Los Angeles, CA — The sound of music filled Microsoft Theater as the world’s top musical artists performed hits and received accolades at the sixth annual iHeartRadio Music Awards on Thursday night.
The star-studded event, broadcasted live on Fox, was hosted by R&B titan T-Pain and featured performances by John Legend, Ariana Grande, Alicia Keys, Halsey, Kacey Musgraves, Garth Brooks, Ella Mai, and the Backstreet Boys.
The night’s big winners included Ariana Grande (Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year), Drake (Male Artist of the Year) and Taylor Swift, who won the Tour of the Year award for her record-breaking Reputation stadium tour.
“For the entire six months leading up to the first show of this tour, every headline that I read about the tour was, ‘This is going to be a massive failure, this is going to be a flop tour,’ and, you know, it really did wonders for my self-esteem,” Swift said in her acceptance speech. “It was really great to hear people saying that I was going to be playing to nearly empty stadiums.”
She, of course, proved the haters wrong. Her latest tour went on to gross $345.7 million, setting a record for the highest-selling U.S. tour in history.
Special honors were given to 15-time Grammy winner Alicia Keys (Innovator Award) and Garth Brooks (Artist of the Decade).
Halsey also was named a winner as she was awarded the L’Oréal Paris and iHeartRadio Fangirls Award. The award recognizes a female artist who has pushed boundaries with her music and message while inspiring her fans around the globe.
“I have watched my fans, and I have been a part of fandoms, and I have seen people be motivated and be passionate and determined about something,” said Halsey. “In a time where it is so necessary to have feeling and to have empathy… when I see a fangirl or a fanboy or a fan-anyone I see a person who is capable of feeling and capable of affecting change, and that means a lot to me.”
Halsey takes the stage at iHeartRadio Music Awards
In an awards show dedicated in part to the fans, it was only fitting that iHeartRadio listeners also got a chance to be part of the action. They voted on winners in several categories including best fan army, best lyrics, best cover song, best music video, social star, best solo breakout, and “song that left us shook.”
Here are the list of winners per category:
Song of the Year
“The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey
Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Female Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Male Artist of the Year
Drake
Best Duo/Group of the Year
5 Seconds of Summer
Best Collaboration
“Finesse (Remix)” — Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B
Pop Album of the Year
“Sweetener” — Ariana Grande
Best New Pop Artist
Marshmello
Alternative Rock Song of the Year
“High Hopes” — Panic! At the Disco
Alternative Rock Artist of the Year
Imagine Dragons
Alternative Rock Album of the Year
“Pray for the Wicked” — Panic! At The Disco
Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist
Lovelytheband
Rock Song of the Year
“Safari Song” — Greta Van Fleet
Rock Artist of the Year
Three Days Grace
Rock Album of the Year
“Trench” — Twenty One Pilots
Country Song of the Year
“Meant to Be” — Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line
Country Artist of the Year
Luke Combs
Country Album of the Year
“Rearview Town” — Jason Aldean
Best New Country Artist
Jordan Davis
Dance Song of the Year
“The Middle” — Zedd, Maren Morris, Grey
Dance Artist of the Year
Marshmello
Dance Album of the Year
“Sick Boy” — the Chainsmokers
Hip-Hop Song of the Year
“God’s Plan” – Drake
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
Cardi B
Hip-Hop Album of the Year
“Scorpion” – Drake
Best New Hip-Hop Artist
BlocBoy JB
R&B Song of the Year
“Boo’d Up” — Ella Mai
R&B Artist of the Year
Ella Mai
R&B Album of the Year
“My Dear Melancholy” — The Weeknd
Best New R&B Artist
Ella Mai
Latin Song of the Year
“X” — Nicky Jam and J Balvin
Latin Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Latin Album of the Year
“Vibras” — J Balvin
Best New Latin Artist
Manuel Turizo
Regional Mexican Song of the Year
“Mitad Y Mitad” — Calibre 50
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year
Calibre 50
Regional Mexican Album of the Year
“Con Todas Las Fuerzas” — Banda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Label of the Year
Republic Records
Producer of the Year
Louis Bell
Songwriter of the Year:
Frank Dukes
Most Thumbed Up Artist of the Year:
Imagine Dragons
Most Thumbed Up Song of the Year:
“God’s Plan” – Drake
Best Lyrics: *Socially Voted Category
“Consequences” — Camila Cabello
Best Cover Song: *Socially Voted Category
“You’re Still the One” — Harry Styles and Kacey Musgraves
Best Fan Army presented by Taco Bell: *Socially Voted Category
BTSArmy – BTS
Best Music Video: *Socially Voted Category
“Delicate” — Taylor Swift
Social Star Award: *Socially Voted Category
Agnez Mo
Cutest Musician’s Pet: *Socially Voted Category
Gracie — Lauren Jauregui
Best Solo Breakout: *Socially Voted Category
Tiffany Young
Song That Left Us Shook: *Socially Voted Category
“I’ll Never Love Again” — Lady Gaga
Favorite Tour Photographer: *Socially Voted Category
Helene Pambrun (Harry Styles)
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