Taylor Swift was the big winner at last night’s 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center. She won nine awards, one short of the record for a single show; according to Billboard, Peter Gabriel won ten awards at the VMAs in 1987. Swift now has 23 lifetime VMAs, second only to Beyonce (per Billboard). Swift’s first award of the night was Song of the Year. The award was presented to Swift by the reunited NSYNC.
Swift also won the night’s top prize, Video of the Year. She won that for “Anti-Hero.” It’s the second year in a row that she won that award. Last year she won the same award for “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version).”
Nicki Minaj “hosted” and performed. According to a source at MTV familiar with the awards show, no one can labeled as a “host” because of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. In addition to Minaj’s emceeing duties, she also performed her newest single, “Last Time I Saw You,” for the very first time.
Awards and Performances
Sean “Diddy” Combs was honored with the Global Icon Award. It was the third-ever Global Icon Award, which MTV says “celebrates an artist or band whose unparalleled career and continued influence have achieved a unique level of global success in music and beyond.” Shakira received the Video Vanguard Award and also performed at the awards show for the first time since 2006. Other performers included Olivia Rodrigo, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Karol G, Kelsea Ballerini, Fall Out Boy, Måneskin, and K-Pop boy band Stray Kids.
The 39th annual awards show was broadcast simultaneously on VH1, MVT2, Comedy Central, CMT, BET, BET Her, Paramount Network, and Nickelodeon. Those who use streams can tune in live on DirecTV and Paramount+ apps.
Take a look below at the winners of the major categories of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards below.
