Lady Gaga took artist of the year at the MTV EMAs on Sunday (Nov. 8), just as she did at the MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 30. Gaga is the first artist to win in that top category at both of these MTV-branded shows since Camila Cabello achieved the double two years ago.
Four other artists repeated their wins from the VMAs – BTS, for best group; Doja Cat for best new; Coldplay for best rock; and H.E.R.’s “I Can’t Breathe” for video for good.
BTS won four awards, more than any other artist. In addition to best group (which they won for the third year in a row), the K-pop sensations won best song for “Dynamite,” best virtual live and biggest fans. This is the third year in a row BTS has won for biggest fans. This makes them the top winners in the history of the category (which dates to 2011). One Direction and Justin Bieber each won for having the biggest fans twice.
Karol G was the night’s runner-up winner with two wins, making her the year’s most awarded solo artist. The Colombian star won best collaboration for “Tusa,” a collab with Nicki Minaj, and best Latin, a new category this year.
DJ Khaled featuring Drake’s “Popstar” (starring Bieber) was a surprise winner for best video, beating The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (which won at the VMAs). This is the first win in this top category for all three artists.
Little Mix, which hosted the show, won best pop. They’re the fourth “girl group” to win in this category, following Spice Girls (1998), All Saints (2000) and Fifth Harmony (2016).
Hayley Williams won best alternative 10 years after she shared that award with the other members of Paramore. Williams is the first artist to win in this category both as a solo artist and as part of a group. This is the second year in a row that a female solo artist has won best alternative. FKA Twigs won last year.
Cardi B won best hip hop. She’s the second female artist to win in that category, following Minaj, a five-time winner in the category.
Doja Cat’s win for best new act marks the fifth consecutive year that a female solo artist has won in this category. The other winners since 2016 have been Zara Larsson, Dua Lipa, Cardi B and Billie Eilish.
This is Coldplay’s fourth award for best rock. Only Linkin Park has won that award more times (five). Green Day also won it four times.
David Guetta won best electronic for the third time. Only one act, The Prodigy, has won more times in that category (four). Martin Garrix also won it three times.
Yungblud won best push. At the MTV Video Music Awards, the English singer/songwriter and actor was one of the three finalists for push best new artist (along with Doja Cat and Lewis Capaldi). Doja Cat won the award.
