The winners for the 2021 edition of the MTV Video Music Awards were announced Sunday, complete with a Doja Cat-hosted broadcast that saw the ceremony returning to New York City.
When nominees were first announced back in August, Justin Bieber led the 2021 class with nine total nominations. Megan Thee Stallion, BTS, and Giveon followed close behind with seven nominations each. Also entering Sunday night with multiple nominations each were Drake, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Dua Lipa, and—marking a historic first—Doja Cat.
In addition to the main categories, this year’s ceremony also sees Foo Fighters receiving the first-ever U.S. Global Icon Award. The Global Icon Award originates from MTV’s Europe Music Awards festivities, with previous EMAs recipients including Eminem and Whitney Houston. The group is also among the assortment of 2021 performers.
This year’s ceremony—which also features performances from Justin Bieber, Lil Nas X with Jack Harlow, Kacey Musgraves, Machine Gun Kelly with Travis Barker, and more—follows a 2020 iteration that more than made the best out of the mid-pandemic conditions. Keke Palmer hosted that year’s uniquely crafted viewing experience, which included a memorable performance from BTS and a medley-housed rendition of Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me.”
Below, see the full (and live-updated) list of 2021 VMAs victors. Winners’ names will be bolded.
Leading up to the ceremony, as previously announced, MTV collaborated with the 9/11 Day nonprofit for a series of service-focused activities in observance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
- Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
- DJ Khaled f/ Drake “Popstar”
- Doja Cat f/ SZA “Kiss Me More”
- Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits”
- Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – WINNER
- The Weeknd “Save Your Tears”
- Ariana Grande
- Doja Cat
- Justin Bieber – WINNER
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Taylor Swift
- 24kGoldn f/ Iann Dior “Mood”
- Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak “Leave the Door Open”
- BTS “Dynamite”
- Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
- Dua Lipa “Levitating”
- Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” – WINNER
- 24kGoldn
- Givēon
- The Kid Laroi
- Olivia Rodrigo – WINNER
- Polo G
- Saweetie
- 24kGoldn f/ Iann Dior “Mood”
- Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
- Doja Cat f/ SZA “Kiss Me More” – WINNER
- Drake f/ Lil Durk “Laugh Now Cry Later”
- Justin Bieber f/ Daniel Caesar and Givēon “Peaches”
- Miley Cyrus f/ Dua Lipa “Prisoner”
- Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
- Drake f/ Lil Durk “Laugh Now Cry Later”
- Lil Baby f/ Megan Thee Stallion “On Me (Remix)”
- Moneybagg Yo “Said Sum”
- Polo G “Rapstar”
- Travis Scott f/ Young Thug and M.I.A. “Franchise” – WINNER
- Ariana Grande “Positions”
- Billie Eilish “Therefore I Am”
- BTS “Butter”
- Harry Styles “Treat People With Kindness”
- Justin Bieber f/ Daniel Caesar and Givēon “Peaches” – WINNER
- Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U”
- Shawn Mendes “Wonder”
- Taylor Swift “Willow”
- Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN and WizKid “Brown Skin Girl”
- Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak “Leave the Door Open” – WINNER
- Chris Brown and Young Thug “Go Crazy”
- Givēon “Heartbreak Anniversary”
- H.E.R. f/ Chris Brown “Come Through”
- SZA “Good Days”
- Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez “Dákiti”
- Billie Eilish and Rosalía “Lo Vas A Olvidar” – WINNER
- Black Eyed Peas and Shakira “Girl Like Me”
- J. Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy “Un Dia (One Day)”
- Karol G “Bichota”
- Maluma “Hawái”
- Evanescence “Use My Voice”
- Foo Fighters “Shame Shame”
- John Mayer “Last Train Home” – WINNER
- The Killers “My Own Soul’s Warning”
- Kings Of Leon “The Bandit”
- Lenny Kravitz “Raise Vibration”
- Bleachers “Stop Making This Hurt”
- Glass Animals “Heat Waves”
