Photo by Kevin White/Getty Images
Drake showed his mother Sandi Graham lots of love on Wednesday night at the Billboard Music Awards, where the Toronto rap superstar was the night's big winner.
“I want to thank my mom for her relentless effort in my life,” Drake said after being named Top Artist. “All the times you drove me to piano when I didn’t want to take piano, all the times you drove me to basketball and hockey – that clearly didn’t work out. All the times you drove me to Degrassi.
“No matter how long it took me to figure out what I wanted to do, you were always there to give me a ride – and now we’re all on one hell of a ride.”
Drake went into the BBMAs with 17 nominations and left with 12. Added to his 15 previous wins since 2011, he is now the artist with the most BBMAs – surpassing Taylor Swift's 23 and his fellow Canadian Justin Bieber's 20. (He was one award away from matching his 2017 record for the most wins at one BBMAs.)
Only three of Drake's categories were announced on air. He first appeared on stage to accept the BBMA for Top Billboard 200 Album (for Scorpion). “I always had a dream of doing a double album and I finally did it,” he said, “so now I’ll never do it again.”
He then name-checked a Game of Thrones character. “Shout out to Arya Stark for putting in that work last week,” he said.
Back at the mic to claim Top Male Artist, Drake appealed to the music community to be kind to each other. “We’ve obviously had an unfortunate series of losses within our business and I just want to encourage everybody to let other artists know how you feel about them,” he said. “Let them know that you love and respect them … while we’re all still here.
“Just show somebody some love. Tell somebody you love their music or love what they do.”
Canada was also represented by The Weeknd, who won Top R&B Male Artist, and Shania Twain, who lost Top Country Tour to Kenny Chesney.
Other winners included Cardi B, Florida Georgia Line, Dan + Shay, Ella Mai, and Imagine Dragons. “Girls Like You” by Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B picked up Top Radio Song, Top Selling Song, Top Hot 100 Song and Top Collaboration.
Accepting the BBMA for Top Group, BTS member RM said they“still can’t believe that we’re here on this stage with so many great artists.”
Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Hosted by Kelly Clarkson, the BBMAs was a live show with a disappointing lack of live singing. All but a handful of performers lip-synced – most noticeably Taylor Swift, Madonna and Paula Abdul.
Those who sang live include country duo Dan + Shay with Tori Kelly; the Jonas Brothers; and Christian singer Lauren Daigle. Clarkson sang a medley of popular songs at the top of the show and returned to sing “Broken & Beautiful” from UglyDolls.
Mariah Carey showed everyone how’s it done by belting out bits of her hits before accepting the BillboardIcon Award. "Icon? I really don’t think of myself that way," she said. "I started making music out of a necessity to survive and to express myself and I just wanted to create something so I could feel worthy of existing."
The pop superstar referred to the “highs and lows” and “struggles” in her long career. “We all make mistakes,” she said. “There’s been a few memes.”
Kevin Winter / Getti Images
Ariana Grande appeared during the broadcast in a performance of “7 Rings” that was taped April 27 at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.
On social media, Swift was accused of borrowing Beyoncé’s drumline to kick off the show with “ME!” and Ciara was slammed for copying just about everything about Janet Jackson for "Thinkin' Bout You.
Here are the main categories and the winners;
Top Artist:
Cardi B
Drake -WINNER
Ariana Grande
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Top New Artist:
Bazzi
Juice Wrld - WINNER
Lil Baby
Dua Lipa
Ella Mai
Billboard Chart Achievement Award:
Dan + Shay
Drake
Ariana Grande - WINNER
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Dua Lipa
Top Male Artist:
Drake - WINNER
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Ed Sheeran
XXXTentacion
Top Female Artist:
Cardi B
Ariana Grande - WINNER
Halsey
Ella Mai
Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group:
BTS - WINNER
Dan + Shay
Imagine Dragons
Maroon 5
Panic! At The Disco
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake - WINNER
Ariana Grande
Post Malone
Travis Scott
XXXTentacion
Top Hot 100 Artist:
Cardi B
Drake - WINNER
Ariana Grande
Juice Wrld
Post Malone
Top Streaming Songs Artist:
Cardi B
Drake - WINNER
Ariana Grande
Post Malone
XXXTentacion
Top Song Sales Artist:
Drake - WINNER
Ariana Grande
Imagine Dragons
Lady Gaga
Post Malone
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Cardi B
Drake - WINNER
Ariana Grande
Maroon 5
Post Malone
Top Social Artist:
BTS - WINNER
EXO
GOT7
Ariana Grande
Louis Tomlinson
Top Touring Artist:
Beyoncé & JAY-Z
Bruno Mars
Ed Sheeran - WINNER
Taylor Swift
Justin Timberlake
Top R&B Artist:
H.E.R.
Khalid
Ella Mai - WINNER
The Weeknd
XXXTentacion
Top R&B Male Artist:
Khalid
The Weeknd - WINNER
XXXTentacion
Top R&B Female Artist:
H.E.R.
