Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, BTS Lead 2020 VMAs With 4 Awards Each

A pandemic rages on, but that didn’t stop MTV from putting on the 2020 Video Music Awards. It didn’t stop MTV in the months ahead of the VMAs either, from scrapped plans to hold the awards at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center to the news that performers coming from hotspot states were exempt from New York’s mandatory 14-day quarantine to those fireworks on the Hudson River. After all that, the awards finally happened: live, virtually, across New York City. Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, and BTS led the night, taking home four Moonpeople each after Gaga and Grande each entered with nine nominations. Gaga also took home the first MTV Tricon Award, while The Weeknd won video of the year for “Blinding Lights.� MTV also gave out new pandemic-era awards for best music video from home (to Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber) and best quarantine performance (to CNCO), along with a tribute to musical performances by medical workers. Here are your 2020 VMA winners.

MTV Tricon Award
Lady Gaga

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�

Artist of the Year
DaBaby
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
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�
Megan Thee Stallion, “Savage�
Post Malone, “Circles�
Roddy Ricch, “The Box�

Push Best New Artist
Doja Cat
Lewis Capaldi
YUNGBLUD

Best Pop
BTS, “On�
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 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�

Best Hip-Hop
DaBaby, “BOP�
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD, “Godzilla�
Future ft. Drake, “Life Is Good�
Megan Thee Stallion, “Savage�
Roddy Ricch, “The Box�
Travis Scott, “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM�

Best Music Video From Home
5 Seconds of Summer, “Wildflower�
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber, “Stuck with U�
blink-182, “Happy Days�
Drake, “Toosie Slide�
John Legend, “Bigger Love�
twenty one pilots, “Level of Concern�

Best Collaboration
Ariana Grande and 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�

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
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights�: Directed by Anton Tammi

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, “Queì Pena�

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�
twenty one pilots, “Level of Concern�

Best Rock
blink-182, “Happy Days�
Coldplay, “Orphans�
Evanescence, “Wasted On You�
Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean, “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)�
Green Day, “Oh Yeah!�
The Killers, “Caution�

Best Group
5 Seconds of Summer
Blackpink
BTS
Chloe x Halle
CNCO
Little Mix
Monsta X
Now United
The 1975
Twenty One Pilots

Best K-Pop
(G)I-DLE, “Oh My God�
BTS, “On�
EXO, “Obsession�
Monsta X, “SOMEONE’S SOMEONE�
Tomorrow X Together, “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)�
Red Velvet, “Psycho�

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�
Lil Baby, “The Bigger Picture�
Taylor Swift, “The Man�

Song of the Summer
Blackpink, “How You Like That�
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP�
Miley Cyrus, “Midnight Sky�
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “Rockstar�
DJ Khaled ft. Drake, “Popstar�
Doja Cat, “Say So�
Jack Harlow, “Whats Poppin�
Lil Baby ft. 42 Dugg, “We Paid�
Dua Lipa, “Break My Heart�
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé, “Savage (Remix)�
Pop Smoke ft. 50 Cent and Roddy Ricch, “The Woo�
Saint Jhn, “Roses�
Saweetie, “Tap In�
Harry Styles, “Watermelon Sugar�
Taylor Swift, “Cardigan�
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights�

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
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
CNCO and 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 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
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 Colomé Nogú
Harry Styles, “Adore You�: Art Direction by Laura Ellis Cricks
Miley Cyrus, “Mother’s Daughter�: Art Direction by Christian Stone
Selena Gomez, “Boyfriend�: Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
Taylor Swift, “Lover�: Art Direction by Ethan Tobman

Best Quarantine Performance
Chloe & Halle, “Do It� from MTV’s Prom-athon
CNCO, Unplugged at Home
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 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
ROSAL�A, “A Palé�: Edited by Andre Jones
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights�: Edited by Janne Vartia & Tim Montana

Everyday Heroes: Frontline Medical Workers honorees
Jason “Tik Tok Doc� Campbell
Dr. Elvis Francois and Dr. William Robinson, “Imagine�
Jefferson University Hospital’s Swab Squad, “Level Up�
Lori Marie Key, “Amazing Grace�
Dr. Nate Wood, “Lean on Me�

More From This Series

• The 2020 VMAs Tried Like Hell to Avoid the Elephant in the Room
• No One Can Tell Me the VMAs Weren’t a Simulation
• Every Mask Lady Gaga Wore at the 2020 VMAs

See All