The 2021 Billboard Music Awards were held on May 23, 2021, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was broadcast live from NBC, and was hosted by Nick Jonas. Musical performers were announced during a series of social media posts.
Nominees for Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Latin Male Artist, and Top Rap Female Artist were announced on April 28, 2021. The full list of nominations was presented on April 29, 2021. The Weeknd received the most nominations on the ceremony, being nominated for sixteen awards, he would win the most awards of the ceremony with ten awards.
Pink received the Billboard Icon Award, Trae tha Truth received the Change Maker Award, and Drake received the Artist of the Decade Award.
Background Finalists and select winners of the 2021 Billboard Music Awards were based on Billboard charts and reports from March 21, 2020, to April 3, 2021. There were two fan-voted categories; Top Social Artist, and Top Collaboration. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no awards were given for any touring category, including Top Touring Artist. The ceremony was sponsored by Rockstar Energy Drink, Security Benefit, Hot Tools, and Xfinity.
Nick Jonas was announced as the host of the ceremony on April 30, 2021. Pink was announced as the recipient of the Billboard Icon Award and the first performer on May 4, 2021. She became the youngest recipient of the award. The award was presented by Jon Bon Jovi. Trae tha Truth was announced as the second recipient of the Change Maker Award on May 13, 2021. The award was presented by Tina Knowles-Lawson. In addition, Billboard partnered with Trae and his non-profit organization, Angels by Nature, to create the awards show's first non-fungible token (NFT). The sales opened during the weekend of the ceremony, and all proceeds were donated towards the organization.
Although country singer Morgan Wallen received six nominations, Billboard Music Awards producers announced that Wallen was not invited to attend the ceremony, due to a video released earlier this year by TMZ of him using a racial slur while with his friends in Nashville. In a statement, the production company also announced that they had also prohibited Wallen from participating virtually or accepting any of his awards for the ceremony, as the conduct did not "align with [their] core values". The company also stated that Wallen's nominations were solely based on his Billboard charts performance. Wallen would eventually win three of his nominations at the ceremony.
Billboard's Top Artists of the 2010s Decade list was revealed on May 11, 2021. Drake ranked at number one, and was honored with the Artist of the Decade Award. Taylor Swift, who ranked at number two overall, is the top female artist of the 2010s decade.
Unlike the 2020 ceremony, which had no audience members in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dick Clark Productions allowed fully vaccinated attendees (meaning they would have had their final vaccine before May 6, 2021) to attend the ceremony. Attendees were required to show their vaccination card before entering the venue, complete wellness screenings, have their temperature taken, sit in dedicated audience seating, and wear facial coverings at all times. There was an estimated 500 to 600 people in attendance.
Performers On May 10, 2021, performers were announced on a daily basis, leading up to the ceremony, via social media. {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col"| Performer(s) ! scope="col"| Song(s) |- ! scope="row"| DJ KhaledH.E.R.Migos | "We Going Crazy" |- ! scope="row"| Doja CatSZA | "Kiss Me More" |- ! scope="row"| Twenty One Pilots | "Shy Away" |- ! scope="row"| Alicia Keys | Songs in A Minor Medley''': "Piano & I" "A Woman's Worth" "How Come You Don't Call Me" "Fallin'" |- ! scope="row"| AJR | "Bang!""Way Less Sad" |- ! scope="row"| Pink | "Cover Me in Sunshine""All I Know So Far"Medley: "Get the Party Started" "So What" "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" "Who Knew" "Just Like a Pill" "Just Give Me a Reason" |- ! scope="row"| Sounds of BlacknessAnn Nesby | "Optimistic" |- ! scope="row"| Karol G | "Bichota""El Makinon" |- ! scope="row"| BTS | "Butter" |- ! scope="row"| Bad Bunny | "Te Deseo Lo Mejor" |- ! scope="row"| Glass Animals | "Heat Waves" |- ! scope="row"| The Weeknd | "Save Your Tears" |- ! scope="row"| Duran Duran Graham Coxon | "Notorious""Invisible""Hungry Like the Wolf" |- ! scope="row"| Jonas BrothersMarshmello | Closing Medley:"Leave Before You Love Me""Sucker""Only Human""Remember This""What a Man Gotta Do"
Presenters The full list of presenters was announced on May 21, 2021, via social media.