Ella Mai - WINNER
Queen Naija
Top R&B Tour:
Beyoncé & JAY-Z - WINNER
Childish Gambino
Bruno Mars
Top Rap Artist:
Cardi B
Drake - WINNER
Juice Wrld
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Top Rap Male Artist:
Drake - WINNER
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Top Rap Female Artist:
Cardi B - WINNER
City Girls
Nicki Minaj
Top Rap Tour:
Beyoncé & JAY-Z - WINNER
Drake
Travis Scott
Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs - WINNER
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Top Country Male Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs - WINNER
Top Country Female Artist:
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood - WINNER
Top Country Duo/Group:
Dan + Shay - WINNER
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion
Top Country Tour:
Luke Bryan
Kenny Chesney - WINNER
Shania Twain
Top Rock Artist:
Imagine Dragons - WINNER
Lovelytheband
Panic! At The Disco
Queen
Twenty One Pilots
Top Rock Tour:
Elton John - WINNER
The Rolling Stones
U2
Top Latin Artist:
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Ozuna - WINNER
Romeo Santos
Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
Calvin Harris
Kygo
Marshmello
Odesza
The Chainsmokers - WINNER
Top Christian Artist:
Cory Asbury
Lauren Daigle - WINNER
For King & Country
Hillsong Worship
MercyMe
Top Gospel Artist:
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tori Kelly
Tasha Cobbs Leonard - WINNER
Marvin Sapp
ALBUM AWARDS
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Cardi B “Invasion of Privacy”
Drake “Scorpion” - WINNER
Post Malone “beerbongs & bentleys"
Travis Scott “ASTROWORLD”
XXXTentacion “?”
Top Soundtrack:
“13 Reasons Why: Season 2”
“A Star is Born” by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
“The Greatest Showman” - WINNER
Top R&B Album:
Ella Mai “Ella Mai”
H.E.R. “H.E.R.”
Khalid “American Teen”
The Weeknd “My Dear Melancholy,”
XXXTentacion “17” - WINNER
Top Rap Album:
Cardi B “Invasion of Privacy”
Drake “Scorpion” - WINNER
Post Malone “beerbongs & bentleys"
Travis Scott “ASTROWORLD”
XXXTentacion “?”
Top Country Album:
Jason Aldean “Rearview Town”
Kane Brown “Kane Brown”
Luke Combs “This One’s For You” - WINNER
Dan + Shay “Dan + Shay”
Carrie Underwood “Cry Pretty”
Top Rock Album:
Dave Matthews Band “Come Tomorrow”
Imagine Dragons “Origins”
Mumford & Sons “Delta”
Panic! At This Disco “Pray For The Wicked” - WINNER
Twenty One Pilots “Trench”
Top Latin Album:
Anuel AA “Real Hasta la Muerte”
Bad Bunny “X 100PRE”
J Balvin “Vibras”
Maluma “F.A.M.E.”
Ozuna “Aura” - WINNER
Top Dance/Electronic Album:
Clean Bandit “What Is Love?”
David Guetta “7”
Kygo “Kids in Love”
Major Lazer “Major Lazer Essentials”
The Chainsmokers “Sick Boy” - WINNER
Top Christian Album:
Cory Asbury “Reckless Love”
Lauren Daigle “Look Up Child” - WINNER
For King & Country “Burn The Ships”
Hillsong Worship “There Is More”
Zach Williams “Chain Breaker”
Top Gospel Album:
Snoop Dogg & Various Artists “Snoop Dogg Presents Bible of Love”
Aretha Franklin “Gospel Greats”
Koryn Hawthorne “Unstoppable”
Tori Kelly “Hiding Place” - WINNER
Jonathan McReynolds “Make Room”
SONG AWARDS
Top Hot 100 Song:
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You” - WINNER
Post Malone “Better Now”
Travis Scott “SICKO MODE”
Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams”
Post Malone “Better Now”
Travis Scott “SICKO MODE” - WINNER
XXXTentacion “SAD!”
Top Streaming Song (Video):
Drake “In My Feelings” - WINNER
Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You”
Travis Scott “SICKO MODE”
XXXTentacion “SAD!”
Top Selling Song:
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
Drake “In My Feelings”
Halsey “Without Me”
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper “Shallow”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You” - WINNER
Top Radio Song:
Khalid & Normani “Love Lies”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You” - WINNER
Post Malone “Better Now”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be”
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle”
Top Collaboration:
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
Khalid & Normani “Love Lies”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You” - WINNER
Marshmello & Bastille “Happier”
Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign “Psycho”
Top R&B Song:
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Chance The Rapper & Quavo “No Brainer”
Ella Mai “Boo’d Up” - WINNER
Ella Mai “Trip”
Khalid “Better”
Lil Dicky ft. Chris Brown “Freaky Friday”
Top Rap Song:
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It” - WINNER
Drake “In My Feelings”
Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams”
Post Malone “Better Now”
Travis Scott “SICKO MODE”
Top Country Song:
Kane Brown “Heaven”
Luke Combs “She Got the Best of Me”
Dan + Shay “Speechless”
Dan + Shay “Tequila”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be” - WINNER
Top Rock Song:
Foster The People “Sit Next to Me”
Imagine Dragons “Natural”
Imagine Dragons “Whatever It Takes”
Lovelytheband “broken”
Panic! At The Disco “High Hopes” - WINNER
Top Latin Song:
Bad Bunny ft. Drake “Mia”
Daddy Yankee “Dura”
DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B “Taki Taki”
Nicky Jam & J Balvin “X”
Casper Magico, Nio Garcia, Darell, Nicky Jam, Bad Bunny & Ozuna “Te Bote” - WINNER
Top Dance/Electronic Song:
DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B “Taki Taki”
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa “One Kiss”
Marshmello & Bastille “Happier”
Tiësto & Dzeko ft. Preme & Post Malone “Jackie Chan”
Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle” - WINNER
Top Christian Song:
Cory Asbury “Reckless Love”
Lauren Daigle “You Say” -WINNER
For King & Country “joy.”
Hillsong Worship “Who You Say I Am”
Tauren Wells “Known”
Top Gospel Song:
Todd Dulaney “Your Great Name”
Koryn Hawthorne “Won’t He Do It” - WINNER
Tori Kelly ft. Kirk Franklin “Never Alone”
Jason Nelson “Forever”
Brian Courtney Wilson “A Great Work”