(Photo Credits: Screengrab from @vmas’s Official Twitter Account)

So, the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards happened last night in New York City, guys—on August 30, 2020 to be exact.   

Among the performers were Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, South Korean boy band BTS, the Weeknd, Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus, to name a few while Keke Palmer hosted the ceremony. Some of the performances were pre-recorded while other artists performed live and were filmed across the city of New York or in front of green screens.

Reportedly, the MTV VMAs 2020 was supposedly set to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic however, MTV opted for a socially distanced affair, meaning the show went on without a crowd.

Having said all that, here are the highlights of the show:

  • VMAs 2020 paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman. 

Boseman—who is best-known for his portrayal of T’Challa / Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—passed away at age 43 two days prior after a four-year battle with colon cancer.

Palmer said during her opening remarks, “We dedicate tonight’s show to a man whose spirit touched so many. He’s a true hero, not just on screen, but everything he did. His impact lives forever.”  

  • MTV not only paid tribute to medical frontliners at this year’s virtual MTV VMAs edition, they also created a new category called Everyday Heroes: Frontline Medical Workers. The five medical workers who won were:  

Dr. Elvis Francois and Dr. William Robinson – “Imagine”

Dr. Nate Wood – “Lean On Me”

Jefferson University Hospital’s Swab Squad – “Level Up”

Jason “Tik Tok Doc” Campbell

and Lori Marie Key – “Amazing Grace” 

  • Lady Gaga was queen of MTV VMAs 2020! She won 4 awards and she wore a different outfit and mask (all amazing!) every time she accepted her trophy! 

She took home the awards for the following: Best Collaboration and Best Song with Ariana Grande for the single Rain on Me; she received the Artist of the Year award; and she’s also the first-ever recipient of the Tricon awards.


  • Lady Gaga reminded everyone to wear a mask, and all we can say is that nobody wears a mask like Lady Gaga can! 
  • And here is one of our favorite performances of the night: Lady Gaga’s and Ariana Grande’s of course. They performed their No. 1 hit Rain on Me together for the first time and Ariana’s whistle was wow!
  • BTS created a buzz online because, like Lady Gaga, they also won 4 awards for: Best Pop, Best Group, Best K-Pop, and Best Choreography. Also, as of this writing, the video for BTS’s Dynamite performance had already garnered 7.5M views! 
  • The Weeknd, who took home the VMA for Video of the Year and Best R&B, performed Blinding Lights reportedly “from more than 1,000 feet in the air on the sky deck of a Manhattan skyscraper at New York’s (much-maligned) Hudson Yards.”

The Weeknd created a furor online when he appeared at VMAs with his face bloody and bruised which he apparently had been doing for quite a while now because of the message that he’s trying to impart through Blinding Lights. He said in an interview with Esquire:

“‘Blinding Lights’ [is about] how you want to see someone at night, and you’re intoxicated, and you’re driving to this person and you’re just blinded by streetlights. But nothing could stop you from trying to go see that person, because you’re so lonely. I don’t want to ever promote drunk driving, but that’s what the dark undertone is.” 

But more importantly, there was his message when he accepted his Video of the Year award: 

  • For the finale, Black Eyed Peas performed their new song titled Vida Loca from their latest album called Translation with their new Filipina member J. Rey Soul as well as Tyga and Nicky Jam (who appeared on screen projection). 

Will.I.Am, Taboo, and Apl.De.Ap appeared onstage in what Billboard call “glowing crotches” which I thought was funny and cool. 

Black Eyed Peas also sang their 2009 hit song I Gotta Feeling.

Check out the complete list of 2020 VMAs nominations and winners here.

2.9 7 votes
Article Rating