They opened with the return of Taylor Swift and closed with the crowning of Mariah Carey as Billboard Music Icon.
The music industry’s biggest showcase of international talent delivered another year of hits and hits, with the only misses being the memo about most of the audience projecting pink pastels.
Here are the highlights:
Korean boy band BTS took out Top Social Artist and Top Duo Group, proving that K-Pop is cross-continental.
They were later joined on stage by Halsey, performing their new single ‘Boy with Luv.’ Halsey held her own in the choreography department as she donned a dark suit in similar fashion to her co-dancers.
It wouldn’t be a Halsey performance without ‘Without Me’, delivering a passionate, stirring performance. The singer was nominated for Top Female Artist and Top Selling Song.
Ariana Grande instead took out the accolade for Top Female Artist and won a Billboard Chart Achievement. Her chilling performance of ‘7 rings’ was pre-recorded at her Vacouver stop of the ‘Sweetener World Tour,’ but we’re convinced she was in Las Vegas.
Speaking of Vegas, that’s exactly where Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner got hitched post Awards ceremony.
It was a Game of Joes?
They would be in a mood to celebrate after an incredible performance from Jonas Brothers that paid tribute to solo Nick Jonas and Joe’s previous band DNCE. Nick even got a cheeky kiss from Priyanka Chopra.
Have we finished discussing the GOT references? Apparently not, because Sophie Turner wasn’t the only GOT femme to be honoured at the awards, Maisie Williams found a fan in Drake as he accepted the award for Top Billboard 200 Album which he won for ‘Scorpion.’
Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie made it all about ‘ME!’ as they performed the titular song. It was not without controversy, as fans of Beyonce accused Swift of copying Bey’s Coachella set.
Look what you made the Beyhive fans do, Tay.
As iconic as the two ladies are, it was the ultimate pop diva Mariah Carey who performed a powerhouse of her hits including ‘A No No, ‘Always Be My Baby,’ ‘Emotions,’ ‘We Belong Together,’ and ‘Hero.’ As the recipient of the prestigious Icon Awards, she joins the likes of Cher, Celine Dion and Janet Jackson.
She’s not the only ageing musical icon as Madonna debuted her new single ‘Medellin’ with an eyepatch and her signature fishnet stockings in a Latin Ballroom setting.
Until next year, we hope your favourite artist cleaned up. If not, keep those streams streaming and those downloads on the DF.
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