The Weeknd, Drake Among Winners At 2021 Billboard Music Awards
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards took place on Sunday night, May 23, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles with 500-600 attendees all following pandemic safety protocols. The ceremony, which celebrates chart success was hosted by Nick Jonas.
Producer DJ Khaled opened the show with singer-songwriter H.E.R. and rap group Migos, performing their collaboration We Going Crazy. Doja Cat and SZA were also among the early performers with their song Kiss Me More.
Canadian singer, The Weeknd led the way in nominations with 16 and won seven awards, including the top male artist. The singer also won the first award handed out on the live telecast, for top Hot 100 artist. Drake, who holds the title for most Billboard Music Award wins of all time, received the Artist of the Decade Award. He was introduced by a group of his family and friends and came out onstage with his 3-year-old son, Adonis Graham.
BILLBOARD ARTIST AWARDS:
Top Artist:
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Top New Artist:
Gabby Barrett
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke **WINNER**
Rod Wave
Top Male Artist:
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top Female Artist:
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Dua Lipa
Megan Thee Stallion
Taylor Swift **WINNER**
Top Duo/Group:
AC/DC
AJR
BTS **WINNER**
Dan + Shay
Maroon 5
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Post Malone
Taylor Swift **WINNER**
Top Hot 100 Artist:
DaBaby
Drake
Dua Lipa
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top Streaming Songs Artist:
DaBaby
Drake **WINNER**
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd
Top Song Sales Artist:
Justin Bieber
BTS **WINNER**
Megan Thee Stallion
*Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Justin Bieber
Lewis Capaldi
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top Social Artist (Fan Voted):
BLACKPINK
BTS **WINNER**
Ariana Grande
SB19
Seventeen
Top R&B Artist:
Jhené Aiko
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Doja Cat
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top R&B Male Artist:
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
The Weeknd **WINNER**
Top R&B Female Artist:
Jhené Aiko
Doja Cat **WINNER**
SZA
Top Rap Artist:
DaBaby
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke **WINNER**
Top Rap Male Artist:
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke **WINNER**
Top Rap Female Artist:
Cardi B
Megan Thee Stallion **WINNER**
Saweetie
Top Country Artist:
Gabby Barrett
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
*Morgan Wallen **WINNER**
Top Country Male Artist:
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
*Morgan Wallen **WINNER**
Top Country Female Artist:
Gabby Barrett **WINNER**
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood
Top Country Duo/Group:
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line **WINNER**
Maddie & Tae
Top Rock Artist:
AC/DC
AJR
Five Finger Death Punch **WINNER**
Machine Gun Kelly
twenty one pilots
Top Latin Artist:
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny **WINNER**
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna
Top Latin Male Artist:
Bad Bunny **WINNER**
J Balvin
Ozuna
Top Latin Female Artist:
Becky G
Karol G **WINNER**
Rosalía
Top Latin Duo/Group:
Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Eslabón Armado **WINNER**
Los Dos Carnales
Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
The Chainsmokers
Kygo
Lady Gaga **WINNER**
Marshmello
Surf Mesa
Top Christian Artist:
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship **WINNER**
for KING & COUNTRY
Carrie Underwood
Zach Williams
Top Gospel Artist:
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Maverick City Music
Kanye West **WINNER**
BILLBOARD ALBUM AWARDS:
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die
Lil Baby, My Turn
Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon **WINNER**
Taylor Swift, folklore
The Weeknd, After Hours
Top R&B Album:
Jhené Aiko, Chilombo
Chris Brown & Young Thug, Slime & B
Doja Cat, Hot Pink
Kehlani, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t
The Weeknd, After Hours **WINNER**
Top Rap Album:
DaBaby, BLAME IT ON BABY
Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die
Lil Baby, My Turn
Lil Uzi Vert, Eternal Atake
Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon **WINNER**
Top Country Album:
Gabby Barrett, Goldmine
Sam Hunt, SOUTHSIDE
Chris Stapleton, Starting Over
Carrie Underwood, My Gift
*Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album **WINNER**
Top Rock Album:
AC/DC, Power Up
Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts
Glass Animals, Dreamland
Machine Gun Kelly, Tickets to My Downfall **WINNER**
Bruce Springsteen, Letter to You
Top Latin Album:
Anuel AA, Emmanuel
Bad Bunny, El Último Tour Del Mundo
Bad Bunny, Las que no iban a salir
Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG **WINNER**
J Balvin, Colores
Top Dance/Electronic Album:
DJ Snake, Carte Blanche
Gryffin, Gravity
Kygo, Golden Hour
Lady Gaga, Chromatica **WINNER**
Kylie Minogue, Disco
Top Christian Album:
Bethel Music, Peace
Elevation Worship, Grave Into Gardens
Carrie Underwood, My Gift **WINNER**
We The Kingdom, Holy Water
Zach Williams, Rescue Story
Top Gospel Album:
Koryn Hawthorne, I AM
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Royalty: Live at the Ryman
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1 **WINNER**
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 2
Kierra Sheard, Kierra
SONG AWARDS:
Top Hot 100 Song Presented by Rockstar:
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” ** WINNER**
Top Streaming Song:
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR” **WINNER**
Future ft. Drake “Life Is Good”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Selling Song:
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
BTS “Dynamite” **WINNER
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Radio Song:
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now”
Harry Styles “Adore You”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Collaboration (Fan Voted):
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope” **WINNER**
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
Top R&B Song:
Jhené Aiko ft. H.E.R. “B.S.”
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo “Intentions”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Doja Cat “Say So”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” **WINNER**
Top Rap Song
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR” **WINNER**
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”
Top Country Song
Jason Aldean “Got What I Got”
Gabby Barrett “I Hope” **WINNER**
Lee Brice “One of Them Girls”
*Morgan Wallen “Chasin’ You”
*Morgan Wallen “More Than My Hometown”
Top Rock Song
AJR “Bang!” **WINNER**
All Time Low ft. blackbear “Monsters”
Glass Animals “Heat Waves”
Machine Gun Kelly ft. blackbear “my ex’s best friend”
twenty one pilots “Level of Concern”
Top Latin Song:
Bad Bunny “Yo Perreo Sola”
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “Dákiti” **WINNER**
Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”
Maluma & The Weeknd “Hawái”
Ozuna x Karol G x Myke Towers “Caramelo”
Top Dance/Electronic Song:
Lady Gaga “Stupid Love”
Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande “Rain on Me”
SAINt JHN “Roses (Imanbek Remix)” **WINNER**
Surf Mesa ft. Emilee “ily (i love you baby)”
Topic & A7S “Breaking Me”
Top Christian Song:
Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens” **WINNER**
for KING & COUNTRY, Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly “TOGETHER”
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, & Elevation Worship “The Blessing (Live)”
Tauren Wells ft. Jenn Johnson “Famous For (I Believe)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton “There Was Jesus”
Top Gospel Song:
Koryn Hawthorne “Speak To Me”
Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music “Movin’ On”
Marvin Sapp “Thank You For It All”
Tye Tribbett “We Gon’ Be Alright”
Kanye West ft. Travis Scott “Wash Us In The Blood” **WINNER**