From political declarations to pop stardom, Taylor Swift is hittin’ all her marks.
“The Tortured Poets Department” singer, who made waves last night with her endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, took home the coveted video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday.
She won the award alongside Post Malone for their collaboration “Fortnight.”
In typical Swift fashion, the pop superstar gave a heartfelt shoutout to the Swifties for their ardent support. And in a nod to her recent presidential endorsement, she also encouraged viewers to register to vote.
Swift, who led the VMAs pack with 10 nominations, also won the first award of the night − best collaboration − for her Malone duet.
The “I Can Do it with a Broken Heart” singer thanked Malone, who accompanied her onstage, and used her acceptance speech to pay tribute to the victims of the 9/11 attacks (the VMAs aired on the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attack).
“Waking up this morning in New York on Sept. 11,” Swift said. “Everyone we lost, and that is the most important thing about today.”
Swift’s Eras Tour opening act Sabrina Carpenter also won big at the VMAs. Carpenter, who has dominated the summer with her disco-pop smash “Espresso,” nabbed her first moon person for song of the year.
International acts similarly made a splash at the star-studded awards ceremony, which aired live from New York’s UBS Arena. South African singer Tyla won best Afrobeats, while Thai rapper and Blackpink member Lisa scored best K-pop.
Here’s a look at the biggest winners (in bold) of the night.
Video of the year
- Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records
- Billie Eilish – “LUNCH” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
- Doja Cat – “Paint The Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
- Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
- SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Artist of the year
- Ariana Grande – Republic Records
- Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
- Eminem – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – Island
- SZA – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Song of the year
- Beyoncé – “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
- Jack Harlow – “Lovin On Me” – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
- Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records
Best new artist
- Benson Boone – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
- Chappell Roan – Island
- Gracie Abrams – Interscope Records
- Shaboozey – American Dogwood / EMPIRE
- Teddy Swims – Warner Records
- Tyla – Epic Records
MTV milestone: VMAs reveal most dramatic stage yet ahead of 40th anniversary award show
MTV Push performance of the year
- August 2023: Kaliii – “Area Codes” – Atlantic Records
- September 2023: GloRilla – “Lick or Sum” – CMG / Interscope Records
- October 2023: Benson Boone – “In The Stars” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
- November 2023: Coco Jones – “ICU” – Def Jam
- December 2023: Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records
- January 2024: Jessie Murph – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
- February 2024: Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records
- March 2024: Chappell Roan – “Red Wine Supernova” – Island
- April 2024: Flyana Boss – “yeaaa” – vnclm_/ Atlantic Records
- May 2024: Laufey – “Goddess” – Laufey / AWAL
- June 2024: LE SSERAFIM – “EASY” – SOURCE MUSIC / Geffen Records
- July 2024: The Warning – “Automatic Sun” – Lava / Republic Records
Best collaboration
- Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
- GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be” – CMG / Interscope Records
- Jessie Murph ft. Jelly Roll – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
- Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
- Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help” – Mercury / Republic / Big Loud
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Best pop
- Camila Cabello – Geffen / Interscope Records
- Dua Lipa – Warner Records
- Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records
- Sabrina Carpenter – Island
- Tate McRae – RCA Records
- Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Best hip-hop
- Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
- Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
- GloRilla – “Yeah Glo!” – CMG / Interscope Records
- Gunna – “fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions
- Travis Scott ft. Playboi Carti – “FE!N” – Cactus Jack / Epic Records
Best R&B
- Alicia Keys – “Lifeline” – AK Records, under exclusive license to gamma.
- Muni Long – “Made For Me” – Def Jam
- SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
- Tyla – “Water” – FAX Records / Epic Records
- USHER, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – “Good Good” – mega / gamma.
- Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records
Best alternative
- Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
- Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit
- Hozier – “Too Sweet” – Columbia Records
- Imagine Dragons – “Eyes Closed” – KIDinaKorner / Interscope Records
- Linkin Park – “Friendly Fire” – This Compilation / Warner Records
- Teddy Swims – “Lose Control (Live)” – Warner Records
Best rock
- Bon Jovi – “Legendary” – Island
- Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
- Green Day – “Dilemma” – Reprise Records / Warner Records
- Kings of Leon – “Mustang” – Capitol Records
- Lenny Kravitz – “Human” – ℗© 2024 Roxie Records Inc. under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management GmbH
- U2 – “Atomic City” – Interscope Records
Best Latin
- Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment
- Bad Bunny – “MONACO” – Rimas Entertainment
- KAROL G – “MI EX TENÍA RAZÓN” – Bichota / Interscope Records
- Myke Towers – “LALA” – Warner Music Latina
- Peso Pluma & Anitta – “BELLAKEO” – Double P Records
- Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment
- Shakira & Cardi B – “Puntería” – Sony Music US Latin
Best Afrobeats
- Ayra Starr ft. Giveon – “Last Heartbreak Song” – Mavin / Republic
- Burna Boy – “City Boys” – Spaceship / Bad Habit / Atlantic Records
- Chris Brown ft. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” – Chris Brown Entertainment / RCA Records
- Tems – “Love Me JeJe” – Since ’93 / RCA Records
- Tyla – “Water” – FAX Records / Epic Records
- USHER, Pheelz – “Ruin” – mega / gamma.
Best K-pop
- Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
- LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records
- NCT Dream – “Smoothie” – SM Entertainment / Virgin Music Group
- NewJeans – “Super Shy” – ADOR / Geffen Records
- Stray Kids – “LALALALA” – JYP Entertainment / Imperial / Republic Records
- TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Deja vu” – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records
Video for good
- Alexander Stewart – “if you only knew” – FAE grp
- Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For (From The Motion Picture “Barbie”)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
- Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
- Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll – “Best For Me” – Twenty Nine Music Group
- RAYE – “Genesis.” – Human Re Sources
- Tyler Childers – “In Your Love” – Hickman Holler Records / RCA Records
Best direction
- Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records – Directed by
- Christian Breslauer
- Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit – Directed by Alex Lockett & Margaret Qualley
- Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Rich Lee
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr.
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Directed by Bardia Zeinali
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
Best cinematography
- Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Anatol Trofimov
- Charli xcx – “Von dutch” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Jeff Bierman
- Dua Lipa – “Illusion” – Warner Records – Cinematography by Nikita Kuzmenko
- Olivia Rodrigo – “obsessed” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Marz Miller
- Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Cinematography by Camilo Monsalve
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto
Best editing
- Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment – Editing by Nick Yumul
- Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records – Editing by Luis Caraza Peimbert
- Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Editing by David Checel
- LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Editing by Nik Kohler
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island – Editing by Jai Shukla
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes
Best choreography
- Bleachers – Tiny Moves – Dirty Hit – Choreography by Margaret Qualley
- Dua Lipa – “Houdini” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
- LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
- Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Choreography by Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos
- Tate McRae – “Greedy” – RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
- Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records – Choreography by Sergio Reis, Mauro Van De Kerkhof
Best visual effects
- Ariana Grande – “the boy is mine” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Digital Axis
- Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Synapse Virtual
- Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post
- Justin Timberlake – “Selfish” – RCA Records – “Selfish” – RCA Records – Visual Effects by Candice Dragonas
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Visual Effects by Mathematic
- Olivia Rodrigo – “get him back!” – Geffen Records – Visual Effects by Cooper Vacheron, Preston
- Mohr, Karen Arakelian, Justin Johnson
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament
Best art direction
- Charli xcx – “360” – Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Grace Surnow
- LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloyd Co. / RCA Records – Art Direction by Pongsan Thawatwichian
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
- Olivia Rodrigo – “bad idea right?” – Geffen Records – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
- Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Ethan Tobman