Take that Grammys! The Weeknd sweeps the Billboard Music Awards, takes home 10 trophies
Music Features The Weeknd
After being shut out by the Grammys this year, The Weeknd took home a whopping ten awards at last night’s Billboard Music Awards, including the night biggest awards: Top Artist, Top 100 Hot Artist, and Top R&B Album for After Hours. For anyone who does not solely look to the Grammys to inform their opinions on music, these wins are no surprise. His album and single “Blinding Lights,” dominated music charts in 2020, and became the first song ever to spend one year in the top ten of Billboard’s Top 100 chart. The album was also certified double platinum less than one year after its release.
When Grammy nominations were announced back in November, The Weeknd’s lack of nominations shocked fans and fellow musicians, a snub that probably end up changing the award show forever. At the time, he took to Twitter, calling the Grammys “corrupt” and requesting for more transparency when it comes to decisions around nominations on behalf of his fans and the industry. After placing heat on the Academy to change their evaluation process, interim chief executive, Harvey Mason Jr., announced, “We are going to take a hard look at how to improve our awards process, including the nomination review committees.” Despite rule changes made to The Recording Academy moving forward, The Weeknd stands firm. He refuses to submit any more music in the future.
Other winners from the evening include Megan Thee Stallion for Top Female Rap Artist and Taylor Swift won Top Female Artist. Late rapper Pop Smoke came in second for most awards won with five by the end of the night, including for Top New Artist and Top Rap Artist. K-pop group BTS won the fan voted Top Social Artist for the fifth time in a row and delivered a performance of their new single “Butter.” SZA joined Top R&B Artist winner Doja Cat for a stunning performance of their song “Kiss Me More.”
9 Comments
The Billboard Awards are the stupidest concept for an awards show. They just give awards to whoever had the most sales.
Maybe now The Weeknd can afford to buy that missing “e” in his name.
This comment is perfect.I don’t understand why it exists either. What a waste of time.
Its true. Why should someone win awards for making stuff common people like? Only the enlightened few should judge music quality. Like at the Grammies.
You mean like the People’s Choice Awards that has been a thing since the mid-1970s? Or gold and platinum records, which have been given out to artist who meet certain sales thresholds since the 1930s? Say what you will about the Grammys, and there’s certainly a lot to say, but at least their outcomes haven’t been predetermined months in advance. Why watch an awards show when I can easily Google who had the most album sales and song downloads over the course of the year and call it a day?
I’m usually not a grammar pendant, but there’s an important comma missing in the headline.
Um, actually . . . I think you mean “pedant”.
Ironic! Or irenic!