MTV Europe Music Awards 2020: BTS win four trophies at star-studded virtual ceremony


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K-pop stars BTS picked up four prizes at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Sunday, including Best Song for Dynamite and Best Group, capping a year in which the Korean band underlined its status as a major global act.

The group's first English-language song, Dynamite, logged nearly 34 million US streams and 300,000 sales in its first week, making BTS the first Korean act to debut at No 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

The seven-member band also snagged the MTV awards for Best Virtual Live act and the Biggest Fans, although the pandemic meant there was no audience and no ceremony to mark their achievement.

Instead, the music channel created a virtual stadium full of waving and cheering fans for the event, with acts appearing in pre-recorded performances from wherever they were located and winners accepting awards to camera.

British band Little Mix hosted the show, without member Jesy Nelson who was reported to be ill. They appeared on a computer generated stage within the "stadium".

Hosts Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards of Little Mix presenting at the MTV EMAs. Getty Images
Hosts Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards of Little Mix presenting at the MTV EMAs. Getty Images

In a nod to the pandemic, US rapper Jack Harlow sang Whats Poppin on stage with four dancers wearing face masks.

Karol G won the new Best Latin Act category and Best Collaboration for Tusa featuring Nicki Minaj, while Lady Gaga took the Best Artist award and DJ Khaled was awarded Best Video for Popstar, which also featured Drake and starred Justin Bieber.

Little Mix, who performed Sweet Melody in a performance recorded in London, won the Best Pop Act for 2020.

Cardi B was named Best Hip-hop Act, Coldplay won the Best Rock category and Hayley Williams won the award for Best Alternative Act.

Among the performers was Alicia Keys who sang Love Looks Better, and Sam Smith, who performed Diamonds on the stage of an empty theatre.

US singer and rapper Doja Cat, who took home this year's Best New Act award, opened the show with her hit Say So.

French DJ and producer David Guetta, who won the award for Best Electronic Act, performed Let's Love with British singer Raye at the Szechenyi Bath complex in the Hungarian capital Budapest, accompanied by a laser show.

Here's the full list of MTV EMAs winners:

Best Video

DJ Khaled, Popstar ft Drake starring Justin Bieber (winner)
Billie Eilish, Everything I Wanted
Cardi B, WAP ft Megan Thee Stallion
Karol G, Tusa ft Nicki Minaj
Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Rain On Me
Taylor Swift, The Man
The Weeknd, Blinding Lights

Best Artist

Lady Gaga (winner)
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
Miley Cyrus
The Weeknd

Best Song

BTS, Dynamite (winner)
DaBaby, Rockstar ft Roddy Ricch
Dua Lipa, Don't Start Now
Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Rain On Me
Roddy Ricch, The Box
The Weeknd, Blinding Lights

Best Collaboration

Karol G, Tusa ft Nicki Minaj (winner)
Blackpink, Selena Gomez, Ice Cream
Cardi B, WAP ft Megan Thee Stallion
DaBaby, Rockstar ft Roddy Ricch
Justin Bieber, Intentions ft Quavo
Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Rain On Me
Sam Smith, Demi Lovato, I'm Ready

Best Pop

Little Mix (winner)
BTS
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
Lady Gaga

Best Group

BTS (winner)
5 Seconds of Summer
Blackpink
Chloe x Halle
CNCO
Little Mix

Best New

Doja Cat (winner)
Benee
DaBaby
Jack Harlow
Roddy Ricch
Yungblud

Biggest Fans

BTS (winner)
Ariana Grande
Blackpink
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
Taylor Swift

Best Latin

Karol G (winner)
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna

Best Rock

Coldplay (winner)
Green Day
Liam Gallagher
Pearl Jam
Tame Impala
The Killers

Best Hip-Hop

Cardi B (winner)
DaBaby
Drake
Eminem
Megan Thee Stallion
Roddy Ricch
Travis Scott

Best Electronic

David Guetta (winner)
Calvin Harris
Kygo
Marshmello
Martin Garrix
The Chainsmokers

Best Alternative

Hayley Williams (winner)
blackbear
FKA twigs
Machine Gun Kelly
The 1975
Twenty One Pilots

Video for Good

H.E.R., I Can't Breathe (winner)
Anderson .Paak, Lockdown
David Guetta and Sia, Let's love
Demi Lovato, I Love Me
Jorja Smith, By Any Means
Lil Baby, The Bigger Picture

Best Push

Yungblud (winner) 
AJ Mitchell
Ashnikko
Benee
Brockhampton
Conan Gray
Doja Cat
Georgia
Jack Harlow
Lil Tecca
Tate McRae
Wallows

Best Virtual Live

BTS – Bang Bang Con: The Live (winner)
J Balvin – Behind The Colores Live Experience
Katy Perry at Tomorrow Land – Around The World
Little Mix – UNCancelled
Maluma – Papi Juancho Live
Post Malone – Nirvana Tribute

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Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

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Ipaf in numbers

Established: 2008

Prize money:  $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.

Winning novels: 13

Shortlisted novels: 66

Longlisted novels: 111

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Novels translated internationally: 66

Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

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