OFF-AIR WINNERS OF THE “2021 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS” ANNOUNCED

The Weeknd Starts Strong, Winning In Seven Categories

The Billboard Music Awards Airs Live TONIGHT Sunday, May 23 at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT on NBC

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Los Angeles, CA (May 23, 2021) – Ahead of tonight’s “2021 Billboard Music Awards” (BBMA) dick clark productions and NBC announced the night’s first group of winners, celebrating music’s biggest chart toppers and some of today’s most accomplished artists. Coming in with the most nods this year with 16, The Weeknd leads the winners circle, already collecting seven trophies. The remaining winners will be announced TONIGHT when Nick Jonas hosts the BBMAs live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC.
 
The list of off-air winners was revealed this morning on the BBMAs Instagram Live hosted by Matthew Hoffman. Pop Smoke, who received record-breaking posthumous recognition as a finalist in 10 categories, dominated four of those categories, while Gabby Barrett, a first-time finalist and the female artist contending in the most categories this year, claimed two awards.
 
Tonight’s “2021 Billboard Music Awards” promises to be an epic night, featuring collaborations and special performances from some of today’s top artists including AJR, Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, BTS, DJ Khaled featuring H.E.R. and Migos, Doja Cat & SZA, Duran Duran,  Glass Animals, Jonas Brothers with Marshmello, Karol G, The Weeknd, and twenty one pilots.  To celebrate its 30th Anniversary, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis will present an uplifting performance of “Optimistic” from Sounds of Blackness ft. Ann Nesby from Paisley Park in Minneapolis.
 
ICON Award recipient P!NK will deliver a daring, showstopping performance that will take viewers’ breath away. Drake, who holds the title for most Billboard Music Award wins of all time, will receive the Artist of the Decade Award. Houston-based rapper and social activist Trae Tha Truth will receive the second annual Change Maker Award for his unwavering dedication to fighting for, and delivering, social and medical equity in his community.
 
See below for the complete list of winners announced:

ARTIST AWARDS
Top New Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Male Artist: The Weeknd
Top Female Artist: Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group: BTS
Top Billboard 200 Artist: Taylor Swift
Top Streaming Songs Artist: Drake
Top Song Sales Artist: BTS
Top Radio Songs Artist: The Weeknd
Top Social Artist (Fan Voted): BTS
Top R&B Artist: The Weeknd
Top R&B Male Artist: The Weeknd
Top R&B Female Artist: Doja Cat
Top Rap Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Rap Male Artist: Pop Smoke
Top Rap Female Artist: Megan Thee Stallion
Top Country Artist: Morgan Wallen*
Top Country Male Artist: Morgan Wallen*
Top Country Duo/Group: Florida Georgia Line
Top Latin Male Artist [NEW CATEGORY]: Bad Bunny
Top Latin Female Artist [NEW CATEGORY]: Karol G
Top Latin Duo/Group [NEW CATEGORY]: Eslabón Armado
Top Dance/Electronic Artist: Lady Gaga
Top Christian Artist: Elevation Worship
Top Gospel Artist: Kanye West

ALBUM AWARDS
Top R&B Album: The Weeknd “After Hours”
Top Rap Album: Pop Smoke “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon”
Top Country Album: Morgan Wallen “Dangerous: The Double Album”*
Top Rock Album: Machine Gun Kelly “Tickets to My Downfall”
Top Latin Album: Bad Bunny “YHLQMDLG”
Top Dance/Electronic Album: Lady Gaga “Chromatica”
Top Christian Album: Carrie Underwood “My Gift”
Top Gospel Album: Maverick City Music “Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1”

SONG AWARDS
Top Streaming Song: DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
Top Radio Song: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Collaboration (Fan Voted): Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Top R&B Song: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
Top Country Song: Gabby Barrett “I Hope”
Top Rock Song: AJR “Bang!”
Top Latin Song: Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “Dákiti”
Top Dance/Electronic Song: SAINt JHN “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”
Top Christian Song: Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens”
Top Gospel Song: Kanye West ft. Travis Scott “Wash Us In The Blood”

