The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards took place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Tuesday, with a night of star-studded performances and emotional wins.
The night belonged to Taylor Swift, who won in nine of the 11 categories she was nominated – including Artist of the Year.
The huge evening resulted in Swift moving up in second all-time on MTV VMA winners with 25 overall – only second to Beyoncé’s 28, two of which she earned as a member of Destiny´s Child.
Pop royalty Madonna (20 VMA awards) and Lady Gaga (19 VMA awards) round out the quartet of musical queens.
Elsewhere, Shakira was honored with the Video Vanguard Award and performed as well.
MTV Video Music Awards 2023: WINNERS
Video of the Year
Doja Cat – ‘Attention’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’
Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’
SZA – ‘Kill Bill’
Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ (WINNER)
Artist of the Year:
Beyoncé
Doja Cat
KAROL G
Nicki Minaj
Shakira
Taylor Swift (WINNER)
Song of the Year:
Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’
Rema + Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’
Steve Lacy – ‘Bad Habit’
SZA – ‘Kill Bill’
Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ (WINNER)
Best New Artist:
GloRilla
Ice Spice (WINNER)
Kaliii
Peso Pluma
PinkPantheress
Reneé Rapp
Push Performance of the Year:
August 2022: Saucy Santana – ‘Booty’
September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – ‘Until I Found You’
October 2022: JVKE – ‘golden hour’
November 2022: Flo Milli – ‘Conceited’
December 2022: Reneé Rapp – ‘Colorado’
January 2023: Sam Ryder – ‘All The Way Over’
February 2023: Armani White – ‘GOATED’
March 2023: FLETCHER – ‘Becky’s So Hot’
April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – ‘Sugar Rush Ride’ (WINNER)
May 2023: Ice Spice – ‘Princess Diana’
June 2023: FLO – ‘Losing You’
July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – ‘That Part’
Best Collaboration:
David Guetta + Bebe Rexha – ‘I’m Good (Blue)’
Post Malone, Doja Cat – ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – ‘Gotta Move On’
KAROL G, Shakira – ‘TQG’ (WINNER)
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – ‘Creepin’ (Remix)’
Rema + Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’
Best Pop:
Demi Lovato – ‘Swine’
Dua Lipa – ‘Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)’
Ed Sheeran – ‘Eyes Closed’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’
P!NK – ‘TRUSTFALL’
Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ (WINNER)
Best Hip-Hop:
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – ‘Gotta Move On’
DJ Khaled ft. Drake + Lil Baby – ‘STAYING ALIVE’
GloRilla + Cardi B – ‘Tomorrow 2’
Lil Uzi Vert – ‘Just Wanna Rock’
Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz + DMX – ‘Kant Nobody’
Metro Boomin ft Future – ‘Superhero (Heroes and Villains)’
Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ (WINNER)
Best R+B:
Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – ‘Stay’
Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – ‘How Does It Feel’
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – ‘Creepin’ (Remix)’
SZA – ‘Shirt’
Toosii – ‘Favorite Song’
Yung Bleu + Nicki Minaj – ‘Love In The Way’
Best Alternative:
blink-182 – ‘EDGING’
boygenius – ‘the film’
Fall Out Boy – ‘Hold Me Like A Grudge’
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – ‘Candy Necklace’ (WINNER)
Paramore – ‘This Is Why’
Thirty Seconds To Mars – ‘Stuck’
Best Rock:
Foo Fighters – ‘The Teacher’
Linkin Park – ‘Lost (Original Version)’
Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Tippa My Tongue’
Måneskin – ‘THE LONELIEST’ (WINNER)
Metallica – ‘Lux Æterna’
Muse – ‘You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween’
Best Latin:
Anitta – ‘Funk Rave’ (WINNER)
Bad Bunny – ‘WHERE SHE GOES’
Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – ‘Ella Baila Sola’
KAROL G, Shakira – ‘TQG’
ROSALÍA – ‘DESPECHÁ’
Shakira – ‘Acróstico’
Group of the Year:
Blackpink – (WINNER)
Fifty Fifty
FLO
Jonas Brothers
Måneskin
NewJeans
Seventeen
Tomorrow x Together
Album of the Year:
Beyoncé – Renaissance
Drake and 21 Savage – Her Loss
Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains
Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation
SZA – SOS
Taylor Swift – Midnights (WINNER)
Video Vanguard Award: Shakira (WINNER)
Best K-Pop:
aespa – ‘Girls’
BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’
FIFTY FIFTY – ‘Cupid’
SEVENTEEN – ‘Super’
Stray Kids – ‘S-Class’ (WINNER)
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – ‘Sugar Rush Ride’
Best Afrobeats:
Ayra Starr – ‘Rush’
Burna Boy – ‘It’s Plenty’
Davido ft. Musa Keys – ‘UNAVAILABLE’
Fireboy DML + Asake – ‘Bandana’
Libianca – ‘People’
Rema + Selena Gomez – ‘Calm Down’ (WINNER)
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– ‘2 Sugar’
Video for Good:
Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)
Bad Bunny – ‘El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente’
Demi Lovato – ‘Swine’