- Imagine Dragons “Follow You”
- Machine Gun Kelly f/ Blackbear “My Ex’s Best Friend” – WINNER
- Twenty One Pilots “Shy Away”
- Willow f/ Travis Barker “Transparent Soul”
- (G)I-dle “DUMDi DUMDi”
- Blackpink and Selena Gomez “Ice Cream”
- BTS “Butter” – WINNER
- Monsta X “Gambler”
- Seventeen “Ready to Love”
- Twice “Alcohol-Free”
- Billie Eilish “Your Power” (Directed by Billie Eilish)
- DJ Khaled f/ Drake “Popstar” (Directed by Director X)
- Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (Directed by Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino) – WINNER
- Taylor Swift “Willow” (Directed by Taylor Swift)
- Travis Scott f/ Young Thug and M.I.A “Franchise” (Directed by Travis Scott)
- Tyler, The Creator “Lumberjack” (Directed by Wolf Haley)
- Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN and WizKid “Brown Skin Girl” (Cinematography by Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, Muhammad Atta Ahmed, Santiago Gonzalez, and Ryan Helfant) – WINNER
- Billie Eilish “Therefore I Am” (Cinematography by Rob Witt)
- Foo Fighters “Shame Shame” (Cinematography by Santiago Gonzalez)
- Justin Bieber f/ Chance the Rapper “Holy” (Cinematography by Elias Talbot)
- Lady Gaga “911” (Cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth)
- Lorde “Solar Power” (Cinematography by Andrew Stroud)
- Beyoncé, Shatta Wale, and Major Lazer – “Already” (Art direction by Susan Linns and Gerard Santos)
- Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” (Art direction by Alison Dominitz)
- Lady Gaga “911” (Art direction by Tom Foden and Peter Andrus)
- Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (Art direction by John Richoux)
- Saweetie f/ Doja Cat “Best Friend” (Art direction by Art Haynes) – WINNER
- Taylor Swift “Willow” (Art direction by Ethan Tobman and Regina Fernandez)
- Bella Poarch “Build a Bitch” (Visual effects by Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, and Yekaterina Vetrova)
- Coldplay “Higher Power” (Visual effects by Mathematic)
- Doja Cat and The Weeknd “You Right” (Visual effects by La Pac, Anthony Lestremau, Julien Missaire, Petr Shkolniy, Alexi Bailla, Micha Sher, Antoine Hache, Mikros MPC, Nicolas Huget, Guillaume Ho Tsong Fang, Benjamin Lenfant, Stephane Pivron, MPC Bangalore, Chanakya Chander, Raju Ganesh, and David Rouxel)
- Glass Animals “Tangerine” (Visual effects by Ronan Fourreau)
- Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (Visual effects by Mathematic) – WINNER
- Pink “All I Know So Far” (Visual effects by Dave Meyers and Freenjoy Inc)
- Ariana Grande “34+35” (Choreography by Brian Nicholson and Scott Nicholson)
- BTS “Butter” (Choreography by Son Sung Deuk with BHM Performance directing team)
- Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” (Choreography by Natricia Bernard)
- Foo Fighters “Shame Shame” (Choreography by Nina McNeely)
- Harry Styles “Treat People With Kindness” (Choreography by Paul Roberts) – WINNER
- Marshmello and Halsey “Be Kind” (Choreography by Dani Vitale)
- Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak “Leave the Door Open” (Editing by Troy Charbonnet) – WINNER
- BTS “Butter” (Editing by Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens)
- Drake “What’s Next” (Editing by Noah Kendal)
- Harry Styles “Treat People With Kindness” (Editing by Claudia Wass)
- Justin Bieber f/ Daniel Caesar and Givēon “Peaches” (Editing by Mark Mayr and Vinnie Hobbs)
- Miley Cyrus f/ Dua Lipa “Prisoner” (Editing by William Town at Modern Post)
- Billie Eilish “Your Power” – WINNER
- Demi Lovato “Dancing With the Devil”
- H.E.R. “Fight for You”
- Kane Brown “Worldwide Beautiful”
- Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
- Pharrell Williams f/ Jay-Z “Entrepreneur”
- Wallows “Are You Bored Yet?”
- Ashnikko “Daisy”
- SAINt JHN “Gorgeous”
- 24kGoldn “Coco”
- JC Stewart “Break My Heart”
- Latto “Sex Lies”
- Madison Beer “Selfish”
- The Kid Laroi “Without You”
- Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license” – WINNER
- Girl in Red “Serotonin”
- Fousheé “My Slime”
- Jxdn “Think About Me”