TOTAL WINS BY ARTIST (In Numerical Order)
The Weeknd (7): Top Male Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Male Artist, Top R&B Album, Top Radio Song, Top R&B Song
Pop Smoke (4): Top New Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Male Artist, Top Rap Album
Bad Bunny (3): Top Latin Male Artist, Top Latin Album, Top Latin Song
Morgan Wallen (3)*: Top Country Album, Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist
BTS (3): Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist (Fan Voted)
Elevation Worship (2): Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Song
Gabby Barrett (2): Top Country Song, Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
Kanye West (2): Top Gospel Artist, Top Gospel Song
Lady Gaga (2): Top Dance/Electronic Artist, Top Dance/Electronic Album
Taylor Swift (2): Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist
AJR (1): Top Rock Song
Brandon Lake (1): Top Christian Song
Carrie Underwood (1): Top Christian Album
Charlie Puth (1): Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
DaBaby (1): Top Streaming Song
Doja Cat (1): Top R&B Female Artist
Drake (1): Top Streaming Songs Artist
Eslabón Armado (1): Top Latin Duo/Group [NEW CATEGORY]
Florida Georgia Line (1): Top Country Duo/Group
Jhay Cortez (1): Top Latin Song
Karol G (1): Top Latin Female Artist [NEW CATEGORY]
Machine Gun Kelly (1): Top Rock Album
Maverick City Music (1): Top Gospel Album
Megan Thee Stallion (1): Top Rap Female Artist
Roddy Ricch (1): Top Streaming Song
SAINt JHN (1): Top Dance/Electronic Song
Travis Scott (1): Top Gospel Song

TOTAL WINS BY ARTIST (In Alphabetical Order)
AJR (1): Top Rock Song
Bad Bunny (3): Top Latin Male Artist, Top Latin Album, Top Latin Song
Brandon Lake (1): Top Christian Song
BTS (3): Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist (Fan Voted)
Carrie Underwood (1): Top Christian Album
Charlie Puth (1): Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
DaBaby (1): Top Streaming Song
Doja Cat (1): Top R&B Female Artist
Drake (1): Top Streaming Songs Artist
Elevation Worship (2): Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Song
Eslabón Armado (1): Top Latin Duo/Group [NEW CATEGORY]
Florida Georgia Line (1): Top Country Duo/Group
Gabby Barrett (2): Top Country Song, Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
Jhay Cortez (1): Top Latin Song
Kanye West (2): Top Gospel Artist, Top Gospel Song
Karol G (1): Top Latin Female Artist [NEW CATEGORY]
Lady Gaga (2): Top Dance/Electronic Artist, Top Dance/Electronic Album
Machine Gun Kelly (1): Top Rock Album
Maverick City Music (1): Top Gospel Album
Megan Thee Stallion (1): Top Rap Female Artist
Morgan Wallen (3)*: Top Country Album, Top Country Artist, Top Country Male Artist
Pop Smoke (4): Top New Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Male Artist, Top Rap Album
Roddy Ricch (1): Top Streaming Song
SAINt JHN (1): Top Dance/Electronic Song
Taylor Swift (2): Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist
The Weeknd (7): Top Male Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Male Artist, Top R&B Album, Top Radio Song, Top R&B Song
Travis Scott (1): Top Gospel Song

For more than 30 years, the BBMAs has celebrated music’s greatest achievements, honoring the hottest names in music today. Unique among music awards shows, finalists are determined by performance on the Billboard Charts. Since 1940, the Billboard Charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music. 
 
The “2021 Billboard Music Awards” is produced by dick clark productions. Barry Adelman and Robert Deaton are executive producers.
 
For the latest news on the Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs) visit billboardmusicawards.com and www.billboard.com/bbma. For exclusive content and more, be sure to follow the BBMAs on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube) and join the conversation by using the official hashtag for the show, #BBMAs.
 
The “2021 Billboard Music Awards” was sponsored by Rockstar Energy Drink, Security Benefit and Xfinity.

About dick clark productions:
dick clark productions (dcp) is the world's largest producer and proprietor of televised live event entertainment programming with the "Academy of Country Music Awards," "American Music Awards," "Billboard Music Awards," "Golden Globe Awards," "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest" and the “Streamy Awards.” Weekly television programming includes "So You Think You Can Dance" from 19 Entertainment and dcp. dcp also owns one of the world's most extensive and unique entertainment archive libraries with more than 60 years of award-winning shows, historic programs, specials, performances and legendary programming. dcp is part of MRC Live & Alternative, a division of diversified global entertainment company MRC. For additional information, visit www.mrcentertainment.com.

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*Statement on behalf of dick clark productions
Unique among awards shows, Billboard Music Awards (BBMA) finalists are determined by performance on the Billboard Charts, and are not chosen by a voting committee or membership organization. BBMA finalists and winners are based on key fan interactions with music (including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, social engagement), tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including MRC Data.
 
With our content reaching millions of viewers, dcp and MRC have the privilege and responsibility to effect change by creating a more inclusive dialogue in our productions and across the industry.
 
Morgan Wallen is a finalist this year based on charting. As his recent conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity (performing, presenting, accepting).
 
It is heartening and encouraging to hear that Morgan is taking steps in his anti-racist journey and starting to do some meaningful work. We plan to evaluate his progress and will consider his participation in future shows.
 
Billboard.com - Morgan Wallen Is a Billboard Music Awards Finalist But Won't Be Included on the Show