The 2018 Billboard Music Awards, hosted by Kelly Clarkson, was an emotional and celebratory night of nostalgic and one-of-a-kind musical performances and touching moments all to celebrate this year’s biggest and best in music! This year’s show aired live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 20.
Kendrick Lamar and Ed Sheeran were the night’s big winners, receiving six awards each. Lamar received Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Male Artist, Top Rap Album, Top Streaming Artist and Top Streaming Song (Audio). Accepting his awards all the way from Dublin, Ireland, Sheeran took home Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist and Top Radio Song. Bruno Mars, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber follow close behind, winning five awards each.
Ariana Grande opened the show with a rousing performance of her new hit single “No Tears Left to Cry.” Other show highlights included included a medley from ICON Award recipient Janet Jackson, who electrified the stage with a performance of some of her biggest hits including “If” and “Nasty.” Jennifer Lopez and DJ Khaled also fired up the stage with their new collaboration, “Dinero,” while the Chainsmokers and Halsey delivered touching remarks in memory of the late DJ, Avicii, who passed away earlier this year.
The evening also featured memorable group performance including Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey with their catchy single “The Middle,” Macklemore featuring Kesha on his song “Good Old Days,” and Pharrell Williams and Camila Cabello on “Sangria Wine,” before Cabello performed solo on her fan favorite hit “Havana.” Additionally, Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato brought the house down with the show-stopping world television debut of Aguilera’s empowering new song “Fall In Line.”
Global music stars BTS performed the world television premiere of their new single “Fake Love” from their recently released album “Love Yourself: Tear” and were nearly drowned out by the sounds of their fans screaming. The show closed with a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue, who joined together to perform legendary hit songs “Shoop,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “Push It,” and “Whatta Man.”
Checkout the complete list of televised winners at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards:
ARTIST AWARDS
ICON Award:
Janet Jackson
Top Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top New Artist:
Khalid
Billboard Chart Achievement Award:
Camila Cabello
Top Male Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Female Artist:
Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group:
Imagine Dragons
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake
Top Hot 100 Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Streaming Songs Artist:
Kendrick Lamar
Top Song Sales Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Social Artist:
BTS
Top Touring Artist:
U2
Top R&B Artist:
Bruno Mars
Top R&B Male Artist:
Bruno Mars
Top R&B Female Artist:
SZA
Top R&B Tour:
Bruno Mars
Top Rap Artist:
Kendrick Lamar
Top Rap Male Artist:
Kendrick Lamar
Top Rap Female Artist:
Cardi B
Top Rap Tour:
JAY-Z
Top Country Artist:
Chris Stapleton
Top Country Male Artist:
Chris Stapleton
Top Country Female Artist:
Maren Morris
Top Country Duo/Group Artist:
Florida Georgia Line
Top Country Tour:
Luke Bryan
Top Rock Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Top Rock Tour:
U2
Top Latin Artist:
Ozuna
Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
The Chainsmokers
Top Christian Artist:
MercyMe
Top Gospel Artist:
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
ALBUM AWARDS
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.”
Top Selling Album:
Taylor Swift “reputation”
Top Soundtrack:
“Moana”
Top R&B Album:
**Bruno Mars “24K Magic”
Top Rap Album:
Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.”
Top Country Album:
Chris Stapleton “From A Room: Volume 1”
Top Rock Album:
Imagine Dragons “Evolve”
Top Latin Album:
Ozuna “Odisea”
Top Dance/Electronic Album:
The Chainsmokers “Memories…Do Not Open”
Top Christian Album:
Alan Jackson “Precious Memories Collection”
Top Gospel Album:
Tasha Cobbs Leonard “Heart. Passion. Pursuit.”
SONG AWARDS
Top Hot 100 Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber “Despacito”
Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Kendrick Lamar “HUMBLE.”
Top Streaming Song (Video):
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber “Despacito”
Top Selling Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber “Despacito”
Top Radio Song:
Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
Top Collaboration:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber “Despacito”
Top R&B Song:
Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like”
Top Rap Song:
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage “Rockstar”
Top Country Song:
Sam Hunt “Body Like A Back Road”
Top Rock Song:
Imagine Dragons “Believer”
Top Latin Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber “Despacito”
Top Dance/Electronic Song:
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay “Something Just Like This”
Top Christian Song:
Hillsong Worship “What A Beautiful Name”
Top Gospel Song:
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise “You Deserve It”
By Kinya Claiborne, STYLE & SOCIETY
