2023 MTV VMAs:
WINNERS & MOMENTS (UPDATE)

UPDATE: Paramount channels were also a major winner at Tuesday's MTV VMAs. Early figures show the broadcast pulled in the highest ratings for the show since 2019. The VMAs also doubled MTV's core-demo (adults 18-34) rating year over year to a 1.14 share, with a 37% increase in viewers overall. Stay tuned for more figures as the ratings are finalized.

It's that time of year again, when the MTV Video Music Awards descend upon us, offering a slew of performances and viral moments. The annual soirée returned to the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Tuesday (9/12). After highly anticipated performances by Lil Wayne and Olivia Rodrigo, Nicki Minaj began her hosting duties with a shout-out to Weezy, calling him "the best rapper of all time."

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion were up next, performing their latest collaboration, "Bongos," which preceded Demi Lovato's first VMA performance in six years. Backed by an all-female rock band, she sailed through her latest single, "Swine."

With Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Billy Porter, Lil Nas X and Ice Spice among the many stars in the audience, NSYNC surprised them all by presenting the Best Pop Award to Swift for "Anti-Hero." Minaj said it was the first time they'd reunited in more than 10 years. Tay was beside herself when she stepped up to the platform to accept the Moon Person from Justin Timberlake and company, noting what a big influence they'd had on her.

YOU VOTED, and now @taylorswift13 is this year's #VMA Best Pop winner!! pic.twitter.com/fN1B93crW2

— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 13, 2023

Early highlights included Anitta's putting the exclamation point on global music's U.S. takeover with a booty-shaking set populated by dozens of neon-clad dancers and longtime collaborators Nelly Furtado and Timbaland's presenting Song of the Year to Swift (again, for "Anti-Hero").

🎶 Music to our ears 🎶 Anti-Hero by @taylorswift13 is the #VMA Song of the Year!!! pic.twitter.com/yVuV77Z0LG

— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 13, 2023

But nothing could have prepared the audience for Doja Cat, who's just days from dropping her Scarlet album (due 9/22 on Kemosabe/RCA); the bold medley of "Attention," her #1 single "Paint the Town Red" and "Demons" included several dancers soaked in fake blood with Doja prancing around dressed like a schoolteacher—spectacles and all.

.@dojacat was ALL SMILES after her #VMA performance 🥰 pic.twitter.com/DrmFskwOwO

— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 13, 2023

Shakira was on deck as this year's Video Vanguard Award recipient. Her electric performance was introduced by former collaborator Wyclef Jean, who praised the Colombian star for bringing Latin music stateside. At no point did her hips lie as she rocked the stage with some of her biggest hits, including 2001's "Whenever, Wherever" and (naturally) 2005's "Hips Don't Lie" f/Wyclef. When it was time for Shakira to deliver her acceptance speech, she was all giggles as she thanked MTV, her fans, her family and those who've played key roles in the making of her videos.

Of course, that was only the beginning. Porter welcomed Minaj to the stage, plugging her Pink Friday 2 album (out 11/17). From there, Minaj went into "Last Time I Saw You," performing it live for the first time. KAROL G thereafter unleashed "Tá OK (Remix)" and "Oki Doki" surrounded by bare-chested male dancers.

An emotional moment followed when Mary J. Blige ushered Diddy onstage to receive the MTV Global Icon Award, after which the Bad Boy Records founder paid tribute to The Notorious B.I.G. with a snippet of "I'll Be Missing You," his song dedicated to the late rapper, before going into 1997's "All About the Benjamins" and then, 2001's "Bad Boy for Life" with his son, King Combs. The career-spanning set featured appearances by City Girls' Yung Miami and Keyshia Cole.

I can confidently say that everyoneee was on their feet during @karolg’s #VMA performance 💗👏 pic.twitter.com/YdXTbOz3Bk

— Video Music Awards (@vmas) September 13, 2023

Peso Pluma extended the Latin takeover, while K-pop act TOMORROW X TOGETHER further accented the global music phenomenon. Additional performances by Metro Boomin—who brought out Future, NAV, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and Rae Sremmurd's Swae Lee—Fall Out Boy (who did their remake of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire"), TOMORROW X TOGETHER f/Anitta and Måneskin kept the show going (and going).

As the event came to a close, MTV dedicated a short but potent segment to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with a performance by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, who recently mended fences after years of public discord. With Flash on the 1s and 2s, members of the Furious Five ran through part of their groundbreaking single, 1982's "The Message," before Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh jumped into 1985's "The Show."

Minaj brought it all back to 2023 with "Red Ruby da Sleeze" and was joined by Lil Wayne for 2008's "A Milli." LL COOL J began wrapping up the segment with renditions of 1985's "I'm Bad" and 1990's "Mama Said Knock You Out." Darryl "DMC" McDaniels then hit the stage with LL for Run-DMC's "Rock Box" and the 1986 Aerosmith crossover hit "Walk This Way."

Finally, LL COOL J handed out Video of the Year for (yep!) Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero," a moment that undoubtedly elated her ever-loyal Swifties. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're going to fall over. See the winners below.

WINNERS OF THE 2023 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS

Video of the Year: Taylor Swift, "Anti-Hero"
Song of the Year: Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”
Best Direction: Taylor Swift, "Anti-Hero"; directed by Taylor Swift
Best Pop: Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”
Best New Artist: Ice Spice
Best Hip-Hop: Nicki Minaj, “Super Freaky Girl”
Best R&B: SZA, “Shirt”
Best Latin: Anitta, “Funk Rave”
Best K-Pop: Stray Kids, “S-Class”
Best Rock: Måneskin, “THE LONELIEST”
Best Collaboration: KAROL G & Shakira, “TQG”
Global Icon Award: Diddy
Video Vanguard Award: Shakira
Best Afrobeats: Rema & Selena Gomez, “Calm Down”
Video for Good: Dove Cameron, “Breakfast”
Push Performance of the Year: TOMORROW X TOGETHER, “Sugar Rush Ride”