Lil Nas X and more big winners from the 2021 MTV VMAs

September 13, 2021
Entertainment

Another MTV Video Music Awards is over with after an epic ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York over the weekend where some of the best of the pop world performed and were awarded for their efforts over the past year.

Lil Nas X at the 2021 MTV VMAs / Photo credit: OConnor-Arroyo/AFF-USA.com/AFF/PA Images

Video of the Year, of course, went to Lil Nas X for MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name), as did Best Direction and Best Visual Effects. BTS were also triple winners with prizes for Group of the Year, plus Best K-Pop and Song of the Summer for their track Butter.

Olivia Rodrigo was another big winner with Best New Artist, Presented by Facebook, and Song of the Year for Drivers License. She also won the PUSH Performance of the Year for her live rendition of the track in May this year.

Meanwhile, Justin Bieber landed Artist of the Year with his song Peaches being named Best Pop, and his talented superfan Billie Eilish took the gongs for Video for Good with Your Power and Best Latin for her collaboration with Rosalía on Lo Vas A Olvidar.

Doja Cat also won two awards for Best Collaboration (Kiss Me More featuring SZA) and Best Art Direction as part of Saweetie’s track Best Friend, while Silk Sonic’s single Leave the Door Open got Best RB and Best Editing.

Best Breakthrough Song went to Claire Rosinkranz’s Backyard Boy, Best Hip-Hop was awarded to Travis Scott for FRANCHISE featuring Young Thug and M.I.A., Best Rock was John Mayer’s Last Train Home and Machine Gun Kelly took home Best Alternative for my ex’s best friend featuring blackbear. Beyoncé (BROWN SKIN GIRL) and Harry Styles (Treat People With Kindness) were also awarded for Best Cinematography and Best Choreography respectively.

Stand-out performances of the night included Lil Nas X’s rendition of Industry Baby, and Global Icon Award winners Foo Fighters, who reflected on their career with a medley of 1999’s Learn to Fly and Shame Shame from their latest album Medicine at Midnight. They also performed 1997 single Everlong; it was a nostalgic night for Dave Grohl and the gang.

MORE: Lil Nas X is the queer artist the LGBTQ+ community needs right now

Meanwhile, there was a bit of red carpet drama ahead of the show as Machine Gun Kelly and UFC champion Conor McGregor almost got into a physical altercation.

McGregor was at the VMAs to present the Artist of the Year award to Justin Bieber, and footage showed security holding him back as he angrily made towards the rapper. Apparently, he got mad when MGK’s team refused a photo opp. Neither party have since commented on the spat.

Conor McGregory throws a punch at Machine Gun Kelly on the red carpet at the #VMAs. pic.twitter.com/AohsDnpHqt

— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) September 13, 2021