CULTURE | MTV VMAs: Taylor Swift, TXT, Stray Kids, NSYNC, and more
The annual MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) concluded its 38th year by awarding and honoring the best in the music industry at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey last September 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. EST
The “Queen of Rap” Nicki Minaj returned as the only host of the event after co-hosting with LL Cool J and Jack Harlow the previous year.
Aside from recognizing talent, the event featured performances by Demi Lovato, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Wayne, Stray Kids, and more. Including joint performances by TOMORROW X TOGETHER with Anitta; Metro Boomin’ with Future, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Swae Lee, and Nav; and Megan Thee Stallion with Cardi B performing their new single “Bongos.”
During the event, the 1995 quintet NSYNC reunited after a decade after their last performance to present the award for the category “Best Pop Award”, which was given to what Justin Timberlake called “the unstoppable, Taylor Swift”.
Speaking of Taylor Swift, the singer took home nine awards that night including “Artist of the Year”, “Show of the Summer”, and “Album of the Year” (Midnights). Additionally, her song “Anti-Hero” won “Video of the Year”, “Song of the Year”, “Best Pop”, “Best Direction”, “Best Cinematography”, and “Best Visual Effects” making her second for the most overall wins according to MTV.
K-pop Girl Group Blackpink also made history that night for being the first girl group in 24 years to win the “Group of the Year” award which was previously held by TLC in 1999.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and Shakira also brought the audience back in time performing some of their greatest hits. They also received the “Global Icon Award” and the “Video Vanguard Award” respectively.
To culminate the event, Grandmaster Flash, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, LL Cool J, and other artists ended with an epic celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop.
Here is the full list of winners:
- Video of the Year: Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero”
- Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift
- Song of the Year: Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero”
- Best New Artist: Ice Spice
- Push Performance of the Year: TOMORROW X TOGETHER for “Sugar Rush Ride”
- Best Collaboration: KAROL G, Shakira for “TQG”
- Best Pop: Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero”
- Best Hip-Hop: Nicki Minaj for “Super Freaky Girl”
- Best R&B: SZA for “Shirt”
- Best Alternative: Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste for “Candy Necklace”
- Best Rock: Måneskin for “THE LONELIEST”
- Best Latin: Anitta for “Funk Rave”
- Best K-pop: Stray Kids for “S-Class”
- Best Afrobeats: Rema & Selena Gomez for “Calm Down”
- Video for Good: Dove Cameron for “Breakfast”
- Show of the Summer: Taylor Swift
- Group of the Year: BLACKPINK
- Album of the Year: Taylor Swift for “Midnights”
- Song of the Summer: Jung Kook ft. Latto — “Seven”
- Best Direction: Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero” (Directed by Taylor Swift)
- Best Cinematography: Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero” (Cinematography by Rina Yang)
- Best Visual Effects: Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero” (Visual Effects by Parliament)
- Best Choreography: BLACKPINK for “Pink Venom” (Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX))
- Best Art Direction: Doja Cat for “Attention” (Art Direction by Spencer Graves)
- Best Editing: Olivia Rodrigo for “vampire” (Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel)
- Video Vanguard Award: Shakira
- Global Icon Award: Diddy