Dove Cameron – ‘Breakfast’ (WINNER)
Imagine Dragons – ‘Crushed’
Maluma – ‘La Reina’
Best Direction:
Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ – – Directed by Tanu Muiño
Drake – ‘Falling Back’ – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Count Me Out’ – Directed by Dave Free + Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ – Directed by Colin Tilley
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ – Directed by Christian Breslauer
Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Directed by Taylor Swift (WINNER)
Best Cinematography:
Adele – ‘I Drink Wine’ – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Ed Sheeran – ‘Eyes Closed’ – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
Janelle Monae – ‘Lipstick Lover’ – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Count Me Out’ – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Miley Cyrus – ‘Flowers’ – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’ – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Cinematography by Rina Yang (WINNER)
Best Visual Effects:
Fall Out Boy – ‘Love From The Other Side’ – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
Harry Styles – ‘Music For A Sushi Restaurant’ – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
Melanie Martinez – ‘VOID’ – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – ‘Super Freaky Girl’ – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Visual Effects by Parliament (WINNER)
Best Choreography:
BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX) (WINNER)
Dua Lipa – ‘Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)’ – Choreography by Charm LaDonna
Jonas Brothers – ‘Waffle House’ – Choreography by Jerry Reece
Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ –- Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Panic! At The Disco – ‘Middle Of A Breakup’ – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – ‘Unholy’ – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel
Best Art Direction:
boygenius – ‘the film’ – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap
BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Doja Cat – ‘Attention’ – Art Direction by Spencer Graves (WINNER)
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – ‘Candy Necklace’ – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez
Megan Thee Stallion – ‘Her’ – Art Direction by Niko Philipides
SZA – ‘Shirt’ – Art Direction by Kate Bunch
Best Editing:
BLACKPINK – ‘Pink Venom’ – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Kendrick Lamar – ‘Rich Spirit’ – Edited by Grason Caldwell
Miley Cyrus – ‘River’ – Edited by Brandan Walter
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘vampire’ – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel (WINNER)
SZA – ‘Kill Bill’ – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Taylor Swift – ‘Anti-Hero’ – Edited by Chancler Haynes
Song of the Summer:
Beyoncé – ‘Cuff It’
Billie Eilish – ‘What Was I Made For?’ (From The Motion Picture Barbie)
Doja Cat – ‘Paint the Town Red’
Doechii featuring Kodak Black – ‘What It Is (Block Boy)’
Dua Lipa – ‘Dance the Night’ (From the Barbie Album)
Fifty Fifty – ‘Cupid’
Gunna – ‘Fukumean’
Jung Kook featuring Latto – ‘Seven’ (WINNER)
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice – ‘Barbie World’ (with Aqua) [From Barbie The Album]
Olivia Rodrigo – ‘Vampire’
SZA – ‘Kill Bill’
Taylor Swift featuring Ice Spice – ‘Karma’
Tomorrow X Together and Jonas Brothers – ‘Do It Like That’
Luke Combs – ‘Fast Car’
Troye Sivan – ‘Rush’
Yng Lvcas & Peso Pluma – ‘La Bebe’ (Remix)
Show of the Summer:
Beyoncé
Blackpink
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Karol G
Taylor Swift (WINNER)
Global Icon Award: Diddy (WINNER)
Rema & Selena Gomez collected the award for Best Afrobeats Winner for their track Calm Down.
Nicki Minaj claimed the honors for Best Hip-Hop for her track Super Freaky Girl.
Ice Spice was named winner of the Best New Artist award, saying, ‘I just want to thank my munchkins! I love you guys so much!’
Diddy was named receive the Global Icon Award and performed at the VMAs for the first time since 2005.
Anitta was named the Best Latin Winner for her song Funk Rave and said on stage: ‘Thank you so much for my fans, without you I would be nothing.’
The VMAs were hosted by Nicki Minaj. Last year, she emceed alongside Lil Wayne and Jack Harlow; this year, she’s solo.
The show celebrated 50 years of hip-hop with a star-studded, multi-generational finale performance featuring DMC of Run-DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J and Minaj.
Swift had increased her number of nominations to 11 – including seven for her Anti-Hero music video – after MTV announced four additional social categories earlier this month.
This year featured a record number of first-time nominees at 35: including Kim Petras, who has five noms, Metro Boomin´ with four and Rema with three. Aespa, Burna Boy, Davido, Eslabon Armado, FIFTY FIFTY, PinkPantheress, Saucy Santana, Stephen Sanchez and Toosii were also nominated for the first time.
