Lady Gaga wins 5 awards at socially distanced MTV VMAs

Lady Gaga scooped five Moon Man awards at this year's MTV Video Music Awards including the first-ever Tricon award.

Gaga's picked up the awards for Best Artist, Best Song and Collaboration of the Year, Best Cinematography, as well as the first-ever MTV Tricon award, in recognition of her achievements in music, fashion and acting.

"I want to share this award with everybody at home tonight. Everybody that is their own form of a Tricon," she said, before reflecting on a year disrupted by pandemic and social unrest.

We need your consent to load this YouTube contentWe use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences

"This has not been an easy year for a lot of people, but what I see in the world is a massive triumph of courage," Gaga, who wore a mask throughout the night, said.

"Just because we're separated right now and culture may feel less alive in some ways, I know a renaissance is coming and the wrath of pop culture will inspire you and the rage of art will empower you as it responds to hardship with its generosity and love. This is what I believe. I want nothing more than to be your artist in 2020, it's a total privilege.

"I love you, stay safe, speak your mind and I might sound like a broken record, but wear a mask, it's a sign of respect."

Before the show kicked-off, the stars took turns to walk a socially distanced red carpet which lacked its usual bustle and energy, an early sign that this year's VMAs would be different to those before it.

Gaga and Grande, who won trophies for Best Collaboration and Best Song for their dance-infused duet Rain On Me, celebrated their success with the world premiere televised performance of the track. The superstars both wore masks throughout the performance.

The Weeknd picked up the coveted video of the year award for Blinding Lights and used his time on stage to repeat an earlier demand for "justice" for two African Americans shot by police.

Jacob Blake has been paralysed from the waist down after being shot by officers in Wisconsin this month while Breonna Taylor was killed in Kentucky in March. The Weeknd struck a sombre tone and said he did not feel like celebrating the win.

The Black Eyed Peas closed out proceedings, with one of the group saying "Wakanda forever", the phrase that encapsulated the black pride generated by Black Panther, as well as "black lives matter".

The 2020 VMAs also contained references to some of the biggest pop culture moments of the year, including Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's viral WAP music video and Netflix's wild documentary series Tiger King.

Miley Cyrus debuted her new single Midnight Sky during the show and referenced her famous Wrecking Ball video, swinging on a disco ball.

Best Music Video From Home, one of two new categories brought in to reflect the post-Covid-19 world, was won by Grande and Justin Bieber for Stuck With U while Taylor Swift won Best Direction for The Man music video, her hit about industry sexism.

The award was voted for by industry figures, and Swift thanked voters and her fans "because you are the only reason why the industry cares about anything I do".

H.E.R won Video For Good for I Can't Breathe while K-pop superstars BTS won Best Pop for On.

MTV Video Music Awards 2020: The Winners

Video of the year: The Weeknd, Blinding Lights

Artist of the year: Lady Gaga

Song of the year: Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Rain on Me

Push best new artist: Doja Cat

Best collaboration: Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Rain on Me

Best group: BTS

Best quarantine performance: CNCO, MTV Unplugged at Home

Best music video from home: Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, Stuck with U

Best pop: BTS, On

Best hip-hop: Megan Thee Stallion, Savage

Best R&B: The Weeknd, Blinding Lights

Best Latin: Maluma featuring J Balvin, Qué Pena

Best rock: Coldplay, Orphans

Best alternative: Machine Gun Kelly, Bloody Valentine

Best K-pop: BTS, On

Song of summer: BLACKPINK, How You Like That

Video for good: H.E.R., I Can't Breathe

Best direction: Taylor Swift, The Man

Best editing: Miley Cyrus, Mother’s Daughter

Best choreography: BTS, On

Best cinematography: Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande, Rain on Me

Best visual effects: Dua Lipa, Physical

Best art direction: Miley Cyrus, Mother’s Daughter

MTV Tricon award: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga wins 5 awards at socially distanced MTV VMAs

More stories on

Read Next