There’s little question that, awards side, the 2023 VMAs belonged to Taylor Swift. She won seven awards, gave the seemingly inevitable NSYNC reunion a major cosign, and even had an MTV camera dedicated exclusively to her and her seatmates, which included Ice Spice and Sabrina Carpenter.

Yet there was plenty more eye and ear candy in the most star-studded VMAs in years. Lil Wayne and Olivia Rodrigo opened the show with back-to-back performances, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion rocked their new single “Bongos.” Ice Spice won best new artist. Karol G delivered the evening’s most visually exciting performance, accompanied by a group of pink-clad, wigged male dancers — and led the charge for Latin music, as she and Shakira won best collaboration; Anitta won for best Latin; Peso Pluma’s performance brought regional Mexican music to the VMAs for the first time. Shakira gave a career-spanning performance celebrating her Video Vanguard award, and Diddy did the same for his Global Icon award. Rema’s duet with with Selena Gomez, “Calm Down,” won best Afrobeats. Doja Cat performed accompanied by a troupe of dancers drenched in fake blood. Future, A Boogie and more performed Metro Boomin, and Nicki Minaj did double duty as host and played her new single, “Last Time I Saw You,” as well as another, still unreleased song from her forthcoming album, “Pink Friday 2.”

There was also controversy, as MTV’s backstage cameras caught what appeared to be an argument between Justin Timberlake and Megan Thee Stallion — although a source backstage who witnessed the exchange said it was actually quite affectionate.

As the show stretched into a fourth hour, Fall Out Boy played “We Didn’t Start the Fire” surrounded by lots of fire, Maneskin rocked out, and the hip-hop 50 th anniversary celebration closed out the night.

Full MTV VMAs Fashion Gallery

See the full winners list below (updating in real time):

VIDEO OF THE YEAR  

Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records

Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records

Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records

Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records

SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records

Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records (WINNER)

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records

Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Karol G – Interscope Records
Nicki Minaj – Republic Records
Shakira – Sony Music US Latin
Taylor Swift – Republic Records (WINNER)

SONG OF THE YEAR

Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records

Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records

Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records

Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records

SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records

Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records (WINNER)

BEST NEW ARTIST

GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records

Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records (WINNER)

Kaliii – Atlantic Records

Peso Pluma – Double P Records

PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment

Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records

PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records

September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records

October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL

November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records

December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records

January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment

February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED” – Def Jam

March 2023: Fletcher – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records

April 2023: Tomorrow X Together – “Sugar Rush Ride” – Bighit Music / Republic Records (WINNER)

May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy On It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records

June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records

July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records

BEST COLLABORATION

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records

Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records

Karol G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino (WINNER)

Metro Boomin with the Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records

Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records

BEST POP

Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records

Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)” – Atlantic Records

Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records

Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records

Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records

Pink – “Trustfall” – RCA Records

Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records (WINNER)

BEST HIP-HOP

Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records

DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “Staying Alive” – We The Best / Epic Records

GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records

Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now

Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records

Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records

Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records (WINNER)

BEST R&B

Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records

Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia

Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records (WINNER)

Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records

Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love in the Way” – Empire Distribution

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Blink-182 – “Edging” – Columbia Records
Boygenius – “The Film” – Interscope Records

Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like a Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen                                                         

Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records (WINNER)

Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord

BEST ROCK

Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records

Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records

Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records

Måneskin – “The Loneliest” – Arista Records (WINNER)

Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings

Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records

BEST LATIN

Anitta – “Funk Rave” – Republic Records (WINNER)

Bad Bunny – “Where She Goes” – Rimas Entertainment

Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” – DEL Records, Inc. / Prajin Parlay, Inc. Grupo Frontera

Bad Bunny – “Un x100to” – Rimas Entertainment

Karol G Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino

ROSALÍA – “DESPECHÁ” – Columbia Records

Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin

BEST K-POP

Aespa – “Girls” – SM Entertainment Co., Ltd.

Blackpink – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records

Fifty Fifty – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records

Seventeen – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records

Stray Kids – “S-Class” – JYP / Republic (WINNER)

Tomorrow X Together – “Sugar Rush Ride” – Bighit Music / Republic Records

BEST AFROBEATS

Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings

Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd

Davido ft. Musa Keys – “Unavailable” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records

Fireboy DML & Asake – ”Bandana” – Empire Distribution

Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records

Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records (WINNER)

Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records

VIDEO FOR GOOD

Alicia Keys – “If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)” – Netflix

Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente” – Rimas Entertainment

Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records

Dove Cameron – “Breakfast” – Columbia Records (WINNER)

Imagine Dragons – “Crushed” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records

Maluma – “La Reina” – Sony Music US Latin

BEST DIRECTION

Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño

Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)

Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar

Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley

Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi

SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer

Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift (WINNER)

BEST ART DIRECTION

Boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap
Blackpink – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)

Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Art Direction by Spencer Graves (WINNER)
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez

Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Art Direction by Niko Philipides
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch

BEST EDITING 

Blackpink – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell
Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel (WINNER)
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 0 Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
Olivia Rodrigo – “Vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rina Yang (WINNER)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Fall Out Boy – “Love From the Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner

Harry Styles – “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios

Melanie Martinez – “Void” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament (WINNER)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Blackpink – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX) (WINNER)
Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna

Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Panic! at the Disco – “Middle Of A Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel