The Weeknd got the 2021 iHeartRadio Awards off to a fantastic start with a performance of Save Your Tears… which became a surprise duet with Ariana Grande.
The 31-year-old singer took to the stage solo at the Dolby Theater to sing the first verse of his beloved song, before surprising the fans by bringing Grande, 27, out for the second verse.
The surprise duet shocked fans at the Dolby Theater, which kicked off the show before host Usher came out, surprising a few fans of his own by handing out stacks of cash.
Duet: The Weeknd got the 2021 iHeartRadio Awards off to a fantastic start with a performance of Save Your Tears… which became a surprise duet with Ariana Grande
First verse: The 31-year-old singer took to the stage solo at the Dolby Theater to sing the first verse of his beloved song, before surprising the fans by bringing Grande, 27, out for the second verse
Megan Thee Stallion won the first award of the night when she took home Best Collaboration for her song Savage featuring Beyonce, presented by French Montana.
She beat out Go Crazy – Chris Brown & Young Thug, Holy – Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper, I Hope – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth and Mood – 24kGoldn featuring iann dio.
Megan thanked God, ‘Because without god, we wouldn’t be nothing,’ before thanking her fans, ‘the hotties, because without y’all, I wouldn’t be happening.
Presenter: Megan Thee Stallion won the first award of the night when she took home Best Collaboration for her song Savage featuring Beyonce, presented by French Montana
Winner: She beat out Go Crazy – Chris Brown & Young Thug, Holy – Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper, I Hope – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth and Mood – 24kGoldn featuring iann dio
Thanking god and hotties: Megan thanked God, ‘ Because without god, we wouldn’t be nothing,’ before thanking her fans, ‘the hotties, because without y’all, I wouldn’t be happening
Twenty One Pilots took home the Alternative Artist of the Year and the Alternative Rock Song of the Year for their hit Level of Concern.
They revealed during a video package that the COVID-19 quarantine gave them more time to ‘work on music.’
‘My mom was like, I can use an upbeat song to distract me from all of this, and I took it as a challenge,’ Tyler Joseph said.
Winners: Twenty One Pilots took home the Alternative Artist of the Year and the Alternative Rock Song of the Year for their hit Level of Concern
Winner: Shay: Dan + Shay also performed their hit new single Glad You Exist during the telecast, introduced by their labelmate Gabby Bareress
Dan + Shay also performed their hit new single Glad You Exist during the telecast, introduced by their labelmate Gabby Bareress
They were followed by an electric performance by Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, performing their hit Leave the Door Open.
Taylor Swift won Pop Album of the Year for her hit album Folklore, as she thanked everyone from her fans to her photographer.
Bruno and Anderson: They were followed by an electric performance by Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, performing their hit Leave the Door Open
‘Thank you so much for this award and for the honor. I have to say thank you to everyone at I heart and everyone that supported Folklore. It was an album I made in the very beginning of the pandemic, I started writing it, and I feel like it became sort of an emotional life rafrt for me to put all my feelings into,’ Swift said.
‘I have to say thank you to Aaron Defner and Jack Antonoff, your creativity has completely changed my life, friends forever. Thank you to Beth Garabrant, who took the photos for Folklore, and really helped me create this world that I saw in my head,’ she added.
‘Because we all needed to escape into stories, whether it was movies or TV or film or music. And the fact that you chose this album, I am so honored by that. And you really wrapped your arms around it. The way that someday we’ll get to wrap our arms around each other when we see each other again,’ she concluded.
After his crowd-pleasing opening performance, The Weeknd was named Male Artist of the Year.
‘Thank you. Oh my gosh. Live audience. I want to thank my team, my xo family, of course. I want to thank my family, money and Luke, Wendy, Jo, Katherine Frasier, Sal, Cash, Lamar. I want to thank Ariana grande for coming out tonight. I want to thank my fans. Thank you. I love you guys,’ The Weeknd said.
Megan Thee Stallion came out on top when the nominations for the iHeartRadio Music Awards were revealed on Wednesday.
The Body artist, 25, earned eight nods while Roddy Ricch snagged seven and The Weeknd managed six.
The pair will face off in the Song Of The Year category, where the DaBaby song ROCKSTAR featuring Ricch and The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights are both nominated along with Post Malone’s Circles, Dua Lipa‘s Don’t Start Now and Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles.
Nominations: Megan Thee Stallion came out on top when the nominations for the iHeartRadio Music Awards were revealed on Wednesday
Other notable noms include three for late rapper Pop Smoke, who is up for hip-hop artist of the year as well as best new artist in both pop and hip-hop.
Despite his loyal fanbase, controversial country artist Morgan Wallen was snubbed in all of the country categories.
iHeartRadio’s decision echoed the American Country Music Awards’ choice to suspend him from competing for awards and appearing on the telecast after being caught using a racial slur on video.
There will be some friendly rivalry in the best cover category, where Lizzo is nominated for her rendition of Harry Styles’ Adore You while he was picked for a version of her track Juice.
Fans will get to vote on several special awards starting on Wednesday.
Vote: Fans will get to vote on several special awards starting on Wednesday
They’ll be able to decide which artist has the Best Fan Army, who writes the Best Lyrics, Best Cover Song performance, Best Music Video and Favorite Music Video Choreography Award.
The public will also vote on Social Star Award and the first-ever TikTok Bop of the Year Award.
The iHeartRadio Music Awards are now in their ninth year, celebrating the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2020.
Nominations are based on consumption data, including streaming, album sales, song sales and radio airplay.
The 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards are set to air live from LA’s Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on May 27 from 8pm to 10pm ET on Fox.
iHeartRadio Music Awards 2021 nominees
Song of the Year
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
Circles – Post Malone
Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa
ROCKSTAR – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles
Male Artist of the Year
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
Post Malone
Roddy Ricch
The Weeknd
Best Collaboration
Go Crazy – Chris Brown & Young Thug
Holy – Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper
I Hope – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth
Mood – 24kGoldn featuring iann dior
Savage (Remix) – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé – WINNER
Alternative Rock Song of the Year
Bang! – AJR
Bloody Valentine – Machine Gun Kelly
everything i wanted – Billie Eilish
Level Of Concern – twenty one pilots – WINNER
Monsters – All Time Low featuring blackbear
Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist
Ashe
Dayglow
Powfu
Royal & The Serpent
Wallows
Rock Artist of the Year
AC/DC
Five Finger Death Punch
Ozzy Osbourne
Shinedown
The Pretty Reckless
Country Artist of the Year
Blake Shelton
Luke Bryan
Luke Combs
Maren Morris
Thomas Rhett
Dance Artist of the Year
Anabel Englund
Diplo
Marshmello
Surf Mesa
Tiësto
Hip-Hop Song of the Year
High Fashion – Roddy Ricch featuring Mustard
Life Is Good – Future featuring Drake
ROCKSTAR – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
Savage (Remix) – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé The Box – Roddy Ricch
R&B Song of the Year
B.S. – Jhené Aiko featuring H.E.R.
