As COVID-19 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 Moon people each after Gaga and Grande each entered with nine nominations. Gaga also took home the first MTV Tricon Award, while The Weekend 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.
See lists of winners below:
MTV Tricon Award
Lady Gaga
Video of the Year”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”
Artist of the Year
Lady Gaga
Song of the Year
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me”
Push Best New Artist
Doja Cat
Best Pop
BTS, “On”Halsey
Best R&B
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”
Best Hip-Hop
Megan Thee Stallion, “Savage”
Best Music Video From Home
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber, “Stuck with U”
Best Collaboration
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me”
Best Direction
Taylor Swift, “The Man”: Directed by Taylor Swift
Best Latin
Maluma ft. J Balvin, “Queì Pena”
Best Alternative
Machine Gun Kelly, “Bloody Valentine”
Best Rock
Coldplay, “Orphans”
Best Group
BTS
Best K-Pop
BTS, “On”
Video for Good
H.E.R., “I Can’t Breathe”
Song of the Summer
Blackpink, “How You Like That”
Best Visual Effects
Dua Lipa, “Physical”: Visual Effects by EIGHTY4
Best Choreography
BTS, “On”: Choreography by Son Sung Deuk, Lee Ga Hun, Lee Byung Eun
Best Cinematography
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me”: Cinematography by Thomas Kloss
Best Art Direction
Miley Cyrus, “Mother’s Daughter”: Art Direction by Christian Stone
Best Quarantine Performance
CNCO, Unplugged at Home
Best Editing
Miley Cyrus, “Mother’s Daughter”: Edited by Alexandre Moors, Nuno Xico
Everyday Heroes: Frontline Medical Workers honorees
