Taylor Swift and Post Malone win biggest award of VMAs 2024 and other key moments

By Mawunyo Gbogbo, ABC

It was déjà vu when Eminem opened the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) with a bunch of look-alikes in blonde wigs, Eminem wearing one too before switching to a baseball cap.

It was a call back to his performance at the 2000 VMAs when he walked in with scores of "Slim Shady" characters dressed like him.

It wasn't the only throwback with host Megan Thee Stallion dressing up like Britney Spears during her 2001 VMA performance of 'Slave 4 U' during which she carried a live snake.

It didn't take long for Megan Thee Stallion to discard her reptile friend.

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Taylor Swift and Post Malone win first award during ceremony

There were plenty of awards handed out off camera, but when the ceremony began it was Taylor Swift and Post Malone who accepted the first award.

They won Best Collaboration for 'Fortnight'.

"I wanted to say, you know, waking up this morning in New York on September 11, I've just been thinking about what happened 23 years ago," Swift said.

"Everyone who lost a loved one, and everyone that we lost, and that is the most important thing about today and everything that happens tonight."

She went on to sing Post Malone's praises.

"There is a very clear reason why Post Malone is everyone in music's favourite person to collaborate [with], and it is because you are so ridiculously talented, you are so versatile, and you're the most down to earth person, honestly, so unfailingly polite," she said.

"It has taken me forever to get him to stop calling me ma'am."

Of course, Post Malone couldn't resist a quip.

"Yes Ma'am," he said when asked by Swift if he wanted to say a few words.

The duo also won the biggest award of the night, Video of the Year, again for 'Fortnight', with Swift giving a shout out to her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Swift also urged Americans to register to vote.

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Sabrina Carpenter kisses an alien

Girls want to have more than just fun, apparently.

Cyndi Lauper, who won her first MTV VMA at the inaugural awards show 40 years ago, introduced Sabrina Carpenter, saying female artists were dominating the scene.

Carpenter went on to lock lips with an alien during her performance, before winning her first ever MTV VMA for Song of the Year for 'Espresso'.

She thanked her cats and dogs, who she said were watching at home.

Katy Perry's Video Vanguard award

The Video Vanguard award is essentially a lifetime achievement award, and this year it went to Katy Perry.

The award was handed to her by her partner Orlando Bloom.

"Thank you so much to MTV for believing in my weirdness from day one and for helping artists extend their world beyond a song," Perry said.

"There are no decade long accidents."

Perry also thanked "the LGBTQ community who I recognise I would not be here without, and who showed me that you can be both kind and cut".

Chappell Roan wins Best New Artist

Chappell Roan read from her diary when she took to the stage to accept the award for Best New Artist.

"I dedicate this to all the drag artists that inspire me and I dedicate this to the queer and trans people that fuel pop," Roan said.

"Thank you to the fans who listen to me when I share my joys and fears.

"To all the queer kids in the Midwest watching this right now, I see you, I understand you and don't let anyone tell you you can't be exactly what you want to be, b---h!"

LL Cool J rocks the crowd

It would have been impossible to sit during LL Cool J's performance.

The veteran rapper rocked the crowd with a medley of hits while celebrating 40 years of the groundbreaking label Def Jam Records.

All the winners

Video of the Year

• WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone - Fortnight
• Ariana Grande - we can't be friends (wait for your love)
• Billie Eilish - Lunch
• Doja Cat - Paint The Town Red
• Eminem - Houdini
• SZA - Snooze

Best Latin

• WINNER: Anitta - Mil Veces
• Bad Bunny - MONACO
• Karol G - MI EX TENIA RAZON
• Myke Towers - LALA
• Peso Pluma & Anitta - BELLAKEO
• Rauw Alejandro - Touching The Sky
• Shakira & Cardi B - Punteria

Best New Artist

• WINNER: Chappell Roan
• Benson Boone
• Gracie Abrams
• Shaboozey
• Teddy Swims
• Tyla

Artist of the Year

• WINNER: Taylor Swift
• Ariana Grande
• Bad Bunny
• Eminem
• Sabrina Carpenter

Best Pop

• WINNER: Taylor Swift
• Camila Cabello
• Dua Lipa
• Olivia Rodrigo
• Sabrina Carpenter
• Tate McRae

Best R&B

• WINNER: SZA - Snooze
• Alicia Keys - Lifeline
• Muni Long - Made For Me
• Tyla - Water
• USHER, Summer Walker, 21 Savage - Good Good
• Victoria Monet - On My Mama

Best K-Pop

• WINNER: Lisa - Rockstar
• Jung Kook feat. Latto - Seven
• NCT DREAM - Smoothie
• NewJeans - Super Shy
• Stray Kids - LALALALA
• TOMORROW X TOGETHER - Deja Vu

Video for Good

• WINNER: Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For?
• Alexander Stewart - if you only knew
• Coldplay - feelslikeimfallinginlove
• Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll - Best For Me
• RAYE - Genesis.
• Tyler Childers - In Your Love