Go Crazy – Chris Brown & Young Thug
Heat Chris Brown featuring Gunna
Playing Games – Summer Walker
Slide – H.E.R. featuring YG
Best New R&B Artist
Chloe x Halle
Lonr.Mahalia
Skip Marley
Snoh Aalegra
Latin Pop/Reggaeton Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
KAROL G
Maluma
Ozuna
Regional Mexican Song of the Year
Palabra De Hombre – El Fantasma
Se Me Olvidó – Christian Nodal
Sólo Tú – Calibre 50
Te Volvería A Elegir – Calibre 50
Yo Ya No Vuelvo Contigo – Lenin Ramírez featuring Grupo Firme
Producer of the Year
Andrew Watt
Dr Luke
Frank Dukes
Louis Bell
Max Martin
Best Lyrics
Adore You – Harry Styles
Before You Go – Lewis Capaldi
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
cardigan – Taylor Swift
Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa
everything i wanted – Billie Eilish
I Hope – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth
If The World Was Ending – JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels
Intentions – Justin Bieber featuring Quavo
Life Is Good – Future featuring Drake
Best Fan Army
#Agnation – Agnez Mo
#Arianators – Ariana Grande
#Beliebers – Justin Bieber
#BLINK – BLACKPINK
#BTSARMY – BTS
#Harries – Harry Styles
#Limelights – Why Don’t We
#Louies – Louis Tomlinson
#MendesArmy – Shawn Mendes
#NCTzens – NCT 127
#Selenators – Selena Gomez
#Swifties – Taylor Swift
Social Star Award
Dixie D’Amelio
Jaden Hossler
LILHUDDY
Nessa Barrett
Olivia Rodrigo
Tate McRae
TikTok Bop of the Year
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
Lottery (Renegade) – K CAMP
Savage – Megan Thee Stallion
Savage Love (Laxed-Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo
Say So – Doja Cat
WAP – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
Female Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Dua Lipa
Megan Thee Stallion
Taylor Swift
Best Duo/Group of the Year
BTS
Dan + Shay – WINNER
Jonas Brothers
Maroon 5
twenty one pilots
Best New Pop Artist
24kGoldn
blackbear
Doja Cat
JP Saxe
Pop Smoke
Alternative Rock Artist of the Year
AJR
All Time Low
Billie Eilish
Cage the Elephant
twenty one pilots – WINNER
Rock Song of the Year
Death By Rock And Roll – The Pretty Reckless
Patience – Chris Cornell
Shame Shame – Foo Fighters
Shot In The Dark – AC/DC
Under The Graveyard – Ozzy Osbourne
Country Song of the Year
Even Though I’m Leaving – Luke Combs
I Hope – Gabby Barrett
Nobody But You – Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani
One Margarita – Luke Bryan
The Bones – Maren Morris
Best New Country Artist
Ashley McBryde
Gabby Barrett – WINNER
HARDY
Ingrid Andress
Jameson Rodgers
Dance Song of the Year
Head & Heart – Joel Corry x MNEK
ily (i love you baby) – Surf Mesa featuring Emilee
Lasting Lover – Sigala & James Arthur
Rain On Me – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
Roses (Imanbek Remix) – SAINt JHN
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
DaBaby
Lil Baby
Megan Thee Stallion
Pop Smoke
Roddy Ricch
Best New Hip-Hop Artist
Jack Harlow
Moneybagg Yo
Pop Smoke
Rod Wave
Roddy Ricch
R&B Artist of the Year
Chris Brown
H.E.R.
Jhené Aiko
Snoh Aalegra
Summer Walker
Latin Pop/Reggaeton Song of the Year
Caramelo – Ozuna
Dákiti – Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
Hawái (Remix) – Maluma & The Weeknd
RITMO (Bad Boys For Life) – Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin
Tusa – KAROL G & Nicki Minaj
Best New Latin Artist
Chesca
Jay Wheeler
Natanael Cano
Neto Bernal
Rauw Alejandro
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year
Banda Los Sebastianes
Calibre 50
Christian Nodal
Edwin Luna y La Trakalosa de Monterrey
Gerardo Ortíz
Songwriter of the Year
Ali Tamposi
Amy Allen
Ashley Gorley
Dan Nigro
Finneas
Best Cover Song
Adore You (Harry Styles) – Lizzo cover
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons) – Shawn Mendes cover
Fix You (Coldplay) – Sam Smith cover
Heart Of Glass (Blondie) – Miley Cyrus cover
Juice (Lizzo) – Harry Styles cover
Best Music Video
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
Don’t Start Now – Dua Lipa
Dynamite – BTS
Hawái – Maluma
How You Like That – BLACKPINK
Life Is Good – Future featuring Drake
Rain On Me – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
WAP – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
Watermelon Sugar – Harry Styles
Yummy – Justin Bieber
Favorite Music Video Choreography
BTS – Son Sung Deuk
34+35 (Ariana Grande) – Scott & Brian Nicholson
Do It (Chloe x Halle) – Kendra Bracy & Ashanti Ledon
Honey Boo (CNCO & Natti Natasha) – Kyle Hanagami
Physical (Dua Lipa) – Charm La’Donna
Rain On Me (Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande) – Richy Jackson
Say So (Doja Cat) – Cortland Brown
WAP (Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion) – JaQuel Knight
Bop (DaBaby) – Coach Cherry & DaniLeigh
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