The Weeknd leads off-air winners
Ahead of tonight’s 2021 Billboard Music Awards (BBMA), Dick Clark Productions and NBC have announced the night’s first group of winners, celebrating music’s biggest chart toppers and some of today’s most accomplished artists. Coming in with the most nods this year with 16, The Weeknd leads the winners circle, already collecting seven trophies. The remaining winners will be announced tonight when Nick Jonas hosts the BBMAs live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on NBC.
The list of off-air winners was revealed this morning on the BBMAs Instagram Live hosted by Matthew Hoffman. Pop Smoke, who received record-breaking posthumous recognition as a finalist in 10 categories, dominated four of those categories, while Gabby Barrett, a first-time finalist and the female artist contending in the most categories this year, claimed two awards.
Morgan Wallen is among the winners, despite being blacklisted earlier this year for using a racial slur. He won Top Country Artist and Top Country Male Artist as based on chart records as compiled by Billboard. Due to his conduct, he was not asked to attend or perform on the show in any capacity.
Tonight’s 2021 Billboard Music Awards promises to be an epic night, featuring collaborations and special performances from some of today’s top artists including AJR, Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, BTS, DJ Khaled featuring H.E.R. and Migos, Doja Cat & SZA, Duran Duran, Glass Animals, Jonas Brothers with Marshmello, Karol G, The Weeknd, and twenty one pilots. To celebrate its 30th Anniversary, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will present an uplifting performance of “Optimistic” from Sounds of Blackness ft. Ann Nesby from Paisley Park in Minneapolis.
ICON Award recipient P!NK will deliver a daring, showstopping performance that will take viewers’ breath away. Drake, who holds the title for most Billboard Music Award wins of all time, will receive the Artist of the Decade Award. Houston-based rapper and social activist Trae Tha Truth will receive the second annual Change Maker Award for his unwavering dedication to fighting for, and delivering, social and medical equity in his community.
For more than 30 years, the BBMAs has celebrated music’s greatest achievements, honoring the hottest names in music today. Unique among music awards shows, finalists are determined by performance on the Billboard Charts. Since 1940, the Billboard Charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.
See below for the complete list of winners announced:
ARTIST AWARDS
Top New Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Male Artist: The Weeknd
Top Female Artist: Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group: BTS
Top Billboard 200 Artist: Taylor Swift
Top Streaming Songs Artist: Drake
Top Song Sales Artist: BTS
Top Radio Songs Artist: The Weeknd
Top Social Artist (Fan Voted): BTS
Top R&B Artist: The Weeknd
Top R&B Male Artist: The Weeknd
Top R&B Female Artist: Doja Cat
Top Rap Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Rap Male Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Rap Female Artist: Megan Thee Stallion
Top Country Artist: Morgan Wallen*
Top Country Male Artist: Morgan Wallen*
Top Country Duo/Group: Florida Georgia Line
Top Latin Male Artist [NEW CATEGORY]: Bad Bunny
Top Latin Female Artist [NEW CATEGORY]: Karol G
Top Latin Duo/Group [NEW CATEGORY]: Eslabón Armado
Top Dance/Electronic Artist: Lady Gaga
Top Christian Artist: Elevation Worship
Top Gospel Artist: Kanye West
ALBUM AWARDS
Top R&B Album: The Weeknd “After Hours”
Top Rap Album: Pop Smoke “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon”
Top Country Album: Morgan Wallen “Dangerous: The Double Album”*
Top Rock Album: Machine Gun Kelly “Tickets to My Downfall”
Top Latin Album: Bad Bunny “YHLQMDLG”
Top Dance/Electronic Album: Lady Gaga “Chromatica”
Top Christian Album: Carrie Underwood “My Gift”
Top Gospel Album: Maverick City Music “Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1”
SONG AWARDS
Top Streaming Song: DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
Top Radio Song: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Collaboration (Fan Voted): Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Top R&B Song: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Country Song: Gabby Barrett “I Hope”
Top Rock Song: AJR “Bang!”
Top Latin Song: Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “Dákiti”
Top Dance/Electronic Song: SAINt JHN “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”
Top Christian Song: Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens”
Top Gospel Song: Kanye West ft. Travis Scott “Wash Us In The Blood”