Best Direction

• WINNER: Fortnight - Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone
• we can't be friends (wait for your love) - Ariana Grande
• Tiny Moves - Bleachers
• Houdini - Eminem
• BOA - Megan Thee Stallion
• Please Please Please - Sabrina Carpenter

Best Cinematography

• WINNER: we can't be friends (wait for your love) - Ariana Grande
• Von dutch - Charli XCX
• Illusion - Dua Lipa
• Obsessed - Olivia Rodrigo
• Touching The Sky - Rauw Alejandro
• Fortnight - Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone

Best Visual Effects

• WINNER: Houdini - Eminem
• the boy is mine - Ariana Grande
• Selfish - Justin Timberlake
• BOA - Megan Thee Stallion
• get him back! - Olivia Rodrigo
• Fortnight - Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone

Best Hip-Hop

• WINNER: Eminem - Houdini
• Drake feat. Sexxy Red & SZA - Rich Baby Daddy
• GloRilla - Yeah Glo!
• Gunner - fukumean
• Megan Thee Stallion - BOA
• Travis Scott feat. Playboi Carti - FE!N

Best Choreography

• WINNER: Houdini - Dua Lipa
• Tiny Moves - Bleachers
• Rockstar - LISA
• Touching The Sky - Rauw Alejandro
• greedy - Tate McRae
• Rush - Troye Sivan

Best Art Direction

• WINNER: BOA - Megan Thee Stallion
• 360 - Charli XCX
• Rockstar - LISA
• bad idea right? - Olivia Rodrigo
• Please Please Please - Sabrina Carpenter
• Fortnight - Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone

Best Editing

• WINNER: Fortnight - Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone
• Mil Veces - Anitta
• we can't be friends (wait for your love) - Ariana Grande
• Houdini - Eminem
• Rockstar - LISA
• Espresso - Sabrina Carpenter

Song of the Year

• WINNER: Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso
• Beyonce - TEXAS HOLD 'EM
• Jack Harlow - Lovin On Me
• Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us
• Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone - Fortnight
• Teddy Swims - Lose Control

Best Alternative

• WINNER: Benson Boone - Beautiful Things
• Bleachers - Tiny Moves
• Hozier - Too Sweet
• Imagine Dragons - Eyes Closed
• Linkin Park - Friendly Fire
• Teddy Swims - Lose Control (Live)

Song of Summer

• WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone - Fortnight
• Ariana Grande - we can't be friends (wait for your love)
• Benson Boone - Beautiful Things
• Billie Eilish - BIRDS OF A FEATHER
• Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe!
• Charli XCX & Billie Eilish - Guess featuring Billie Eilish
• Eminem - Houdini
• Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar - Like That
• GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion - Wanna Be
• Hozier - Too Sweet
• Kendrick Lamar - Not Like Us
• Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen - I Had Some Help
• Sabrina Carpenter - Please Please Please
• Shaboozey - A Bar Song (Tipsy)
• SZA - Saturn
• Tommy Richman - MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Best Trending Video

• WINNER: Megan Thee Stallion feat. Yuki Chiba - Mamushi
• Beyonce - TEXAS HOLD 'EM
• Camila Cabello feat. Playboi Carti - I LUV IT
• Chappell Roan - Hot To Go!
• Charli XCX - Apple
• Tinashe - Nasty

VMA Most Iconic Performance

• WINNER: Katy Perry - Roar
• Beyonce - Love On Top
• Eminem - The Real Slim Shady / The Way I Am
• Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
• Madonna - Like A Virgin
• Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott - Like A Virgin / Hollywood
• Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

Best Rock

• WINNER: Lenny Kravitz - Human
• Bon Jovi - Legendary
• Coldplay - feelslikeimfallinginlove
• Green Day - Dilemma
• Kings of Leon - Mustang
• U2 - Atomic City

Best Afrobeats

• WINNER: Tyla - Water
• Ayra Starr feat. Giveon - Last Heartbreak Song
• Burna Boy - City Boys
• Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay - Sensational
• Tems - Love Me JeJe
• USHER, Pheelz - Ruin

Best Collaboration

• WINNER: Taylor Swift feat. Post Malone - Fortnight
• Drake feat. Sexxy Red & SZA - Rich Baby Daddy
• GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion - Wanna Be
• Jessie Murph feat. Jelly Roll - Wild Ones
• Jung Kook feat. Latto - Seven
• Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen - I Had Some Help

Best Group

• WINNER: SEVENTEEN
• *NSYNC
• Coldplay
• Imagine Dragons
• NCT DREAM
• NewJeans
• TOMORROW X TOGETHER
• Twenty One Pilots

Performance of the Year

• WINNER: LE SSERAFIM - Easy
• Kaliii - Area Codes
• GloRilla - Lick or Sum
• Benson Boone - In The Stars
• Coco Jones - ICU
• Victoria Monet - On My Mama
• Jessie Murph - Wild Ones
• Teddy Swims - Lose Control
• Chappell Roan - Red Wine Supernova
• Flyana Boss - yeaaa
• Laufey - Goddess
• The Warning - Automatic Sun