MTV VMA 2019 night was decorated with some amazing performances by the top artists in the game right now. Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, Miley Cyrus, Missy Elliot, Lizzo, Lil Nas X and Normani were some of the artists who dazzled the night with their live acts.
Missy Elliot was awarded the Video Vanguard for her years of service to music and the industry. She is also the first female artist to receive this coveted, once-in-a-lifetime achievement award.
Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift went into the MTV VMA 2019 with the most nominations each–12. Next up, Billie Eilish with 10 nominations, and Lil Nas X with 9 nominations purely for his breakout single “Old Town Road (Remix).” Despite the cut-throat competition, winners were crowned during the night and here is the complete list of winners and nominees in each award category.
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
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”
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”
Best power anthem
- WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion ft. Nicki Minaj & Ty Dolla $ign – “Hot Girl Summer”
- 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”
Song of summer
- WINNER: Ariana Grande, Social House – “boyfriend”
- Billie Eilish – “bad guy”
- DaBaby – “Surge”
- 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”
- ROSALIA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – “Con Altura”
- Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – “Senorita”
- 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
- WINNER: BTS
- 5 Seconds of Summer
- Backstreet Boys
- BLACKPINK
- CNCO
- Jonas Brothers
- PRETTYMUCH
- Why Don’t We
Push artist of the year
- Bazzi
- CNCO
- WINNER: Billie Eilish
- H.E.R.
- Lauv
- Lizzo
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 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 dance
- WINNER: 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 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 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 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“
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
