2021 MTV VMAs Winners + Performances

The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards took place in Brooklyn on Sunday (September 12) and the annual mix of pop culture, music videos and stan bases led to some interesting moments on-stage. With Doja Cat serving as the show’s host, fans were treated to sexy, eye-opening performances from Chlöe and Normani (the latter channeling both Aaliyah and Janet Jackson) as well as Busta Rhymes’ medley of classics which would usually serve in the Video Vanguard Award spot – even though MTV didn’t award a Video Vanguard Award at the ceremony. RELATED: Hot Or Not? The 2021 VMAs Fashion Wins And Fails On The Red Carpet Lil Nas X brought his “Industry Baby” video to a live stage alongside Jack Harlow, Latto and Saint JHN both owned the stage with select performances of their hits. Polo G brought his No. 1 hit “RAPSTAR” to the big stage and although there were no performances by heavy hitters such as Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, or even Travis Scott, the night was fun and a big night for plenty of people.

Love 101.1 The Wiz? Get more! Join the 101.1 The Wiz Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Subscribe

We care about your data. See our privacy policy.

See a few of the night’s most talked-about performances below and see the full list of winners as well. Video of the Year WINNER: Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Columbia Records Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: “WAP” – Atlantic Records DJ Khaled ft. Drake: “Popstar” (Starring Justin Bieber) – OVO / We The Best / Epic Records Doja Cat ft. SZA: “Kiss Me More” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits” – Atlantic Records The Weeknd: “Save Your Tears” – XO / Republic Records Artist of the Year WINNER: Justin Bieber – Def Jam Ariana Grande – Republic Records Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records Megan Thee Stallion – 300 Entertainment Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records Taylor Swift – Republic Records Song of the Year WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo: “Drivers License” – Geffen Records 24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior: “Mood” – Records LLC / Columbia Records Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open” – Aftermath Entertainment / Atlantic Records BTS: “Dynamite” – Bighit Music Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: “WAP” – Atlantic Records Dua Lipa: “Levitating” – Warner Records Best New Artist WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records 24kGoldn – Records LLC / Columbia Records Giveon – Epic Records / Not So Fast The Kid Laroi – Columbia Records Polo G – Columbia Records Saweetie – Warner Records Push Performance of the Year WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo: “Drivers License” – Geffen Records Wallows: “Are You Bored Yet?” – Atlantic Records Ashnikko: “Daisy” – Warner Records Saint Jhn: “Gorgeous” – Godd Complexx / HITCO 24kGoldn: “Coco” – Records LLC / Columbia Records JC Stewart: “Break My Heart” – Elektra Music Group Latto: “Sex Lies” – RCA Records Madison Beer: “Selfish” – Epic Records / Sing It Loud The Kid Laroi: “Without You” – Columbia Records Girl in Red: “Serotonin” – World in Red / AWAL Fousheé: “My Slime” – RCA Records Jxdn: “Think About Me” – DTA Records / Elektra Music Group Best Collaboration WINNER: Doja Cat ft. SZA: “Kiss Me More” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records 24kGoldn ft. Iann Dior: “Mood” – Records LLC / Columbia Records Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: “WAP” – Atlantic Records Drake ft. Lil Durk: “Laugh Now Cry Later” – OVO / Republic Records Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: “Peaches” – Def Jam Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa: “Prisoner” – RCA Records Best Pop WINNER: Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: “Peaches” – Def Jam Ariana Grande: “Positions” – Republic Records Billie Eilish: “Therefore I Am” – Darkroom / Interscope Records BTS: “Butter” – Bighit Music Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness” – Columbia Records Olivia Rodrigo: “Good 4 U” – Geffen Records Shawn Mendes: “Wonder” – Island Records Taylor Swift: “Willow” – Republic Records Best Hip-Hop WINNER: Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A.: “Franchise” – Cactus Jack / Epic Records Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion: “WAP” – Atlantic Records Drake ft. Lil Durk: “Laugh Now Cry Later” – OVO / Republic Records Lil Baby ft. Megan Thee Stallion: “On Me (remix)” – Quality Control / Motown Moneybagg Yo – “Said Sum” – N-Less Entertainment / Interscope Records Polo G: “Rapstar” – Columbia Records Best Rock WINNER: John Mayer: “Last Train Home” – Columbia Records Evanescence: “Use My Voice” – BMG Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame” – Roswell Records / RCA Records The Killers: “My Own Soul’s Warning” – Island Kings Of Leon: “The Bandit” – RCA Records Lenny Kravitz: “Raise Vibration” – Roxie Records / BMG Best Alternative WINNER: Machine Gun Kelly ft. Blackbear: “My Ex’s Best Friend” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records Bleachers: “Stop Making This Hurt” – RCA Records Glass Animals: “Heat Waves” – Republic Records Imagine Dragons: “Follow You” – Kidinakorner / Interscope Records Twenty One Pilots: “Shy Away” – Fueled By Ramen Willow ft. Travis Barker: “Transparent Soul” – MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation Best Latin WINNER: Billie Eilish & Rosalía: “Lo Vas A Olvidar” – Darkroom / Interscope Records Bad Bunny x Jhay Cortez: “Dákiti” – The Orchard Black Eyed Peas and Shakira: “Girl Like Me” – Epic Records Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Tainy: “Un Die (One Day)” – Universal Music Latino / Neon16 Karol G: “Bichota” – Universal Music Latino Maluma: “Hawái” – Sony Music US Latin Best R&B WINNER: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open” – Aftermath Entertainment / Atlantic Records Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn, WizKid: “Brown Skin Girl” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records Chris Brown and Young Thug: “Go Crazy” – Chris Brown Entertainment/RCA Records Giveon: “Heartbreak Anniversary” – Epic Records / Not So Fast H.E.R. ft. Chris Brown: “Come Through” – MBK Entertainment / RCA Records SZA: “Good Days” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Best K-pop WINNER: BTS – “Butter” – Bighit Music (G)I-DLE: “Dumdi Dumdi” – Republic Records Blackpink and Selena Gomez: “Ice Cream” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records Monsta X: “Gambler” – Starship Entertainment Seventeen: “Ready to love” – Pledis Entertainment Twice: “Alcohol-Free” – JYP Entertainment Company Video For Good WINNER: Billie Eilish: “Your Power” – Darkroom / Interscope Records Demi Lovato: “Dancing With the Devil” – Island H.E.R.: “Fight For You” – MBK Entertainment / RCA Records Kane Brown: “Worldwide Beautiful” – Sony Music Nashville / RCA Records Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Columbia Records Pharrell Williams ft. Jay-Z: “Entrepreneur” – Columbia Records Best Direction WINNER: Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Columbia Records – Directed by: Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino Billie Eilish: “Your Power” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Directed by: Billie Eilish DJ Khaled ft. Drake: “Popstar (Starring Justin Bieber)” – OVO / We The Best / Epic Records – Directed by: Julien Christian Lutz aka Director X Taylor Swift: “Willow” – Republic Records – Directed by: Taylor Swift Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A: “Franchise” – Cactus Jack / Epic Records – Directed by: Travis Scott Tyler, The Creator: “Lumberjack” – Columbia Records – Directed by: Wolf Haley Best Cinematography WINNER: Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, WizKid: “Brown Skin Girl” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records – Cinematography by: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, Mohammaed Atta Ahmed, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan Helfant Billie Eilish: “Therefore I Am” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Cinematography by: Rob Witt Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame” – Roswell Records / RCA Records – Cinematography by: Santiago Gonzalez Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper: “Holy” – RBMG / Def Jam – Cinematography by: Elias Talbot Lady Gaga: “911” – Interscope Records – Cinematography by: Jeff Cronenweth Lorde: “Solar Power” – Republic Records – Cinematography by: Andrew Stroud Best Art Direction WINNER: Saweetie ft. Doja Cat: “Best Friend” – Warner Records – Art Direction by: Alec Contestabile Beyoncé, Shatta Wale, Major Lazer: “Already” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records – Art Direction by: Susan Linns, Gerard Santos Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits” – Atlantic Records – Art Direction by: Alison Dominitz Lady Gaga: “911” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by: Tom Foden, Peter Andrus Taylor Swift – “Willow” – Republic Records – Art Direction by: Ethan Tobman, Regina Fernandez Best Visual Effects WINNER: Lil Nas X: “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by: Mathematic Bella Poarch: “Build a Bitch” – Warner Records – Visual Effects by: Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, Yekaterina Vetrova Coldplay: “Higher Power” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by: Mathematic Doja Cat & The Weeknd – “You Right” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – 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, David Rouxel Glass Animals: “Tangerine” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by: YSF Studio Paris P!nk: “All I Know So Far” – RCA Records – Visual Effects by: BUF, VFX Supervisors: Dominique Vidal & Geoffrey Niquet, VFX Producers: Annabelle Zoellin & Camille Gibrat Best Choreography WINNER: Harry Styles – “Treat People With Kindness” – Columbia Records Ariana Grande – “34+35” – Republic Records – Choreography by: Brian Nicholson & Scott Nicholson BTS – “Butter” – Bighit Music – Choreography by: Son Sung with BHM Performance Directing Team Ed Sheeran – “Bad Habits” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by: Natricia Bernard Foo Fighters – “Shame Shame” – Roswell Records / RCA Records – Choreography by: Nina McNeely Marshmello & Halsey – “Be Kind” – Astralwerks / Capitol Records – Choreography by: Dani Vitale Best Editing WINNER: Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open” – Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Records – Editing by: Troy Charbonnet BTS: “Butter” – Bighit Music – Editing by: Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens Drake: “What’s Next” – OVO / Republic Records – Editing by: Noah Kendal Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness” – Columbia Records Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: “Peaches” – Def Jam Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa: “Prisoner” – RCA Records

1. Normani – "Wild Side"

2. Chlöe – "Have Mercy"

3. Lil Nas X feat. Jack Harlow – "Industry Baby"

4. Polo G – "RAPSTAR"

5. Doja Cat – "Been Like This" x "You're Right"

6. Justin Bieber feat. The Kid Laroi – "Stay" x "Ghost"

7. Alicia Keys feat. Swae Lee – "La La" x "Empire State Of Mind"

8. Latto – "B*tch From Da Souf"

9. Saint JHN – "Roses"

10. Busta Rhymes – "Medley"