MTV Video Music Awards: Winners List
By Variety Staff
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The MTV Video Music Awards has officially handed out its 2019 Moon Man awards.
Taylor Swift took home two trophies for Video of the Year and Video for Good, with her “You Need to Calm Down” music video. Billie Eilish was also a big winner, nabbing the coveted Best New Artist award, edging out fellow newcomer Lizzo.
Other winners included Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus for Song of the Year with “Old Town Road (Remix)” and Ariana Grande who took home a Moon Man for Artist of the Year.
Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco served as host for the ceremony, which aired live on MTV from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The biggest nominees included Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, who each received 10 nods. Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X and Halsey also scored a sizable number of nominations at the annual music video celebration.
But the biggest honoree of the night was Missy Elliott, who received this year’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award . She also performed live at the awards show for the first time in 16 years. Other highlights included Swift’s opening set, in addition to performances from Lizzo, Bad Bunny, Normani, H.E.R., Big Sean, Lil Nas X, Rosalia, J Balvin, Ozuna and A$AP Ferg. The Jonas Brothers also put on a remote performance from the New Jersey shoreline.
Presenters included Bebe Rexha, John Travolta, Ice-T, “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness and Salt-N-Pepa. The VMAs also staged a mini-reunion of “The Sopranos” cast, with Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Drea De Matteo and Vincent Pastore on hand to present.
See the full list of winners below.
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
WINNER: Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Halsey – Astralwerks/Capitol Records
Jonas Brothers – Republic Records
Shawn Mendes– Island Records
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “a lot” – Epic Records
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEAR
Drake – “In My Feelings” – Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next” – Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” – Interscope Records
WINNER: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST POP
5 Seconds of Summer – “Easier” – Interscope Records
Cardi B & Bruno Mars – “Please Me” – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Khalid – “Talk” – Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records
Ariana Grande – “thank u, next” – Republic Records
WINNER: Jonas Brothers – “Sucker” – Republic Records
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST ROCK
The 1975 – “Love It If We Made It” – Dirty Hit/Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Bishops Knife Trick” – Island Records
Imagine Dragons – “Natural” – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records
Lenny Kravitz – “Low” – BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.
WINNER: Panic! At The Disco – “High Hopes” – Elektra Music Group
twenty one pilots – “My Blood” – Elektra Music Group
BEST COLLABORATION
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – “Shallow” – Interscope Records
WINNER: Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records
Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber – “I Don’t Care” – Atlantic Records
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records
BEST HIP HOP
2 Chainz ft. Ariana Grande – “Rule the World” – 2 Chainz Ps/Def Jam
21 Savage ft. J. Cole – “a lot” – Epic Records
WINNER: Cardi B – “Money” – Atlantic Records
DJ Khaled ft. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – “Higher” – We The Best/Epic Records
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records
Travis Scott ft. Drake – “SICKO MODE” – Epic Records/Grand Hustle/Cactus Jack
BEST K-POP
WINNER: BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records
BLACKPINK – “Kill This Love” – YG Entertainment/Interscope Records
Monsta X ft. French Montana – “Who Do You Love” – Epic Records
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Cat & Dog” – Republic Records
NCT 127 – “Regular” – SM Entertainment
EXO – “Tempo” – SM Entertainment
BEST LATIN
Anuel AA, Karol G – “Secreto” – Universal Music Latino
Bad Bunny ft. Drake – “MIA” – OVO Sound/Warner Bros. Records
benny blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez, J Balvin – “I Can’t Get Enough” – NEON16/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records
Daddy Yankee ft. Snow – “Con Calma” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Maluma – “Mala Mía” – Sony Music US Latin
WINNER: ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura” – Columbia Records
VIDEO FOR GOOD
Halsey – “Nightmare” – Astralwerks/Capitol Records
The Killers – “Land of the Free” – Island
Jamie N Commons, Skylar Grey ft. Gallant – “Runaway Train” – Interscope Records
John Legend – “Preach” – Columbia Records
Lil Dicky – “Earth” – Dirty Burd, Inc./Commission/BMG
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records
BEST DANCE
