Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican Latin trap and reggaeton artist who’s among the world’s biggest stars, scored MTV’s artist of the year award Sunday at the annual Video Music Awards.
But the performer was conspicuously absent from the show: he was busy with his own blockbuster tour, playing the second night of a sold out concert at Yankee Stadium that over the weekend drew some 100,000 fans.
Bad Bunny, wearing a satin pink suit and white sunglasses, accepted the award via video and also delivered a seismic performance of his smash “Titi Me Pregunto” from the baseball stadium in New York, where the song has soundtracked the streets for months.
“Thank you so much, New York,” the 28-year-old said in Spanish to resounding applause.
“From the beginning I always believed that I could be great, that I could be one of the biggest stars in the world, without changing my culture, my language,” he said. “I’m Benito Antonio Martinez from Puerto Rico — for the whole world.”
In a sure sign that pandemic-stymied touring was back in full swing, another of the year’s biggest stars, Harry Styles, also couldn’t make it to the VMAs — which aired from New Jersey’s Prudential Center — due to his own show at Madison Square Garden.
The artist who dropped “Harry’s House” this year also accepted his award for the year’s best album via video, before heading back to his own global concert run.
– Swift album on the way –
Taylor Swift was also among the night’s big winners, turning heads on the red carpet in a dress dripping with crystals before winning the night’s top prize of music video of the year for her 10-minute-long film “All Too Well.”
“I’m so proud of what we made,” said the 32-year-old, who has been making good on her vow to re-record her first six albums so she can control the rights to them.
“We wouldn’t have been able to make this short film if it weren’t for you, the fans,” Swift said onstage. “Because I wouldn’t be able to re-record my albums if it weren’t for you. You emboldened me to do that.”
She then gave fans a gift in return, announcing that her new album will come out October 21.
Shortly after the broadcast’s end, the megastar revealed the new project’s name.
“Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life, will be out October 21. Meet me at midnight,” she wrote on social media.


Hip hop superstar Nicki Minaj reigned over the evening as the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Video Vanguard Award.
Wearing her signature pink wig, the hip-hop icon from Queens delivered a medley of her hits including “Super Bass” and her most recent single “Super Freaky Girl.”
Brazil’s Anitta also turned heads with a booty-popping performance before winning the award for best Latin video for “Envolver.”
“I was born and raised in the ghetto of Brazil, and for whoever was born there, we would never think this was possible,” she said when accepting the trophy.
– Johnny Depp appears –
Iconic stoner comedy duo Cheech and Chong awarded the Red Hot Chili Peppers with the Global Icon Award, before the California rockers performed and also paid tribute to Taylor Hawkins, the late Foo Fighters drummer.

Eminem and Snoop Dogg opened their performance sitting on a couch as Snoop smoked a giant — albeit fake — blunt, before the pair headed to the metaverse for a trippy, animated performance of their latest collaboration “From the D 2 the LBC.”

Marshmello and Khalid performed “Numb” with neon, disorienting visuals that created a brief but heady rave effect, while South Korea’s Blackpink gave their first show at a US awards night ever.

Lizzo also performed before scoring the Video For Good award — which honors videos with social or political messages — for her song “About Damn Time.”
Wearing a cone-bra corseted dress that recalled Madonna, the superstar thanked fans for voting for her to receive the award before nodding to US politics.


“Vote to change some of these laws that are oppressing us,” the star urged.
And at the awards show that’s historically far better known for its antics than actual prizes, Johnny Depp — fresh off his controversial defamation trial against his ex-partner Amber Heard — appeared as the MTV Moonman, his head digitally superimposed on the flying astronaut.
“You know what? I needed the work,” said the 59-year-old actor.
A full list of 2022 MTV VMA winners follows.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “brutal” – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records (WINNER)

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment (WINNER)
Drake – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR
Adele – “Easy On Me” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records (WINNER)
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records

BEST NEW ARTIST
Baby Keem – Columbia Records
Dove Cameron – Disruptor Records / Columbia Records (WINNER)
GAYLE – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
Latto – Streamcut / RCA Records
Måneskin – Arista Records
SEVENTEEN – PLEDIS Entertainment/Geffen Records
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Adele – 30
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Drake – Certified Lover Boy
Harry Styles – Harry’s House (WINNER)

GROUP OF THE YEAR
BLACKPINK
BTS (WINNER)
City Girls
Foo Fighters
Imagine Dragons
Måneskin
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Silk Sonic
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
September 2021: Griff – “One Night” – Warner Records
October 2021: Remi Wolf – “Sexy Villain” – Island Records
November 2021: Nessa Barrett – “i hope ur miserable until ur dead” – Warner Records
December 2021: SEVENTEEN – “Rock With You” – PLEDIS Entertainment / Geffen Records (WINNER)
January 2021: Mae Muller – “Better Days” – Capitol Records UK
February 2022: GAYLE – “abcdefu” – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
March 2022: Sheneesa – “R U That” – Rich Immigrants / Interscope Records
April 2022: Omar Apollo – “Tamagotchi” – Warner Records
May 2022: Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” – Domino Recording Company
June 2022: Muni Long – “Baby Boo” – Supergiant Records LLC / Def Jam Recording
July 2022: Doechii – “Persuasive” – Top Dog Entertainment / Capitol Records
BEST COLLABORATION
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic
Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records (WINNER)
Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
Post Malone & The Weeknd – “One Right Now” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
ROSALÍA ft. The Weeknd – “LA FAMA” – Columbia Records
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records

