The 2020 MTV Music Awards took place in New York City this year. Performances were staged across all five of the city’s boroughs. It was the first awards show since the Covid-19 pandemic halted music performances to feature artists performing on big stages with big production values like background dancers and musicians.
The VMAS took live entertainment shows one step closer to normalcy, but it still seemed a little odd. The use of CGI backgrounds to enhance the outdoor setting, and the lack of studio audience resulted in the show losing immediacy. Keeping the audience, host and performers apart translated to no real virtual moments, which are typically hallmarks of the the VMAs. Ratings will probably be down, as the numbers are for most of these live shows in the Covid era.
Keke Palmer did her thing as host, addressing Black Lives Matter, urging folks to vote, performing comedy bits. Kelly Clarkson presented Lady Gaga with Video Artist of the Year. Additionally, Gaga won the “first ever” Tricon award, celebrating the artist as singer, dancer, actor and more. And Gaga and Ariana Grande won Song of the Year and Collaboration of the Year for “Rain on Me.” The Weeknd’s “Blinding Light” won Video of the Year.
2020 MTV Music Awards Winners List
Video of the Year
Billie Eilish – “everything i wanted”
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – “Godzilla”
Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
Taylor Swift – “The Man”
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – WINNER
Artist of the Year
DaBaby
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga – WINNER
Megan Thee Stallion
Post Malone
The Weeknd
Song of the Year
Billie Eilish – “everything i wanted”
Doja Cat – “Say So”
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – WINNER
Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage”
Post Malone – “Circles”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
Best Collaboration
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U”
Black Eyed Peas ft. J Balvin – “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”
Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid – “Beautiful People”
Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa”
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – WINNER
Push Best New Artist, Presented by Chime Banking
Doja Cat – WINNER
Jack Harlow
Lewis Capaldi
Roddy Ricch
Tate McRae
YUNGBLUD
Best Pop
BTS – “On” – WINNER
Halsey – “You should be sad”
Jonas Brothers – “What a Man Gotta Do”
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo – “Intentions”
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
Taylor Swift – “Lover”
Best Hip-Hop
DaBaby – “BOP”
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – “Godzilla”
Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage” – WINNER
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
Travis Scott – “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM”
Best Rock
blink-182 – “Happy Days”
Coldplay – “Orphans” – WINNER
Evanescence – “Wasted On You”
Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean – “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)”
Green Day – “Oh Yeah!”
The Killers – “Caution”
Best Alternative
The 1975 – “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)”
All Time Low – “Some Kind Of Disaster”
FINNEAS – “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night”
Lana Del Rey – “Doin’ Time”
Machine Gun Kelly – “Bloody Valentine” – WINNER
twenty one pilots – “Level of Concern”
Best Latin
Anuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin – “China”
Bad Bunny – “Yo Perreo Sola”
Black Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul – “MAMACITA”
J Balvin – “Amarillo”
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa”
Maluma ft. J Balvin – “Que? Pena” – WINNER
Best R&B
Alicia Keys – “Underdog”
Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
H.E.R. ft. YG – “Slide”
Khalid ft. Summer Walker – “Eleven”
Lizzo – “Cuz I Love You”
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – WINNER
Best K-Pop
(G)I-DLE – “Oh My God”
BTS – “On” – WINNER
EXO – “Obsession”
Monsta X – “SOMEONE’S SOMEONE”
Tomorrow X Together – “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)”
Red Velvet – “Psycho”
Best Group
BTS – WINNER
5 Seconds of Summer
The 1975
Blackpink
Chloe x Halle
CNCO
Little Mix
Monsta X
Now United
Twenty One Pilots
Video for Good
Anderson .Paak – “Lockdown”
Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell”
Demi Lovato – “I Love Me”
H.E.R. – “I Can’t Breathe” – WINNER
Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”
Taylor Swift – “The Man”
Best Music Video From Home
5 Seconds of Summer – “Wildflower”
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U” – WINNER
blink-182 – “Happy Days”
Drake – “Toosie Slide”
John Legend – “Bigger Love”
twenty one pilots – “Level of Concern”
Best Quarantine Performance
Chloe & Halle – “Do It” from MTV’s Prom-athon
CNCO – Unplugged At Home – WINNER
DJ D-Nice – Club MTV presents #DanceTogether
John Legend – #togetherathome Concert Series
Lady Gaga – “Smile” from One World: Together At Home
Post Malone – Nirvana Tribute
Best Direction
Billie Eilish – “xanny” – Directed by Billie Eilish
Doja Cat – “Say So” – Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now” – Directed by Nabil
Harry Styles – “Adore You” – Directed by Dave Meyers
Taylor Swift – “The Man” – Directed by Taylor Swift – WINNER
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – Directed by Anton Tammi
Best Cinematography
5 Seconds of Summer – “Old Me” – Cinematography by Kieran Fowler
Camila Cabello ft. DaBaby – “My Oh My” – Cinematography by Dave Meyers
Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” – Cinematography by Christopher Probst
Katy Perry – “Harleys In Hawaii” – Cinematography by Arnau Valls
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Cinematography by Thomas Kloss – WINNER
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – Cinematography by Oliver Millar
Best Art Direction
A$AP Rocky – “Babushka Boi” – Art Direction by A$AP Rocky & Nadia Lee Cohen
Dua Lipa – “Physical” – Art Direction by Anna Colome? Nogu ?
Harry Styles – “Adore You” – Art Direction by Laura Ellis Cricks
Miley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” – Art Direction by Christian Stone – WINNER
Selena Gomez – “Boyfriend” – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
Taylor Swift – “Lover”– Art Direction by Ethan Tobman
Best Visual Effects
Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” – Visual Effects by Drive Studios
Demi Lovato – “I Love Me” – Visual Effects by Hoody FX
Dua Lipa – “Physical” – Visual Effects by EIGHTY4 – WINNER
Harry Styles – “Adore You” – Visual Effects by Mathematic
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios
Travis Scott – “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM”– Visual Effects by ARTJAIL, SCISSOR FILMS & FRENDER
Best Choreography
BTS – “On” – Choreography by Son Sung Deuk, Lee Ga Hun, Lee Byung Eun – WINNER
CNCO & Natti Natasha – “Honey Boo”– Choreography by Kyle Hanagami
DaBaby – “BOP”– Choreography by Dani Leigh and Cherry
Dua Lipa – “Physical”– Choreography by Charm La’Donna
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Choreography by Richy Jackson
Normani – “Motivation” – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Best Editing
Halsey – “Graveyard” – Edited by Emilie Aubry, Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
James Blake – “Can’t Believe the Way We Flow” – Edited by Frank Lebon
Lizzo – “Good As Hell” – Edited by Russell Santos & Sofia Kerpan
Miley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” – Edited by Alexandre Moors, Nuno Xico – WINNER
ROSALI?A – “A Pale?” – Edited by Andre Jones
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – Edited by Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
