August 27, 2017
by Carla Hay
With six prizes, including Video of the Year, Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE.” video was the top winner at the 34th Annual MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), which was held at the Forum in Inglewood, California, on August 27, 2017. The wins were not much of a surprise since “HUMBLE.” had the most VMA nominations (eight) this year.
Katy Perry hosted and performed at the show. For the most part, her hosting fell flat with awkward jokes that weren’t very funny and even more awkward physical gags, such has Perry carrying a baby doll on stage and the doll “vomited” on Perry.
Pink, winner of the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, gave a moving and inspirational speech in which she talked about how dismayed she felt when her 6-year-old daughter, Willow Sage Hart, told her that she felt ugly because she thought he looked like a boy. Pink then said that she then gave Willow a Power Point presentation to show her different artists such as Prince, Michael Jackson, Elton John and Freddie Mercury to show Willow that it was okay to be yourself, look different and be special. Pink also said she wanted to be that kind of role model, and she thanked artists who are “living their truth” for inspiring her. Before her speech, Pink performed a medley of her hits.
Another emotional moment at the award show came during an anti-racism speeches from pastor Robert E. Lee IV and Susan Bro, who is the mother of Heather Heyer, the counter-protestor who was murdered August 13 during a white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia. Bro announced the formation of the Heather Heyer Foundation to support the anti-bigotry causes that Heyer supported. She also announced that all six of the MTV VMA nominees in the category of Best Fight Against the System would win the prize this year. It was for the first time in MTV history that all of the nominees in a MTV VMA category won the category prize.
Jared Leto, lead singer of Thirty Seconds to Mars, gave a tribute speech to Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell and Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington, who both committed suicide this year. MTV showed a clip from Linkin Park’s 2010 MTV VMA performance at the end of the tribute.
Taylor Swift’s music video for “Look at What You Made Me Do” made its world premiere at 2017 MTV VMAs.
The following is a complete list of nominees winners and performances at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards.
NOMINEES AND WINNERS
*=winner
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)*
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records)
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records)
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)
Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic Records)*
Ariana Grande (Republic Records)
The Weeknd (XO/Republic Records)
Lorde (Republic Records)
BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by Taco Bell®)
Khalid (RCA Records)*
Kodak Black (Atlantic Records)
SZA (TDE/RCA Records)
Young M.A (3D)
Julia Michaels (Republic Records)
Noah Cyrus (Records)
BEST COLLABORATION
Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (Atlantic Records)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best)
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records)
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records)
Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean – “Feels” (Columbia Records)
Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)” (Republic Records)*
BEST POP
Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better” (Island Records)
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You” (Asylum/Atlantic Records)
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records)
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records)*
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records)
Miley Cyrus – “Malibu” (RCA Records)
BEST HIP HOP
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)*
Big Sean – “Bounce Back” (Def Jam)
Chance the Rapper – “Same Drugs” (Chance the Rapper LLC)
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records)
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad & Boujee” (300 Entertainment)
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne – “I’m The One” (Epic Records/We The Best)
BEST DANCE
Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay” (Interscope)*
Kygo x Selena Gomez – “It Ain’t Me” (Ultra/Interscope)
Calvin Harris – “My Way” (Columbia Records)
Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and Mø – “Cold Water” (Mad Decent)
Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Gone” (Wall Recordings/Latium/RCA Records)
BEST ROCK
Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams” (Parlophone/Atlantic Records)
Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace” (Island)
Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul” (Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic Records)*
Green Day – “Bang Bang” (Warner Bros. Records)
Foo Fighters – “Run” (RCA Records)
BEST FIGHT AGAINST THE SYSTEM
Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan” (Def Jam)*
The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” (Atlantic Records)*
Big Sean – “Light” (Def Jam)*
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam)*
Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL”*
John Legend – “Surefire” (Columbia Records)*
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Scott Cunningham)*
Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope) (Matthew Wise)
Ed Sheeran – “Castle On The Hill” (Asylum/Atlantic Records) (Steve Annis)
DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels – “Nobody Speak” (Mass Appeal Records LLC) (David Proctor)
Halsey – “Now or Never” (Astralwerks/Capitol) (Kristof Brandl)
BEST DIRECTION
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers & the little homies)*
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Mathew Cullen)
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) (Cameron Duddy & Bruno Mars)
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam) (Aaron A)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Glenn Michael)
BEST ART DIRECTION
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Spencer Graves)*
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) (Alex Delgado)
Katy Perry ft. Migos – “Bon Appetit” (Capitol Records) (Natalie Groce)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) (Damian Fyffe)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Creative Director: Lamar C Taylor / Co-creative Director: Christo Anesti)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall)*
A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation” (Epic Records) (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel)
KYLE ft. Lil Yachty – “iSpy” (Atlantic Records) (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi)
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Company: MIRADA)
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records) (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cédric Nivoliez)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Kanye West – “Fade” (Def Jam) (Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Jae Blaze & Derek ‘Bentley’ Watkins)*
Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side To Side” (Republic Records) (Brian & Scott Nicholson)
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers)
Sia – “The Greatest” (Monkey Puzzle Records/RCA Records) (Ryan Heffington)
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) (Sean Bankhead)
BEST EDITING
Future – “Mask Off” (Epic Records/Freebandz/A1) (Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost)
Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean” (300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records) (Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini)*
Lorde – “Green Light” (Republic Records) (Nate Gross of Exile Edit)
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records) (Jennifer Kennedy)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Red Barbaza)
SONG OF SUMMER
Presented by Verizon
Lil Uzi Vert — “XO Tour Llif3”
MICHAEL JACKSON VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD
Pink
PERFORMANCES
KENDRICK LAMAR – “DNA” + “HUMBLE.”
Pink
“Get The Party Started”
“Raise Your Glass”
“So What”
“Just Give Me a Reason”
“Perfect”
“What About Us”
SIR ROD STEWART FT. DNCE – “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy”
ED SHEERAN & LIL UZI VERT– “Shape Of You” + “XO Tour Lilf3”
MILEY CYRUS – “Younger Now”
LOGIC FT. KHALID – “1-800-273-8255”
DEMI LOVATO – “Sorry Not Sorry”
THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS – “Walk On Water”
FIFTH HARMONY FT. GUCCI MANE – “Angel” + “Down”
SHAWN MENDES – “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back”
LORDE – “Homemade Dynamite”
KYLE – “iSpy”
ALESSIA CARA – “Scares To Your Beautiful”
JULIA MICHAELS – “Issues”
KATY PERRY FT. NICKI MINAJ – “Swish Swish”
Jesse Ignjatovic returns as Executive Producer for the 2017 “MTV Video Music Awards.” Bruce Gillmer, Garrett English and Lee Lodge are Executive Producers. Melanie Block serves as Executive in Charge of Production. Amani Duncan is Music Executive in Charge. Wendy Plaut is Celebrity Talent Executive in Charge.
Official sponsors of the “2017 MTV Video Music Awards” include: Cadillac, Extra® Gum, PEPSI®, Swiffer®, Taco Bell®, truth®, and Verizon.
Here are some video highlights of the 2017 MTV VMA ceremony, as well as the pre-show event.