” (Columbia Records)
***WINNER: Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)” (Republic Records)
Best Pop
Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better” (Island Records)
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You” (Asylum/Atlantic Records)
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records)
***WINNER: Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records)
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records)
Miley Cyrus – “Malibu” (RCA Records)
Best Hip Hop
***WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
Big Sean – “Bounce Back” (Def Jam)
Chance the Rapper – “Same Drugs” (Chance the Rapper LLC)
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records)
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad & Boujee” (300 Entertainment)
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne – “I’m The One” (Epic Records/We The Best)
Best Dance
***WINNER: Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay” (Interscope)
Kygo x Selena Gomez – “It Ain’t Me” (Ultra/Interscope)
Calvin Harris – “My Way” (Columbia Records)
Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water” (Mad Decent)
Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Gone” (Wall Recordings/Latium/RCA Records)
Best Rock
Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams” (Parlophone/Atlantic Records)
Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace” (Island)
***WINNER: Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul” (Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic Records)
Green Day – “Bang Bang” (Warner Bros. Records)
Foo Fighters – “Run” (RCA Records)
Best Fight Against the System
***WINNER: Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan” (Race & LGBTQ) (Def Jam)
***WINNER: The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” (Immigration) (Atlantic Records)
***WINNER: Big Sean – “Light” (Race) (Def Jam)
***WINNER: Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Body image) (Def Jam)
***WINNER: Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL” (Environment)
***WINNER: John Legend – “Surefire” (Immigration & Anti-Muslim hate) (Columbia Records)
Best Cinematography
***WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Scott Cunningham)
Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope) (Matthew Wise)
Ed Sheeran – “Castle On The Hill” (Asylum/Atlantic Records) (Steve Annis)
DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels – “Nobody Speak” (Mass Appeal Records LLC) (David Proctor)
Halsey – “Now or Never” (Astralwerks/Capitol) (Kristof Brandl)
Best Direction
***WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers & the little homies)
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Mathew Cullen)
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records)(Cameron Duddy & Bruno Mars)
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam) (Aaron A)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Glenn Michael)
Best Art Direction
***WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Spencer Graves)
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) (Alex Delgado)
Katy Perry ft. Migos – “Bon Appetit” (Capitol Records) (Natalie Groce)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) (Damian Fyffe)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Creative Director: Lamar C Taylor / Co-creative Director: Christo Anesti)
Best Visual Effects
***WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall)
A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation” (Epic Records) (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel)
KYLE ft. Lil Yachty – “iSpy” (Atlantic Records) (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi)
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Company: MIRADA)
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records) (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cédric Nivoliez)
Best Choreography
***WINNER: Kanye West – “Fade” (Def Jam) (Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Jae Blaze & Derek ‘Bentley’ Watkins)
Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side To Side” (Republic Records) (Brian & Scott Nicholson)
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers)
Sia – “The Greatest” (Monkey Puzzle Records/RCA Records) (Ryan Heffington)
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) (Sean Bankhead)
Best Editing
Future – “Mask Off” (Epic Records/Freebandz/A1) (Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost)
***WINNER: Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean” (300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records) (Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini)
Lorde – “Green Light” (Republic Records) (Nate Gross of Exile Edit)
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records) (Jennifer Kennedy)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Red Barbaza)
Credits: Getty Images, YouTube
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