BEST POP
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records (WINNER)
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “traitor” – Geffen Records
BEST HIP-HOP
Eminem & Snoop Dogg – “From The D 2 The LBC” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Future ft. Drake, Tems – “WAIT FOR U” – Freebandz / Epic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Latto – “Big Energy” – Streamcut / RCA Records
Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby – “Do We Have A Problem?” – Young Money / Cash Money / Republic Records (WINNER)
Pusha T – “Diet Coke” – G.O.O.D. Music / Def Jam
BEST ROCK
Foo Fighters – “Love Dies Young” – RCA Records
Jack White – “Taking Me Back” – Third Man Records
Muse – “Won’t Stand Down” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Black Summer” – Warner Records (WINNER)
Shinedown – “Planet Zero” – Elektra Music Group
Three Days Grace – “So Called Life” – RCA Records

BEST ALTERNATIVE
Avril Lavigne ft. blackbear – “Love It When You Hate Me” – Elektra Music Group / DTA Records
Imagine Dragons x JID – “Enemy” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
Machine Gun Kelly ft. WILLOW – “emo girl” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records
Måneskin – “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” – Arista Records (WINNER)
Panic! At The Disco – “Viva Las Vengeance” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group
Twenty One Pilots – “Saturday” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group
WILLOW, Avril Lavigne ft. Travis Barker – “G R O W” – MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation Records

BEST LATIN
Anitta – “Envolver” – Warner Records (WINNER)
Bad Bunny – “Tití Me Preguntó” – Rimas Entertainment
Becky G X KAROL G – “MAMIII” – Kemosabe Records / Sony Music Latin / RCA Records
Daddy Yankee – “REMIX” – Republic Records
Farruko – “Pepas” – Sony Music US Latin
J Balvin & Skrillex – “In Da Getto” – Sueños Globales, LLC /Universal Music Latino / Asylum Records UK


BEST R&B
Alicia Keys – “City of Gods (Part II)” – AKW
Chlöe – “Have Mercy” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
H.E.R. – “For Anyone” – RCA Records
Normani Featuring Cardi B – Wild Side
Summer Walker, SZA & Cardi B – No Love (Extended Version)
The Weeknd – Out Of Time (WINNER)
BEST K-POP
BTS – “Yet to Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)”
Itzy – “Loco”
Lisa – “Lalisa” (WINNER)
Seventeen – “Hot”
Stray Kids – “Maniac”
Twice – “The Feels”
SONG OF THE SUMMER
Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone – “Me Porto Bonito”
Beyoncé – “BREAK MY SOUL”
Charlie Puth – “Left And Right (feat. Jung Kook of BTS)”
Doja Cat – “Vegas (From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ELVIS)”
Future ft. Drake, Tems – “WAIT FOR U”
Harry Styles – “Late Night Talking”
Jack Harlow – “First Class” (WINNER)
Kane Brown – “Grand”
Latto x Mariah Carey – “Big Energy (Remix) ft. DJ Khaled”
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
Marshmello x Khalid – “Numb”
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl”
Nicky Youre, dazy – “Sunroof”
Post Malone with Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)”
ROSALÍA – “BIZCOCHITO”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”

BEST LONGFORM VIDEO
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Foo Fighters – Studio 666 – RCA Records
Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville
Madonna – Madame X – Interscope Records
Olivia Rodrigo – driving home 2 u – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” – Republic Records (WINNER)
BEST METAVERSE PERFORMANCE
Rift Tour ft. Ariana Grande – Fortnite
BLACKPINK The Virtual – PUBG Mobile (WINNER)
BTS – Minecraft/YouTube
Charli XCX – Roblox
Justin Bieber – An Interactive Virtual Experience – Wave
Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience – Roblox
VIDEO FOR GOOD
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Latto – “P*ssy”
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” (WINNER)
Rina Sawayama – “This Hell”
Stromae – “Fils de joie”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties”
Camila Cabello ft. Ed Sheeran – “Bam Bam”
Harry Styles – “As It Was” (WINNER)
Kendrick Lamar – “N95”
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side”
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
BEST DIRECTION
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “Family Ties”
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever”
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY”
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” (WINNER)
BEST ART DIRECTION
Adele – “Oh My God”
Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)”
Drake Featuring Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sex”y
Kacey Musgraves – “Simple Times”
Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” (WINNER)
Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie”
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever”
Coldplay & BTS – “My Universe”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” (WINNER)
Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie”
The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay”
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
BTS – “Permission to Dance”
Doja Cat – “Woman” (WINNER)
FKA twigs Featuring The Weeknd – “Tears in the Club”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY”
Normani Featuring Cardi B – “Wild Side”
BEST EDITING
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “Family Ties”
Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Brutal”
Rosalía – “Saoko” (WINNER)
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”
The Weeknd – “Take My Breath”