The notorious MTV Video Music Awards(VMAs) unfolded this year at the Forum in Inglewood, California on August 27. Katy Perry served as the ceremony’s emcee despite all the controversy currently surrounding her character. Katy Perry flew in dressed as an astronaut and poked fun at our generation. She also made jokes about her new album and Justin Bieber. Overall, she was a fantastic host.

Kendrick Lamar led the pack with 8 nominations while Katy Perry and The Weeknd were tied with 5 nominations each. Kendrick Lamar went home with the most awards, earning six Moon Men. P!NK received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and also performed some of her greatest hits.

Kendrick Lamar performed and the performance was on fire. He performed “DNA” and “HUMBLE”. Fifth Harmony threw shade at Camila Cabello in their captivating performance of “Angel” and “Down”, which included on-stage rain, a synchronized mic drop, and Gucci Mane. Logic, Alessia Cara, and Khalid brought tears to the audiences’ minds with their performance of “1-800-273-8255”. The trio brought out a troupe of people wearing the phone number for the hotline. To end the show, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj performed “Swish Swish”. From the vogueing boys in heels to the giant basketball Nicki Minaj hid behind, it is safe to say the performance went out with a bang.

Nominees and Winners

Video of the Year

Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE.
Bruno Mars – 24K Magic
Alessia Cara – Scars To Your Beautiful
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – Wild Thoughts
The Weeknd – Reminder

Artist of the Year

Bruno Mars
Kendrick Lamar
Ed Sheeran
Ariana Grande
The Weeknd
Lorde

Best New Artist

Khalid
Kodak Black
SZA
Young M.A
Julia Michaels
Noah Cyrus

Best Collaboration

Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – We Don’t Talk Anymore
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – Wild Thoughts
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – Broccoli
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – Closer
Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry, & Big Sean – Feels
Zayn & Taylor Swift – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever

Best Pop Video

Shawn Mendes – Treat You Better
Ed Sheeran – Shape Of You
Harry Styles – Sign Of The Times
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – Down
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm
Miley Cyrus – Malibu

Best Hip-Hop Video

Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE.
Big Sean – Bounce Back
Chance the Rapper – Same Drugs
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – Broccoli
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – Bad & Boujee
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne – I’m The One

Best Dance Video

Zedd and Alessia Cara – Stay
Kygo X Selena Gomez – It Ain’t Me
Calvin Harris – My Way
Major Lazer ft Justin Bieber MØ – Cold Water
Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign – Gone

Best Rock Video

Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams
Fall Out Boy – Young And Menace
Twenty One Pilots – Heavydirtysoul
Green Day – Bang Bang
Foo Fighters – Run

Best Fight Against The System Video

Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – Black SpiderMan
The Hamilton Mixtape – Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)
Big Sean – Light
Alessia Cara – Scars To Your Beautiful
Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – Stand Up/Stand N Rock #NoDAPL
John Legend – Surefire

Song of the Summer

Despacito Remix – Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber
Down – Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane
OMG – Camila Cabello ft. Quavo
Shape of You – Ed Sheeran
Sorry Not Sorry – Demi Lovato
There’s Nothing Holding Me Back – Shawn Mendes
Wild Thoughts – DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna
XO Tour Llif3 – Lil Uzi Vert

Best Cinematography

Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE. (Cinematographer: Scott Cunningham)
Imagine Dragons – Thunder (Cinematographer: Matthew Wise)
Ed Sheehan – Castle on the Hill (Cinematographer: Steve Annis)
DJ Shadow ft. Run the Jewels – Nobody Speak (Cinematographer: David Procter)
Halsey – Now or Never (Cinematographer: Kristof Brandl)

Best Direction

Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE. (Directors: Dave Meyers, The Little Homies)
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm (Director: Mathew Cullen)
Bruno Mars – 24K Magic (Directors: Cameron Duddy, Bruno Mars)
Alessia Cara – Scars To Your Beautiful (Director: Aaron A)
The Weeknd – Reminder (Director: Glenn Michael)

Best Art Direction

Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE. (Production Designer: Spencer Graves)
Bruno Mars – 24K Magic (Production Designer: Natalie Groce)
Katy Perry ft. Migos – Bon Appetit (Production Designer: Natalie Groce)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – Wild Thoughts (Production Designer: Damian Fyffe)
The Weekend – Reminder (Production Designers: Lamar C Taylor, Christo Anesti)

Best Visual Effects

Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE. (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall)
A Tribe Called Quest – Dis Generation (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel)
KYLE ft. Lil Yachty – iSpy (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi)
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – Chained to the Rhythm (Company: MIRADA)
Harry Styles – Sign of the Times (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cedric Nivoliez)

Best Choreography

Kanye West – Fade (Choreographers: Teyana Taylor & Guapo)
Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – Side to Side (Choreographers: Brian & Scott Nicholson)
Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE. (Choreographer: Dave Meyers)
Sia – The Greatest (Choreographer: Ryan Heffington)
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – Down (Choreographer: Sean Bankhead)

Best Editing

Future – Mask Off (Editor: Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost)
Young Thug – Wyclef Jean (Editors: Ryan Staake, Eric Degliomini)
Lorde – Green Light (Editor: Nate Gross of Exile Edit)
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – Closer (Editor: Jennifer Kennedy)
The Weekend – Reminder (Editor: Red Barbaza)