Just like it did with the Movie and TV Awards earlier this year, MTV gave a facelift to its flagship Video Music Awards ceremony in 2017.
Reaping the benefits of the new format was Kendrick Lamar, whose “HUMBLE.” video was awarded six times on the night – the most of any video.
“Glory to God every time,” Lamar said as he took the stage to accept the Video of the Year award, before thanking his team members that helped create the video.
“We got an opportunity to inspire the youth,” said Lamar’s manager Dave Free. “Take time to give back to the youth because that’s the only thing that matters for real.”
Other big winners were Ed Sheeran (Artist of the Year), Khalid (Best New Artist), and Fifth Harmony (Best Pop).
THANK YOU HARMONIZERS! This is all because of you. What a night ❤️ https://t.co/THBmVfmALI
— Fifth Harmony (@FifthHarmony) August 28, 2017
No awards show is complete without a throwback to pop artists of yesteryear and, as hard as it is to believe, P!nk falls into that category. The pop-rocker proved she’s still a fan favorite accepting the Video Vanguard award from her good friend Ellen DeGeneres and taking the stage to perform a montage of her greatest hits.
Social issues were also touched on as rapper Logic and singer Khalid promoted suicide prevention and shared the stage with survivors in a moving performance of “1-800-273-8255” and Jared Leto paid tribute to Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, who took their own lives this year.
Perhaps the most impactful moments of the night happened when pastor Robert Lee IV (a descendant of Confederate Civil War general Robert E. Lee) and Susan Bro (mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville on August 14) spoke about fighting hate in America.
Bro announced the launch of a non-profit scholarship fund in her daughter’s honor and revealed that all of the nominees in the Best Fight Against The System category would be awarded winners.
“Through their diversity, the six videos show there are many ways to take action and many battlegrounds in the fight for social good,” she said. “I congratulate all these artists on their VMA tonight. And I look forward to the important work that they, and all of you, will do together to make the world a better, Kinder, place. Thank you.”
Below is a complete list of winners from the 2017 MTV VMAs
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars — “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful”
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars
Kendrick Lamar
WINNER: Ed Sheeran
Ariana Grande
The Weeknd
Lorde
BEST NEW ARTIST
WINNER: Khalid
Kodak Black
SZA
Young M.A
Julia Michaels
Noah Cyrus
BEST COLLABORATION
Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore”
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean – “Feels”
WINNER: Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
BEST POP
Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better”
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times”
WINNER: Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down”
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm”
Miley Cyrus – “Malibu”
BEST HIP HOP
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
Chance the Rapper – “Same Drugs”
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad & Boujee”
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne – “I’m The One”
BEST DANCE
WINNER: Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay”
Kygo x Selena Gomez – “It Ain’t Me”
Calvin Harris – “My Way”
Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water”
Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Gone”
BEST ROCK
Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams”
Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace”
WINNER: Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul”
Green Day – “Bang Bang”
Foo Fighters – “Run”
BEST FIGHT AGAINST THE SYSTEM – ALL HONORED
Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan”
The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)”
Big Sean – “Light”
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful”
Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL”
John Legend – “Surefire”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Imagine Dragons – “Thunder”
Ed Sheeran – “Castle On The Hill”
DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels – “Nobody Speak”
Halsey – “Now or Never”
BEST DIRECTION
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
BEST ART DIRECTION
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Katy Perry ft. Migos – “Bon Appetit”
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
WINNER: Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation”
KYLE ft. Lil Yachty – “iSpy”
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm”
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times”
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
WINNER: Kanye West – “Fade”
Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side To Side”
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Sia – “The Greatest”
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down”
BEST EDITING
Future – “Mask Off”
WINNER: Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean”
Lorde – “Green Light”
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
The Weeknd – “Reminder”
SONG OF THE SUMMER
Ed Sheeran — “Shape of You”
Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber — “Despacito Remix”
WINNER: Lil Uzi Vert — “XO Tour Llif3”
Shawn Mendes — “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back”
Fifth Harmony feat. Gucci Mane — “Down”
Camila Cabello feat. Quavo — “OMG”
DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller — “Wild Thoughts”
Demi Lovato — “Sorry Not Sorry”
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(Photo Credit: Instagram/@mtv)