Lady Gaga was crowned the big winner at the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, taking home five top prizes, including Artist of the Year.The pop icon's Rain on Me hit with Ariana Grande earned the "soul sisters" Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, and Best Cinematography, while Gaga was also named the inaugural winner of the Tricon Award, honouring her music, acting, and philanthropy work.
She missed out on Video of the Year - that went to The Weeknd for Blinding Lights. He also picked up Best R&B.
Other multiple honourees included BTS and Miley Cyrus, who dazzled viewers with pre-taped performances, as did Maluma, Doja Cat, and Gaga and Grande, who both donned special face masks as they hit the stage for a rendition of Rain on Me.
It wasn't all about the music at the annual ceremony - host Keke Palmer launched the New York-based show by dedicating the night to late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, following his death from cancer on Friday, and used her platform to encourage people of her generation to keep up the fight against racial injustice.
The timely topics were also thrust into the MTV spotlight during DaBaby's Rockstar performance, delivered while standing on the roof of a cop car after he was shown being arrested, while recent police brutality victims were on The Weeknd's mind as he collected both of his awards.
"It's really hard for me to celebrate right now and enjoy this moment, so I'm just gonna say justice for Jacob Blake and justice for Breonna Taylor. Thank you," he said.
The winners of the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards are:
Video of the Year:
The Weeknd, Blinding Lights
Artist of the Year:
Lady Gaga
Song of the Year:
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Rain on Me
Best Collaboration:
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Rain on Me
PUSH Best New Artist:
Doja Cat
Best Pop:
BTS, On
Best Hip-Hop:
Megan Thee Stallion, Savage
Best Rock:
Coldplay, Orphans
Best Alternative:
Machine Gun Kelly, Bloody Valentine
Best Latin:
Maluma, Que Pena (ft. J Balvin)
Best R&B:
The Weeknd, Blinding Lights
Best K-Pop:
BTS, On
Best Group:
BTS
Video for Good:
H.E.R., I Can't Breathe
Best Music Video From Home:
Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, Stuck with U
Best Quarantine Performance:
CNCO: Unplugged at Home
Best Direction:
Taylor Swift, The Man (directed by Taylor Swift)
Best Cinematography:
Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Rain on Me
Best Art Direction:
Miley Cyrus, Mother's Daughter
Best Visual Effects:
Dua Lipa, Physical
Best Choreography:
BTS, ON
Best Editing:
Miley Cyrus, Mother's Daughter
Tricon Award:
Lady Gaga