Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, Luis Fonsi, and Bruno Mars were the big winners at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday night (20May18).
The quartet picked up the bulk of the honours at the ceremony, which was a mix of emotional tributes and activism, blasts from the past and show-stopping performances.
Kendrick was a six-award winner, clearing up most of the rap trophies, while Bruno took home the R&B honours, and Sheeran picked up the Top Artist of the Year and Top Male Artist awards among his six-award haul, and Fonsi collected a handful of trophies for his crossover hit Despacito.
There were also multiple wins for Imagine Dragons, The Chainsmokers, Chris Stapleton, Luis Fonsi, U2, and Taylor Swift, who was named Top Female Artist.
The ceremony began on a sombre note with host Kelly Clarkson ignoring calls to lead a moment of silence for the victims of Friday's (18May18) Santa Fe High School massacre in Texas and urging viewers to leap into action to change gun laws.
The show kicked off with Ariana Grande performing an emotional version of No Tears Left to Cry two days before the first anniversary of the bomb attack outside her Manchester Arena, England concert, and other performance highlights included Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato debuting their women's anthem Fall in Line, and Shawn Mendes and Khalid, who teamed up with the choir from Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for a rendition of Youth.
The schoolmates were involved in the last major high school shooting in February.
Other show-stopping moments came from boy band BTS, Macklemore and Kesha, Icon Award winner Janet Jackson, who belted out her 1986 classic Nasty, and Salt-N-Pepa, who closed the show with a rousing hits medley, including Push It and Whatta Man with En Vogue.
The full list of 2018 Billboard Music Awards winners is:
Top Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top New Artist:
Khalid
Billboard Chart Achievement Award:
Camila Cabello
Top Female Artist:
Taylor Swift
Top Male Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Social Artist:
BTS
Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
The Chainsmokers
Top Selling Album:
Taylor Swift, reputation
Top Hot 100 Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber - Despacito
Top Rap Song:
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage - Rockstar
Top Country Song:
Sam Hunt - Body Like A Back Road
Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake
Top Hot 100 Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Streaming Songs Artist:
Kendrick Lamar
Top Song Sales Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Radio Songs Artist:
Ed Sheeran
Top Touring Artist:
U2
Top R&B Artist:
Bruno Mars
Top R&B Male Artist:
Bruno Mars
Top R&B Female Artist:
SZA
Top R&B Tour:
Bruno Mars
Top Rap Artist:
Kendrick Lamar
Top Rap Male Artist:
Kendrick Lamar
Top Rap Female Artist:
Cardi B
Top Rap Tour:
JAY-Z
Top Country Artist:
Chris Stapleton
Top Country Male Artist:
Chris Stapleton
Top Country Female Artist:
Maren Morris
Top Country Duo/Group Artist:
Florida Georgia Line
Top Country Tour:
Luke Bryan
Top Rock Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Top Rock Tour:
U2
Top Latin Artist:
Ozuna
Top Christian Artist:
MercyMe
Top Gospel Artist:
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Top Billboard 200 Album:
Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
Top Soundtrack:
Moana
Top R&B Album:
Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
Top Rap Album:
Kendrick Lamar
Top Country Album:
Chris Stapleton - From A Room: Volume 1
Top Rock Album:
Imagine Dragons - Evolve
Top Latin Album:
Ozuna - Odisea
Top Dance/Electronic Album:
The Chainsmokers - Memories... Do Not Open
Top Christian Album:
Alan Jackson - Precious Memories Collection
Top Gospel Album:
Tasha Cobbs Leonard - Heart. Passion. Pursuit
Top Streaming Song (Audio):
Kendrick Lamar - Humble.
Top Streaming Song (Video):
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber - Despacito
Top Selling Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber - Despacito
Top Radio Song:
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You
Top R&B Song:
Bruno Mars - That’s What I Like
Top Rock Song:
Imagine Dragons - Believer
Top Latin Song:
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber - Despacito
Top Dance/Electronic Song:
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay - Something Just Like This
Top Christian Song:
Hillsong Worship - What A Beautiful Name
Top Gospel Song:
J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise - You Deserve It