It was a night of red carpet glam, show-stopping performances, and big wins!
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards aired live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday (May 23) night. Hosted by Nick Jonas, the show celebrated the biggest chart-toppers of the past year.
Stars kicked off the evening with fabulous fashion moments as they hit the red carpet all glammed up. From Alicia Keys looking pretty in pink with her monochromatic top, pants and statement cape to Karol G’s sheer Celia Kritharioti gown giving off major mermaid vibes. Host Nick and wife Priyanka Chopra turned heads with their contrasting outfits – Nick rocked an emerald green Fendi suit while Priy sparkled in a sheer gold gown and BVLGARI jewels.
The Weeknd seemingly marked the end of his After Hours era by ditching the signature red suit he’d been sporting throughout the past year. Meanwhile, Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly packed on the some NSFW PDA right on the red carpet!
BTS debuted the first-ever live TV performance of their latest single “Butter” on the BBMA stage. Icon Awardee Pink wowed audiences with her medley of hits – with daughter Willow joining her on the stage for their duet “Cover Me In Sunshine,” and yes, their aerial acrobatic performance was totally adorable. Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, Karol G, Twenty One Pilots, DJ Khaled, H.E.R., Migos and more took also took the stage to perform. And the Jonas Brothers and Marshmello joined forces for their new single “Leave Before You Love Me” before closing out the awards show with a medley of their hits like “Sucker,” “Only Human,” “What a Man Gotta Do” and more.
Bringing on another adorable parent-child moment is this year’s Artist of The Decade, Drake, who was joined onstage by his uber cute three-year-old son Adonis, as he accepted his award. Father and son held hands as they walked across the stage to the mic, and Adonis held on to his dad’s trophy as Drake gave his speech, concluding with dedicating his win to his son.
Meanwhile, despite being banned from attending the ceremonies due to controversial behavior, Morgan Wallen bagged both Top Country Artist and Top Country Male Artist. But the night’s big winner is The Weeknd, winning 10 of the 16 categories he was nominated in.
Check out the complete list of winners below.
ARTIST AWARDS
Top Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top New Artist
Gabby Barrett
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke **WINNER**
Rod Wave
Top Male Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top Female Artist
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Dua Lipa
Megan Thee Stallion
Taylor Swift **WINNER**
Top Duo/Group
AC/DC
AJR
BTS **WINNER**
Dan + Shay
Maroon 5
Top Billboard 200 Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Post Malone
Taylor Swift **WINNER**
Top Hot 100 Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Dua Lipa
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top Streaming Songs Artist
DaBaby
Drake **WINNER**
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd
Top Song Sales Artist
Justin Bieber
BTS **WINNER**
Megan Thee Stallion
*Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd
Top Radio Songs Artist
Justin Bieber
Lewis Capaldi
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top Social Artist (Fan Voted)
BLACKPINK
BTS **WINNER**
Ariana Grande
SB19
Seventeen
Top R&B Artist
Jhené Aiko
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Doja Cat
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top R&B Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top R&B Female Artist
Jhené Aiko
Doja Cat **WINNER**
SZA
Top Rap Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke **WINNER**
Top Rap Male Artist
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke **WINNER**
Top Rap Female Artist
Cardi B
Megan Thee Stallion **WINNER**
Saweetie
Top Country Artist
Gabby Barrett
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
*Morgan Wallen **WINNER**
Top Country Male Artist
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
*Morgan Wallen **WINNER**
Top Country Female Artist
Gabby Barrett **WINNER**
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood
Top Country Duo/Group
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line **WINNER**
Maddie & Tae
Top Rock Artist
AC/DC
AJR
Five Finger Death Punch **WINNER**
Machine Gun Kelly
twenty one pilots
Top Latin Artist
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny **WINNER**
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna
Top Latin Male Artist
Bad Bunny **WINNER**
J Balvin
Ozuna
Top Latin Female Artist
Becky G
Karol G **WINNER**
Rosalía
Top Latin Duo/Group
Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Eslabón Armado **WINNER**
Los Dos Carnales
Top Dance/Electronic Artist
The Chainsmokers
Kygo
Lady Gaga **WINNER**
Marshmello
Surf Mesa
Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship **WINNER**
for KING & COUNTRY
Carrie Underwood
Zach Williams
Top Gospel Artist
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Maverick City Music
Kanye West **WINNER**
ALBUM AWARDS
Top Billboard 200 Album
Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die
Lil Baby, My Turn
Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon **WINNER**
