The “2017 Billboard Music Awards,” hosted by hip-hop artist and actor Ludacris, and actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens, was an explosive night of must-see, one-of-a-kind musical performances and exclusive television premieres from today’s chart-topping artists.
Ludacris and Vanessa brought the fun, and the funny, with their wide variety of talents as they both showed off their comedic chops, singing and dancing skills, and even some rapping from Ms. Hudgens! This year’s show aired LIVE on BOTH COASTS from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT on ABC.
Drake surpassed Adele’s previously held (12) all-time record for most Billboard Music Awards in a single night, winning 13 awards including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Tour, Top Rap Album, Top Streaming Song (Audio), Top R&B Song, and Top R&B Collaboration.
Beyoncé won five trophies of her own, for Top Female Artist, Top Touring Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Tour, and Top R&B Album.
Twenty One Pilots won in five categories – Top Duo/Group, Top Radio Song Artist, Top Rock Artist, Top Rock Song, and Billboard Chart Achievement Award Presented by Xfinity.
The Chainsmokers won in four categories – Top Hot 100 Song, Top Dance/Electronic Artist, Top Collaboration, and Top Dance/Electronic Song. Halsey took home three awards for Top Hot 100 Song, Top Collaboration, and Top Dance/Electronic Song.
Also ending the night with three trophies were Kyla (Top Streaming Song (Audio), Top R&B Song, Top R&B Collaboration) and Wizkid (Top Streaming Song (Audio), Top R&B Collaboration, Top R&B Song). They weren’t the only multi-award winners of the night. Desiigner, Juan Gabriel, Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney, and Lauren Daigle each took home a pair of trophies.
Making a very special appearance, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Biggie’s son, Christopher Wallace, on what would have been the 45th birthday of Notorious B.I.G., introduced a clip of the 1997 Billboard Music Awards when Diddy presented Biggie’s mother, Voletta Wallace, with the “Best R&B Album” trophy won by her late son.
Following the clip, Diddy unveiled a never-before-seen trailer for his new Apple Music documentary Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A Bad Boy Story.
Nicki Minaj, having recently just broken Aretha Franklin’s record for female artist with the most Billboard Hot 100 Hits, opened the show with an explosive 10-minute performance and was joined on stage by Lil Wayne, David Guetta, and Jason Derulo as she performed a medley of “No Frauds,” “Light My Body Up,” Swalla,” and “Regret In Your Tears.”
Later in the evening, against a peaceful ocean background, Miley Cyrus performed her popular new single “Malibu” for the first time to a worldwide television audience.
Perhaps the most unique performance came from the evening’s biggest winner, Drake, who performed live from the middle of the Bellagio fountains, surrounded by the world-famous water displays and equally powerful pyrotechnics. Audiences in the arena, and on the Vegas strip, were mesmerized as he navigated the scene while rapping “Gyalchester” off his new album “More Life.”
The final performance of the evening came from Bruno Mars, who gave a sultry delivery of his single “Versace on the Floor” from the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam.
The musical acts weren’t the only stars taking over the stage at this year’s show. Presenters throughout the broadcast included Kate Beckinsale, Mark Cuban, Noah Cyrus, Alexandra Daddario, DJ Khaled, Josh Duhamel, Ansel Elgort, Sara Foster, G-Eazy, Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Prince Michael Jackson, Rachel Lindsay, Julia Michaels, Lea Michele, Olivia Munn, Rita Ora, Logan Paul, Rachel Platten, Bebe Rexha, Nicole Scherzinger, Miss America 2017 Savvy Shields, Jussie Smollett, Hailee Steinfeld, Lindsey Stirling, and Ashley Tisdale.
