Celebrating contemporary music’s standout figures, with winners determined by their performance on the Billboard charts, the 30th edition of the Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) took place on the night of Sunday, November 19 (November 20, 6.30am onwards IST) featuring a star-studded line up of the American music industry’s biggest stars. For the first time, this year’s awards featured a unique collaboration with Spotify’s ‘Fans First’ that offered fans an intimate connection with their favourite artistes. Rolling out a revamped format for its awards gala, the ceremony, instead of being held inside a single arena, had performances and award celebrations taking place in global locations that were aired online also for the first time, across Billboard social channels and official website. The ceremony, produced by Dick Clark Productions and presented by Marriott Bonvoy hotels, additionally featured exclusive content hosted at Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Country music reigned supreme at the BBMA with singer Morgan Wallen taking home a string of top prizes — 11 in total — including Top Male Artiste, Top Hot 100 Artiste, Top Streaming Songs Artiste and Top Country Artiste. Country singer-turned-pop superstar Taylor Swift followed close behind with 10 wins from a staggering 20 nominations this year. She received awards in categories including Top Artiste, Top Country Female Artiste, Top Hot 100 Songwriter and Top Song Sales Artiste. With her total tally of 39 BBMA wins, she tied with Drake, who added five more to his previously won 34 BBMA awards, as the most-awarded recipient in BBMA history.
The first performance of the night was delivered by Colombian superstar Karol G, who later picked up two BBMA awards in the Latin music categories. Mariah Carey offered a Debbie Allen-choreographed performance of her holiday hit All I Want for Christmas Is You. The ceremony also featured sets by Mexican hitmaker Peso Pluma, K-pop boy band Stray Kids, new Billboard cover star Tate McRae, Morgan Wallen, K-pop girl band NewJeans and others. Snapshots.
Morgan Wallen was this year's BBMA's biggest winner as well as the final performer of the night. Thanking fans for making him famous, he promised in his acceptance speech that, "I’m gonna give y’all my all, every single night and every time I go into the studio... all these awards are really, it’s for my fans. So thank you guys so much.” In his performance, he paid homage to the Atlanta Braves baseball team at Atlanta’s Truist Park by singing a fan favourite 98 Braves.
Taylor Swift, the biggest woman winner of the night, joined by video, shot backstage from her blockbuster Eras Tour in South America. In her acceptance speech she said: “None of this happens without you. The Billboards base everything off of what you are listening to and what you’re passionate about, and I’m so honored that this year you made The Eras Tour so magical. You went and saw the movie, you cared about my re-recordings. I just love you so much.”
“I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have you in my corner and caring about the music that I make,” she added. “So thank you — thank you, thank you, thank you 10 million times — for this.”
Colombian singer Karol G won Top Latin Female Artiste and Top Latin Touring Artiste at the 2023 BBMAs. Earlier, the sultry songstress hit the shallow water-covered stage with a bevy of backup dancers to deliver performances of QLONA and Ojos Ferrari plus a rendition of her unreleased collab with Kali Uchis, Labios Mordidos.
(l-r) For his performance, Peso Pluma stepped into the ring to perform Rubicon alongside special guest Mike Tyson. Having the boxing legend perform with him was “a dream come true” for him, said the Mexican singer. He also accepted the award for top Latin song, for his Eslabon Armado collaboration Ella Baila Sola from the former heavyweight boxing champ. Dressed in a chic, shimmering black gown, Bebe Rexha posed backstage with her award for top dance/electronic song at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards at the Mandalay Generating Station in Oxnard, California
Dressed up as schoolgirls, NewJeans, the K-pop quintet featuring Danielle, Haerin, Hyein, Hanni and Minji, delivered a fun, energetic performance of their viral hit singles Super Shy and OMG, delighting fans in the audience.
Mariah Carey embraced her role as a holiday icon with a fun and festive performance of her all-time megahit single All I Want for Christmas Is You. She was later honoured with the Billboard Chart Achievement Award, presented to her by her 12-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe.
Key Artiste Awards
Top Artiste: Taylor Swift
Top New Artiste: Zach Bryan
Top Male Artiste: Morgan Wallen
Top Female Artiste: Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group: Fuerza Regida
Top Billboard 200 Artiste: Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artiste: Morgan Wallen
Top Hot 100 Songwriter: Taylor Swift
Top Streaming Songs Artiste: Morgan Wallen
Top Radio Songs Artiste: Taylor Swift
Top Song Sales Artiste: Taylor Swift
Top R&B Artiste: SZA
Top R&B Male Artiste: The Weeknd
Top R&B Female Artiste: SZA
Top R&B Touring Artiste: Beyoncé
Top Rap Artiste: Drake
Top Rap Male Artiste: Drake
Top Rap Female Artiste: Nicki Minaj
Top Rap Touring Artiste: Drake
Top Country Artiste: Morgan Wallen
Top Country Male Artiste: Morgan Wallen
Top Country Female Artiste: Taylor Swift
Top Country Duo/Groupe: Zac Brown Band
Top Country Touring Artiste: Morgan Wallen
Top Rock Artiste: Zach Bryan
Top Rock Duo/Group: Arctic Monkeys
Top Rock Touring Artiste: Coldplay
Top Latin Artiste: Bad Bunny
Top Latin Male Artiste: Bad Bunny
Top Latin Female Artiste: Karol G
Top Latin Duo/Group: Fuerza Regida
Top Latin Touring Artist: Karol G
Top Global K-Pop Artiste: NewJeans
Top K-Pop Touring Artiste: Blackpink
Top Afrobeats Artiste: Burna Boy
Top Dance/Electronic Artiste: Beyoncé
Key Album Awards
Top Soundtrack: Barbie: The Album
Top R&B Album: SZA, SOS
Top Rap Album: Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss
Top Country Album: Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time
Top Rock Album: Zach Bryan, American Heartbreak
Top Latin Album: Bad Bunny, Un Verano Sin Ti
Top K-Pop Album: Stray Kids, 5-STAR
Top Dance/Electronic Album: Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE
Key Song Awards
Top Hot 100 Song: Morgan Wallen, Last Night
Top Streaming Song: Morgan Wallen, Last Night
Top Radio Song: Miley Cyrus, Flowers
Top Selling Song: Taylor Swift, Anti-Hero
Top R&B Song: SZA, Kill Bill
Top Rap Song: Drake & 21 Savage, Rich Flex
Top Global K-Pop Song: Jung Kook ft. Latto, Seven
Chart Acheivement Award: Mariah Carey, All I Want for Christmas Is You