Taylor Swift, folklore
The Weeknd, After Hours
Top R&B Album
Jhené Aiko, Chilombo
Chris Brown & Young Thug, Slime & B
Doja Cat, Hot Pink
Kehlani, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t
The Weeknd, After Hours **WINNER**
Top Rap Album
DaBaby, BLAME IT ON BABY
Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die
Lil Baby, My Turn
Lil Uzi Vert, Eternal Atake
Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon **WINNER**
Top Country Album
Gabby Barrett, Goldmine
Sam Hunt, SOUTHSIDE
Chris Stapleton, Starting Over
Carrie Underwood, My Gift
*Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album **WINNER**
Top Rock Album
AC/DC, Power Up
Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts
Glass Animals, Dreamland
Machine Gun Kelly, Tickets to My Downfall **WINNER**
Bruce Springsteen, Letter to You
Top Latin Album
Anuel AA, Emmanuel
Bad Bunny, El Último Tour Del Mundo
Bad Bunny, Las que no iban a salir
Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG **WINNER**
J Balvin, Colores
Top Dance/Electronic Album
DJ Snake, Carte Blanche
Gryffin, Gravity
Kygo, Golden Hour
Lady Gaga, Chromatica **WINNER**
Kylie Minogue, Disco
Top Christian Album
Bethel Music, Peace
Elevation Worship, Grave Into Gardens
Carrie Underwood, My Gift **WINNER**
We The Kingdom, Holy Water
Zach Williams, Rescue Story
Top Gospel Album
Koryn Hawthorne, I AM
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Royalty: Live at the Ryman
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1 **WINNER**
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 2
Kierra Sheard, Kierra
SONG AWARDS
Top Hot 100 Song Presented by Rockstar
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” ** WINNER**
Top Streaming Song
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR” **WINNER**
Future ft. Drake “Life Is Good”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Selling Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
BTS “Dynamite” **WINNER
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Radio Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now”
Harry Styles “Adore You”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” **WINNER**
Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope” **WINNER**
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
Top R&B Song
Jhené Aiko ft. H.E.R. “B.S.”
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo “Intentions”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Doja Cat “Say So”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” **WINNER**
Top Rap Song
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR” **WINNER**
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”
Top Country Song
Jason Aldean “Got What I Got”
Gabby Barrett “I Hope” **WINNER**
Lee Brice “One of Them Girls”
*Morgan Wallen “Chasin’ You”
*Morgan Wallen “More Than My Hometown”
Top Rock Song
AJR “Bang!” **WINNER**
All Time Low ft. blackbear “Monsters”
Glass Animals “Heat Waves”
Machine Gun Kelly ft. blackbear “my ex’s best friend”
twenty one pilots “Level of Concern”
Top Latin Song
Bad Bunny “Yo Perreo Sola”
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “Dákiti” **WINNER**
Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”
Maluma & The Weeknd “Hawái”
Ozuna x Karol G x Myke Towers “Caramelo”
Top Dance/Electronic Song
Lady Gaga “Stupid Love”
Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande “Rain on Me”
SAINt JHN “Roses (Imanbek Remix)” **WINNER**
Surf Mesa ft. Emilee “ily (i love you baby)”
Topic & A7S “Breaking Me”
Top Christian Song
Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens” **WINNER**
for KING & COUNTRY, Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly “TOGETHER”
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, & Elevation Worship “The Blessing (Live)”
Tauren Wells ft. Jenn Johnson “Famous For (I Believe)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton “There Was Jesus”
Top Gospel Song
Koryn Hawthorne “Speak To Me”
Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music “Movin’ On”
Marvin Sapp “Thank You For It All”
Tye Tribbett “We Gon’ Be Alright”
Kanye West ft. Travis Scott “Wash Us In The Blood” **WINNER**
Congratulations to all the winners.
*Statement on behalf of dick clark productions regarding Morgan Wallen:
“Unique among awards shows, Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) finalists are determined by performance on the Billboard Charts, and are not chosen by a voting committee or membership organization. BBMA finalists and winners are based on key fan interactions with music (including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, social engagement), tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including MRC Data.
With our content reaching millions of viewers, dcp and MRC have the privilege and responsibility to effect change by creating a more inclusive dialogue in our productions and across the industry.
Morgan Wallen is a finalist this year based on charting. As his recent conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity (performing, presenting, accepting).
It is heartening and encouraging to hear that Morgan is taking steps in his anti-racist journey and starting to do some meaningful work. We plan to evaluate his progress and will consider his participation in future shows.”