WINNER: The Chainsmokers ft. Bebe Rexha – “Call You Mine” – Disruptor/Columbia Records
Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato – “Solo” – Big Beat/Atlantic Records
DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B – “Taki Taki” – DJ Snake Music Productions Ltd/Geffen
David Guetta, Bebe Rexha & J Balvin – “Say My Name” – Big Beat/Atlantic Records
Marshmello & Bastille – “Happier” – Capitol Records
Silk City & Dua Lipa – “Electricity” – Columbia Records
BEST NEW ARTIST, presented by Taco Bell®
Ava Max – Atlantic Records
WINNER: Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
ROSALÍA – Columbia Records
PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bazzi – Atlantic Records
CNCO – RCA Records
WINNER: Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records
H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records
Lauv – LAUV/AWAL
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
BEST R&B
Anderson .Paak ft. Smokey Robinson – “Make It Better” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music
Childish Gambino – “Feels Like Summer” – RCA Records
H.E.R. ft. Bryson Tiller – “Could’ve Been” – MBK/RCA Records
Alicia Keys – “Raise A Man” – RCA Records
Ella Mai – “Trip” – 10 Summers/Interscope Records
WINNER: Normani ft. 6lack – “Waves” – Keep Cool/RCA Records
BEST DIRECTION
Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Meyers
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Young Turks – Directed by Andrew Thomas Huang
Ariana Grande – “thank you, next” – Republic Records – Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
WINNER: Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records – Directed by Calmatic
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Columbia Records – Directed by Dano Cerny
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Directed by Drew Kirsch & Taylor Swift
BEST EDITING
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Editing by Elias Talbot
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Record – Editing by Calmatic
WINNER: Billie Eilish – “Bad Guy” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Editing by Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Republic Records – Editing by Hannah Lux Davis & Taylor Walsh
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Editing by Solange Knowles, Vinnie Hobbs, Jonathon Proctor
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Editing by Jarrett Fijal
BEST ART DIRECTION
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by JinSil Park, BoNa Kim (MU:E)
WINNER: Ariana Grande – “7 Rings” – Republic Records – Art Direction by John Richoux
Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – “Old Town Road (Remix)” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by Itaru Dela Vegas
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
Taylor Swift – “You Need to Calm Down” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
Kanye West and Lil’ Pump ft. Adele Givens – “I Love It” – Warner Records & Def Jam Music Group – Art Direction by Tino Schaedler
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Billie Eilish – “when the party’s over” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Ryan Ross, Andres Jaramillo
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Young Turks – Visual Effects by Matt Chandler, Fabio Zaveti for Analog
Ariana Grande – “God is a Woman” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Fabrice Lagayette, Kristina Prilukova & Rebecca Rice for Mathematic
DJ Khaled ft. SZA – “Just Us” – We The Best/Epic Records – Visual Effects by Sergii Mashevskyi
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Ethan Chancer
WINNER: Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier & Lucas Salton for BUF VFX
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
FKA twigs – “Cellophane” – Young Turks – Choreography by Kelly Yvonne
WINNER: ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – “No New Friends” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Ryan Heffington
Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge, Sara Biv
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Maya Taylor, Solange Knowles
BTS ft. Halsey – “Boy With Luv” – Columbia Records – Choreography by Rie Hata
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Tints” – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Cinematography by Elias Talbot
Billie Eilish – “hostage” – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Pau Castejon
Ariana Grande – “thank you, next” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Christopher Probst
WINNER: Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Señorita” – Island Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
Solange – “Almeda” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Chayse Irvin, Ryan Marie Helfant, Justin Hamilton
Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – “ME!” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Starr Whitesides
SONG OF THE 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
5 Seconds of Summer
Backstreet Boys
BLACKPINK
WINNER: BTS
CNCO
Jonas Brothers
PRETTYMUCH
Why Don’t We
BEST POWER ANTHEM
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”