Nick Jonas – host, introduced Doja Cat & SZA and Twenty One Pilots Lil Rel Howery – presented Top Hot 100 Artist Gabrielle Union – presented Top Selling Song Michelle Obama – introduced Alicia Keys Renée Elise Goldsberry – presented Top Country Female Artist Dixie D'Amelio – introduced AJR Lena Waithe – presented Top Latin Artist Jon Bon Jovi – presented Pink with the Icon Award Lil Baby and Nick Jonas – presented Top Hot 100 Song Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – introduced Sounds of Blackness featuring Ann Nesby Swizz Beatz – presented Top Rap Song Tina Knowles – presented Trae tha Truth with the Change Maker Award and introduced Padma Lakshmi Padma Lakshmi – introduced BTS Drake's friends and family — presented Drake with the Artist of the Decade Award Chelsea Handler – presenting Top Rock Artist Kathryn Hahn – introduced Glass Animals Henry Golding – introduced the Weeknd Cynthia Erivo – presented Top Billboard 200 Album Priyanka Chopra – introduced Duran Duran Leslie Odom Jr. – presented Top Artist Kelsea Ballerini – introduced the Jonas Brothers and Marshmello
Winners and nominees Nominations for three categories for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards were announced on April 28, 2021. NBC's Today Show revealed the finalists for Top Hot 100 Artist live in the Pop Start segment. E!'s Daily Pop announced the finalists for Top Latin Male Artist live during their show. Access Hollywood announced the finalists for Top Rap Female Artist live during their show.
Nominations in all categories were announced during the Billboard Music Awards - The List Live, which was streamed on social media platforms on April 29, 2021. The show was hosted by Access Hollywoods Zuri Hall and comedian LaLa Milan. Finalists were presented by Finneas, Maggie Baird, Luis Fonsi, Jon Batiste, Tate McRae, Anitta, Bretman Rock, Brianne Howey, Antonia Gentry, Chris Sullivan, Jay Pharoah, Kandi Burruss, Kyle Richards, Leslie Jordan, Lisa Rinna, the New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus, Nick DiGiovanni, Paris Hilton, Rob Gronkowski, Tanya Rad, Brad Goreski, Tika the Iggy, Tim Anderson, and Wisdom Kaye. The show also featured reactions from 24kGoldn, Gabby Barrett, and Seventeen. In addition, Hall and Milan discussed the award categories, key finalist chart achievements and records.
Voting for Top Social Artist and Top Collaboration opened on Billboard's official website and on social media on May 10, 2021, and closed on May 21, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. PST.
On the day of the ceremony, Love Island'' narrator and co-writer Matthew Hoffman hosted an Instagram live on the ceremonies' official account at 10 a.m. PST, where he announced the winners in categories that were not presented during the main show.
Winners are listed first and in bold.
