Katy Perry hosted, P!nk delivered a four-song medley, and Kendrick Lamar was the night’s big winner at the 2017 MTV’s Video Music Awards. The awards show was held on Sunday, August 27, 2017 opposite the season seven finale of Game of Thrones and featured performances by host Katy Perry, Rod Stewart and DNCE, Miley Cyrus, Ed Sheeran, Demi Lovato, Lorde, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Fifth Harmony, and Shawn Mendes. In addition, Taylor Swift debuted her “Look What You Made Me Do” video during the VMA broadcast.
The 2017 VMA ceremony didn’t shy away from addressing what’s happening right now in America. Rev. Robert Wright Lee IV, a descendant of Robert E. Lee, took the stage to address racial injustice. MTV also invited murdered activist Heather Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, to be part of this year’s Video Music Awards show. Susan Bro announced a new foundation in her daughter’s memory and helped give out the first-ever Best Fight Against the System award which, in a fitting twist, went to all six of the nominees in the category.
2017 VMA Winners:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ed Sheeran
MICHAEL JACKSON VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD
P!nk
BEST NEW ARTIST
Khalid
BEST COLLABORATION
Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
BEST POP
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down”
BEST HIP HOP
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
BEST DANCE
Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay”
BEST ROCK
Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul”
BEST FIGHT AGAINST THE SYSTEM
Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan”
The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)”
Big Sean – “Light”
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful”
Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL”
John Legend – “Surefire”
SONG OF SUMMER
Lil Uzi Vert — “XO Tour Llif3”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Cinematographer: Scott Cunningham
BEST DIRECTION
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Director: Dave Meyers & the little homies
BEST ART DIRECTION
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
Production Designer: Spencer Graves
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.”
VFX Editor: Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Kanye West – “Fade”
Choreographers: Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Matthew Pasterisa, Jae Blaze & Derek Watkins
BEST EDITING
Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean”
Editor: Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini
