The 2016 Billboard Music Awards ceremony was held on May 22, 2016, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the first nationally televised event to originate from that venue. It aired live on ABC with hosts Ludacris and Ciara.
The nominees were announced on April 11, 2016, with The Weeknd earning the most nominations with twenty. Britney Spears received the Billboard Millennium Award for her achievements and influence in the music industry. Celine Dion received the Billboard Icon Award in recognition of her career spanning over three decades. Madonna made an appearance to pay tribute to Prince. Adele premiered the music video for her single "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" at the ceremony.
Performances Artist(s)Song(s)Presented byBritney SpearsMedley:"Work Bitch""Womanizer""I Love Rock 'n' Roll""Breathe on Me""I'm a Slave 4 U""Touch of My Hand""Toxic"Shawn Mendes"Stitches"Jojo FletcherFifth Harmony Ty Dolla Sign"Work from Home"LudacrisCiaraMeghan Trainor"No"SerayahPriyanka ChopraJustin Bieber "Company" "Sorry"DJ KhaledPink"Just Like Fire"Mila KunisKristen BellKathryn HahnNick JonasTove Lo"Close"LudacrisDemi Lovato"Cool for the Summer"LudacrisLukas Graham"7 Years"CiaraBlake SheltonGwen Stefani"Go Ahead and Break My Heart"Thomas RhettPete WentzDNCE"Cake by the Ocean"Keke PalmerKelly RowlandKeshaBen Folds"It Ain't Me, Babe"LudacrisCiaraRihanna"Love on the Brain"Lindsey VonnLaverne CoxCeline Dion Lindsey Stirling"The Show Must Go On"SealTroye Sivan "Youth"HalseyLucy HaleThe Go-Go's"We Got the Beat"Rebecca RomijnAriana Grande"Dangerous Woman""Into You"LudacrisCiaraMadonnaStevie WonderTribute to Prince:"Nothing Compares 2 U" (Madonna solo)"Purple Rain"Questlove
Presenters Source:
Jessica Alba Ashton Kutcher Idina Menzel Kristen Bell Betty Cantrell DJ Khaled Kathryn Hahn Wiz Khalifa Laverne Cox Mila Kunis Keke Palmer Kelly Rowland Rebecca Romijn Serayah McNeill Seal Steven Tyler Lindsey Vonn Pete Wentz Priyanka Chopra Mark Cuban Halsey Zendaya Questlove Thomas Rhett JoJo Fletcher Heidi Klum Michael Strahan
Winners and nominees Winners are listed first and in bold. Top Artist Top New ArtistAdele Justin Bieber Drake Taylor Swift The WeekndFetty Wap OMI Charlie Puth Silentó Bryson TillerTop Male ArtistTop Female ArtistJustin Bieber Drake Fetty Wap Ed Sheeran The WeekndAdele Selena Gomez Ariana Grande Rihanna Taylor SwiftTop Duo/GroupTop Touring ArtistOne Direction Maroon 5 The Rolling Stones twenty one pilots U2Taylor Swift Madonna One Direction The Rolling Stones U2Top Billboard 200 ArtistTop Billboard 200 AlbumAdele Justin Bieber Drake Taylor Swift The Weeknd25 – Adele Purpose – Justin Bieber x – Ed Sheeran 1989 – Taylor Swift Beauty Behind the Madness – The WeekndTop Hot 100 ArtistTop Hot 100 Song The Weeknd Justin Bieber Drake Fetty Wap Taylor Swift"See You Again" – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth "Hello" – Adele "Trap Queen" – Fetty Wap "Can't Feel My Face" – The Weeknd "The Hills" – The WeekndTop Song Sales Artist Top Selling SongThe Weeknd Adele Justin Bieber Drake Fetty Wap"Hello" – Adele "See You Again" – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth "The Hills" – The Weeknd "Cheerleader" – OMI "Fight Song" – Rachel PlattenTop Radio Songs ArtistTop Radio SongThe Weeknd Justin Bieber Ellie Goulding Ed Sheeran Taylor Swift"Shut Up and Dance" – WALK THE MOON "Hello" – Adele "See You Again" – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth "Uptown Funk" – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars "Can't Feel My Face" – The WeekndTop Social Artist (fan-voted)Top Streaming ArtistJustin Bieber Selena Gomez Ariana Grande Demi Lovato Taylor SwiftThe Weeknd Justin Bieber Drake Fetty Wap SilentóTop Streaming Song (Audio)Top Streaming Song (Video)"The Hills" – The Weeknd "Sorry" – Justin Bieber "What Do You Mean?" – Justin Bieber "Hotline Bling – Drake "Trap Queen" – Fetty Wap"Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" – Silentó "Trap Queen" – Fetty Wap "See You Again" – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth "Uptown Funk" – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars "The Hills" – The WeekndTop Christian ArtistTop Christian SongHillsong UNITED Casting Crowns Lauren Daigle MercyMe Chris Tomlin"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" – Hillsong UNITED "Touch the Sky" – Hillsong UNITED "Flawless" – MercyMe "Brother" – NEEDTOBREATHE feat. Gavin DeGraw "Good Good Father" – Chris TomlinTop Christian AlbumTop Gospel ArtistHow Can It Be – Lauren DaigleEmpires – Hillsong UNITED Hymns That Are Important to Us – Joey + Rory This Is Not a Test – TobyMac Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship – Chris Tomlin | valign="top" |Kirk FranklinAnthony Brown and group therAPy Tasha Cobbs Travis Greene Marvin Sapp |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Gospel Song ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Gospel Album |- | valign="top"|"Wanna Be Happy" – Kirk Franklin"Worth" – Anthony Brown and group therAPy "I Luh God" – Erica Campbell feat. Big Shizz "Intentional" – Travis Greene "Worth Fighting For" – Brian Courtney Wilson | valign="top" |Losing My Religion – Kirk FranklinEveryday Jesus – Anthony Brown and group therAPy One Place Live – Tasha Cobbs Life Music: Stage Two – Jonathan McReynolds You Shall Live – Marvin Sapp |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Country