Top ArtistTop New ArtistTop Male Artist The Weeknd Drake Juice Wrld Pop Smoke Taylor Swift Pop Smoke Gabby Barrett Doja Cat Jack Harlow Rod Wave The Weeknd Drake Pop Smoke Lil Baby Juice WrldTop Female ArtistTop Duo/GroupTop Billboard 200 Artist Taylor Swift Billie Eilish Ariana Grande Dua Lipa Megan Thee Stallion BTS AC/DC AJR Dan + Shay Maroon 5 Taylor Swift Drake Juice Wrld Post Malone Pop SmokeTop Hot 100 ArtistTop Streaming Songs ArtistTop Song Sales Artist The Weeknd DaBaby Drake Dua Lipa Pop Smoke Drake DaBaby Lil Baby Pop Smoke The Weeknd BTS Justin Bieber Megan Thee Stallion Morgan Wallen The WeekndTop Radio Songs Artist Top Social Artist (fan-voted)Top R&B Artist The Weeknd Justin Bieber Lewis Capaldi Dua Lipa Harry Styles BTS Blackpink Ariana Grande SB19 Seventeen The Weeknd Jhené Aiko Justin Bieber Chris Brown Doja CatTop R&B Male ArtistTop R&B Female ArtistTop Rap Artist The Weeknd Justin Bieber Chris Brown Doja Cat Jhené Aiko SZA Pop Smoke DaBaby Drake Juice Wrld Lil BabyTop Rap Male ArtistTop Rap Female ArtistTop Country Artist Pop Smoke Juice Wrld Lil Baby Megan Thee Stallion Cardi B Saweetie Morgan Wallen Gabby Barrett Kane Brown Luke Combs Chris StapletonTop Country Male ArtistTop Country Female ArtistTop Country Duo/Group Morgan Wallen Luke Combs Chris Stapleton Gabby Barrett Maren Morris Carrie Underwood Florida Georgia Line Dan + Shay Maddie and TaeTop Rock ArtistTop Latin ArtistTop Latin Male Artist Machine Gun Kelly AC/DC AJR Five Finger Death Punch Twenty One Pilots Bad Bunny Anuel AA J Balvin Maluma Ozuna Bad Bunny J Balvin OzunaTop Latin Female ArtistTop Latin Duo/GroupTop Dance/Electronic Artist Karol G Becky G Rosalía Eslabon Armado Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga Los Dos Carnales Lady Gaga The Chainsmokers Kygo Marshmello Surf MesaTop Christian ArtistTop Gospel ArtistTop Billboard 200 Album Elevation Worship Casting Crowns For King & Country Carrie Underwood Zach Williams Kanye West Kirk Franklin Koryn Hawthorne Tasha Cobbs Leonard Maverick City Music Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon Juice Wrld – Legends Never Die Lil Baby – My Turn Taylor Swift – Folklore The Weeknd – After HoursTop R&B AlbumTop Rap AlbumTop Country Album The Weeknd – After Hours Jhené Aiko – Chilombo Chris Brown & Young Thug – Slime & B Doja Cat – Hot Pink Kehlani – It Was Good Until It Wasn't Pop Smoke – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon DaBaby –Blame It on Baby Juice Wrld – Legends Never Die Lil Baby – My Turn Lil Uzi Vert – Eternal Atake Morgan Wallen – Dangerous: The Double Album Gabby Barrett – Goldmine Sam Hunt – Southside Chris Stapleton – Starting Over Carrie Underwood – My GiftTop Rock AlbumTop Latin AlbumTop Dance/Electronic Album Machine Gun Kelly – Tickets to My Downfall AC/DC – Power Up Miley Cyrus – Plastic Hearts Glass Animals – Dreamland Bruce Springsteen – Letter to You Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG Anuel AA – Emmanuel Bad Bunny – El Último Tour Del Mundo Bad Bunny – Las que no iban a salir J Balvin – Colores Lady Gaga – Chromatica DJ Snake – Carte Blanche Gryffin – Gravity Kygo – Golden Hour Kylie Minogue – DiscoTop Christian AlbumTop Gospel AlbumTop Hot 100 Song(presented by Rockstar Energy Drink) Carrie Underwood – My Gift Bethel Music – Peace Elevation Worship – Graves into Gardens We the Kingdom – Holy Water Zach Williams – Rescue Story Maverick City Music – Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1 Koryn Hawthorne – I Am Tasha Cobbs Leonard – Royalty: Live at the Ryman Maverick City Music – Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 2 Kierra Sheard – Kierra The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights" 24kGoldn (featuring Iann Dior) – "Mood" Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth – "I Hope" Chris Brown & Young Thug – "Go Crazy" DaBaby (featuring Roddy Ricch) – "Rockstar"Top Streaming SongTop Selling SongTop Radio Song DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch – "Rockstar" Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion – "WAP" Future featuring Drake – "Life Is Good" Jack Harlow featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne – "Whats Poppin" The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights" BTS – "Dynamite" Gabby Barrett (featuring Charlie Puth) – "I Hope" Cardi B (featuring Megan Thee Stallion) – "WAP" Megan Thee Stallion (featuring Beyoncé) – "Savage" The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights" The Weeknd – "Blinding Lights" Gabby Barrett (featuring Charlie Puth) – "I Hope" Chris Brown & Young Thug – "Go Crazy" Dua Lipa – "Don't Start Now"