Unlike other awards shows, there’s not a lot of mystery involved in the Billboard Music Awards. Since the honors are based on sales and streams during the eligibility period, it’s easy to figure out who the winners will be. The show itself is really about the performances. However, before we get to Silk Sonic’s sexy throwback, Megan Thee Stallion’s show-stopping take over and Travis Scott’s return, let’s talk about Sean “Diddy” Combs as host.
Diddy opened the show with a medley featuring Bryson Tiller singing a cover of Toni Braxton’s “Gotta Move On” that featured H.E.R., then Jack Harlow came out to do his viral hit “First Class,” and the number wrapped up with Teyana Taylor and her six-year-old daughter Junie joining Diddy for his classic “Mo Money, Mo Problems.” Unfortunately for the prolific producer, things went downhill from there.
Diddy is successful at a lot of ventures, but hosting isn’t one of them. Every time he came on screen, it brought the show’s momentum and energy to a screeching halt. The reason comedians and talk show hosts usually emcee these types of shows is because they know how to read a crowd and make adjustments on the fly. This felt more like Diddy had an idea and script for what he wanted to do, and he was going to get it in no matter what. Honestly, a performance-heavy show like this doesn’t really need a host, just good presenters. And if you took a drink every time he said he was the executive producer, you would’ve been passed out on the floor 20 minutes in.
As for all those memorable performances, Silk Sonic delivered the best possible marketing for their Las Vegas residency with a fun, sexy version of Con Funk Shun’s “Love’s Train.” This may have started as a side project between two talented friends but I’m sorry Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, we’re going to need regular Silk Sonic releases now. The duo took home the award for Top R&B Song for “Leave the Door Open,” while Mars won for Top R&B Tour for his Las Vegas residency Bruno Mars at Park MGM.
Top Rap Female Artist winner Megan Thee Stallion destroyed the internet with her performance of “Plan B” and “Sweetest Pie.” Meg looked gorgeous in a black bodysuit with conveniently placed cutouts and hair in a long, straight style. The pearl-clutching, “family first” crowd will be in their feelings about this because Black women aren’t allowed to be too sexy. However, the hard truth is she was amazing and most of the world loved it, including Mary J. Blige and Doja Cat who were in the audience singing along.
And speaking of our queen Mary J. Blige, she received the ICON Award and gave an empowering speech where she declared that her “real love is me.” She also celebrated her status as an icon and her influence on the entertainment world. The only thing that was missing was a tribute performance.
“I was ghetto fabulous and I still am,” she said laughing. “So ghetto, so fabulous and people were threatened by that. And now everybody wants to be ghetto fabulous.”
In perhaps one of the most anticipated moments of the night, Travis Scott appeared in his first televised performance since the Astroworld Festival tragedy. He used an all-white, winter theme for “Mafia” and “Lost Forever.” It was very artistic with quick camera shots and dancers moving through the set, before ending with them “attacking the camera.” The audience’s reaction seemed normal with no boos or jeers, but the performance came late in the show, so it’s likely they were just ready to move on to the parties at that point.
After leading all nominees with 17, The Weeknd took home one award for Top R&B Male Artist. He lost the night’s biggest honor, Top Artist, to Drake, who also beat out superstar Taylor Swift, pop singer Olivia Rodrigo and Doja Cat. Other big winners included Ye a.k.a. Kanye West, who swept the Christian and Gospel categories, K-Pop phenomenon BTS and Lil Nas X.
Top Artist
- Drake
Top New Artist
- Olivia Rodrigo
Top Male Artist
- Drake
Top Female Artist
- Olivia Rodrigo
Top Duo/Group
- BTS
Top R&B Artist
- Doja Cat
Top R&B Male Artist
- The Weeknd
Top R&B Female Artist
- Doja Cat
Top R&B Tour
- Bruno Mars (Bruno Mars at Park MGM)
Top Rap Artist
- Drake
Top Rap Male Artist
- Drake
Top Rap Female Artist
- Megan Thee Stallion
Top Rap Tour
- Omarion & Bow Wow (The Millennium Tour 2021)
Top Christian Artist
- Ye
Top Gospel Artist
- Ye
Top Soundtrack
- Encanto
Top R&B Album
- Doja Cat, Planet Her
Top Rap Album
- Drake, Certified Lover Boy
Top Christian Album
- Ye, Donda
Top Gospel Album
- Ye, Donda
Top Viral Song
- Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More”
Top R&B Song
- Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), “Leave the Door Open”
Top Rap Song
- Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow, “Industry Baby”
Top Christian Song
- Ye, “Hurricane”
Top Gospel Song
- Ye, “Hurricane”