There’s no denying that Taylor Swift owned the 2023 VMAs in terms of awards. She garnered huge support for the NSYNC reunion, received seven accolades, and even had an MTV camera focused solely on her and her seatmates, including Ice Spice and Sabrina Carpenter.
However, the most star-studded VMAs in years offered plenty more visual and aural treats. Following back-to-back performances by Lil Wayne and Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion rocked their brand-new track “Bongos.” Best new artist went to Ice Spice. Karol G performed with a troupe of pink-clad, wigged male dancers, that visually stunning performance and led the charge for Latin music by winning the best collaboration award with Shakira; Anitta won for best Latin.
A person backstage who saw the encounter said it was actually pretty loving, but MTV’s backstage cameras captured what appeared to be an argument between Justin Timberlake and Megan Thee Stallion.
Maneskin rocked out, Fall Out Boy played ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ amidst tonnes of fire, and the celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary wrapped up the evening as the show entered its fourth hour.
Full list of winners:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
WINNER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”
Nominees
Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire”
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy”
Doja Cat – “Attention”
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl
SZA – “Kill Bill”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
WINNER
Taylor Swift
Nominees
Karol G
Nicki Minaj
Beyoncé
Doja Cat
Shakira
SONG OF THE YEAR
WINNER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”
Nominees
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down”
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy”
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
SZA – “Kill Bill”
BEST NEW ARTIST
WINNER
Ice Spice
Nominees
Peso Pluma
PinkPantheress
Kaliii
GloRilla
Reneé Rapp
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
WINNER
April 2023: Tomorrow X Together – “Sugar Rush Ride”
Nominees
August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty”
September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You”
December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado”
January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over”
February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED”
October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL
November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited”
March 2023: Fletcher – “Becky’s So Hot”
June 2023: FLO – “Losing You”
July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part”
BEST COLLABORATION
WINNER
Karol G, Shakira – “TQG”
Nominees
Metro Boomin with the Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)”
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down”
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)”
Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)”
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On”
BEST POP
WINNER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”
Nominees
Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)”
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed”
Pink – “Trustfall”
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire”
Demi Lovato – “Swine”
BEST HIP-HOP
Winner
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl”
Nominees
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On”
DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “Staying Alive”
Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX
Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)”
GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2”
Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock”
BEST R&B
WINNER
SZA – “Shirt”
Nominees
Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records
Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records
Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love in the Way” – Empire Distribution
BEST ALTERNATIVE
WINNER
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace”
Nominees
Blink-182 – “Edging” – Columbia Records
Boygenius – “The Film” – Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like a Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen
Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord
BEST ROCK
WINNER
Måneskin – “The Loneliest”
Nominees
Foo Fighters – “The Teacher”
Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)”
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue”
Metallica – “Lux Æterna”
Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween”
BEST LATIN
WINNER
Anitta – “Funk Rave”
Nominees
Bad Bunny – “Where She Goes”
Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola”
Bad Bunny – “Un x100to”
Karol G Shakira – “TQG”
ROSALÍA – “DESPECHÁ”
Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin
BEST K-POP
WINNER
Stray Kids – “S-Class”
Nominees
Aespa – “Girls” – SM Entertainment Co., Ltd.
Blackpink – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
Fifty Fifty – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
Seventeen – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records
Tomorrow X Together – “Sugar Rush Ride” – Bighit Music / Republic Records
BEST AFROBEATS
WINNER
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down”
Nominees
Ayra Starr – “Rush”
Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty”
Davido ft. Musa Keys – “Unavailable”
Fireboy DML & Asake – ”Bandana”
Libianca – “People”
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar”
VIDEO FOR GOOD
WINNER
Dove Cameron – “Breakfast”
Nominees
Alicia Keys – “If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)”
Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente”
Demi Lovato – “Swine”
Imagine Dragons – “Crushed”
Maluma – “La Reina”
BEST DIRECTION
WINNER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”
Nominees
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño
Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer
BEST ART DIRECTION
WINNER
Doja Cat – “Attention”
Nominees
Boygenius – “the film”
Blackpink – “Pink Venom”
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment
SZA – “Shirt”
BEST EDITING
WINNER
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire”
Nominees
Blackpink – “Pink Venom”
Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit”
Miley Cyrus – “River”
SZA – “Kill Bill”
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”
Nominees
Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 0 Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
WINNER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”
Nominees
Fall Out Boy – “Love From the Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
Harry Styles – “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
Melanie Martinez – “Void” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
WINNER
Blackpink – “Pink Venom”
Nominees
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)”
Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment Panic! at the Disco – “Middle Of A Breakup”
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy”