Artist ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Country Song |- | valign="top"|Luke BryanSam Hunt Chris Stapleton Carrie Underwood Zac Brown Band | valign="top"|"Die a Happy Man" – Thomas Rhett"Break Up in a Small Town" – Sam Hunt "Take Your Time" – Sam Hunt "Girl Crush" – Little Big Town "I'm Comin' Over" – Chris Young |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Country Album ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Dance/Electronic Artist |- | valign="top"|Traveller – Chris StapletonKill the Lights – Luke Bryan Montevallo – Sam Hunt Storyteller – Carrie Underwood Jekyll + Hyde – Zac Brown Band | valign="top"|David GuettaThe Chainsmokers DJ Snake Major Lazer Zedd |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Dance/Electronic Song ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Dance/Electronic Album |- | valign="top"|"Lean On" – Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MØ"Roses" – The Chainsmokers feat. Rozes "You Know You Like It" – DJ Snake and AlunaGeorge "Hey Mama" – David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack "Where Are Ü Now" – Jack Ü with Justin Bieber | valign="top"|True Colors – ZeddListen – David Guetta Peace Is the Mission – Major Lazer In Return – ODESZA Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü – Jack Ü |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Latin Artist ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Latin Song |- | valign="top"|Romeo SantosBanda Sinaloense MS de Sergio Lizárraga Juan Gabriel Nicky Jam Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho | valign="top"|"El Perdón" – Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias"Ginza" – J Balvin "Te Metiste" – Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho "Borró Cassette" – Maluma "Propuesta Indecente" – Romeo Santos |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Latin Album ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top R&B Artist |- | valign="top"|Los Dúo – Juan GabrielMis Número 1...40 Aniversario – Juan Gabriel Cama Incendiada – Maná Hoy Más Fuerte – Gerardo Ortíz Formula, Vol. 2 – Romeo Santos | valign="top"|The WeekndChris Brown Jeremih Rihanna Bryson Tiller |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top R&B Song ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top R&B Album |- | valign="top"|"The Hills" – The Weeknd"Here" – Alessia Cara "Post to Be" – Omarion feat. Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko "Can't Feel My Face" – The Weeknd "Earned It" – The Weeknd | valign="top"|Beauty Behind the Madness – The WeekndRoyalty – Chris Brown Anti – Rihanna T R A P S O U L – Bryson Tiller Black Rose – Tyrese |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Rap Artist ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Rap Song |- | valign="top"| Drake Fetty Wap Future Wiz Khalifa Silentó | valign="top"|"See You Again" – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth"Hotline Bling" – Drake "Trap Queen" – Fetty Wap "679" – Fetty Wap feat. Remy Boyz "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" – Silentó |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Rap Album ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Rock Artist |- | valign="top"|Dreams Worth More Than Money – Meek MillIf You're Reading This It's Too Late – Drake What a Time to Be Alive – Drake & Future Compton – Dr. Dre To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar | valign="top"| twenty one pilots Fall Out Boy Elle King WALK THE MOON X Ambassadors |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Rock Song ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Rock Album |- | valign="top"|"Shut Up and Dance" – WALK THE MOON"Uma Thurman" – Fall Out Boy "Ex's & Oh's" – Elle King "Stressed Out" – twenty one pilots "Renegades" – X Ambassadors | valign="top"|Blurryface'' – twenty one pilotsSound & Color – Alabama ShakesBlackstar – David BowieA Head Full of Dreams – ColdplayWilder Mind – Mumford & Sons |- ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Top Soundtrack ! style="background:#EEDD82; width=50%" |Billboard Chart Achievement (fan-voted) |- | valign="top"|Pitch Perfect 2Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1Fifty Shades of Grey: Original Motion Picture SoundtrackFurious 7Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol.1''Rihanna Adele Drake Little Big Town The WeekndIcon AwardMillennium AwardCeline DionBritney Spears
Artists with multiple wins and nominations
+ Artists that received multiple nominationsNominationsArtist20 The Weeknd12 Justin Bieber Drake11 Fetty Wap9 Adele8 Taylor Swift6 Wiz Khalifa Charlie Puth5 Silentó4 Hillsong UNITED Sam Hunt twenty one pilots3 Anthony Brown and group therAPy Chris Brown Luke Bryan DJ Snake Kirk Franklin Juan Gabriel David Guetta Major Lazer Rihanna Romeo Santos Ed Sheeran Bryson Tiller WALK THE MOON2 The Chainsmokers Tasha Cobbs Lauren Daigle Fall Out Boy Future Selena Gomez Ariana Grande Travis Greene Jack Ü Nicky Jam Elle King Little Big Town Ariel Camacho y Los Plebes del Rancho Bruno Mars MercyMe One Direction OMI The Rolling Stones Mark Ronson Marvin Sapp Chris Stapleton Chris Tomlin U2 Carrie Underwood X Ambassadors Zac Brown Band Zedd
+ Artists that received multiple awardsWinsArtist8 The Weeknd5 Adele3 Kirk Franklin2 Justin Bieber Hillsong UNITED Wiz Khalifa Charlie Puth twenty one pilots WALK THE MOON
References