Missed the 2018 Billboard Music Awards? Here Are the Moments You Need to Know About

The Reputation singer attended the Billboard Music Awards, marking her first awards show appearance since the 2016 BMI Pop Awards. Swift looked ethereal in a pink gown as she made her way down the red carpet.

The show opened with Clarkson, who became noticeably emotional as she recounted the tragedy of yet another school shooting that went down in her home state of Texas. “I’m tired of these [moments] of silence,” she began, tearing up before beginning the ceremony. “Let’s have a moment of action. Let’s have a moment of change.”

Later, the singer performed an impressive medley that included Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” and Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do,” among other hits. And of course, she was pretty hilarious and endearing throughout the ceremony, too.

The pop star kicked off the annual awards show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with her glittering new disco single, “No Tears Left to Cry,” which prompted the star-studded crowd — including Camila Cabello — to sing along to the upbeat tune.

Halsey and EDM duo the Chainsmokers paid tribute to Avicii one month to the day after the superstar deejay’s death. “We’d like to take a moment and talk about our friend, Avicii,” began Alex Pall, before his partner Andrew Taggart continued the message. “His passing was a great loss for the music world and for us. He was an artist that inspired so many in so many ways, and simply put, but he meant so much to us and everyone in the EDM community.”

From cheering on Shawn Mendes during his performance to Cabello giving Swift a standing ovation after she won top female artist, this musical pair (and Reputation tour mates!) didn’t shy away from showing off their BFF status on Sunday night.

Continuing to ride the mega success of his song, “Despacito,” Fonsi accepted the award while giving his fellow Latinos a shout-out during his acceptance speech. “This one goes out to all my Latino brothers. All my immigrants,” he said. “All my dreamers.”

The powerhouses delivered a high-energy performance of their new duet, “Fall in Line,” for the first time on the Billboard Music Awards stage. The song, the latest single off of Aguilera’s upcoming album Liberation, is an inspiring anthem of self-empowerment built for the #TimesUp era — with lyrics that remind women to find their inner strength and stand up for themselves.

Though Cardi B skipped the Billboard Music Awards, thus unable to join the duo onstage, Lopez and DJ Khaled still performed their collab, “Dinero,” which featured gold confetti, fake bills and a whole lot of cool dance moves, courtesy of a pantsuit-clad Lopez. 

Considering their fans cheered whenever they were mentioned (and when they performed!), it came as no surprise when the Korean boy band took home the award for top social artist. But the real win came when they got the chance to practice their modeling poses with the supermodel and veteran smizing pro.

The musical pair, who was joined by the Stoneman Douglas High School student choir for a performance of “Youth,” left audience members, like Padma Lakshmi and Halsey, in tears with their emotional tribute to those affected or have lost loved ones to gun violence.

It was a big night for Swift, who not only made her big awards show debut on Sunday after a two-year absence, but also took home the prizes for top female artist and top selling album for Reputation. “Thanks for making me feel understood again,” she said in her speech, addressing her fans.

One of the best moments at the Billboard Music Awards didn’t actually happen at the annual event — but instead went down on Twitter when Teigen jokingly called out her husband for attending the show a few days after the couple welcomed son Miles. Funnily enough, Legend recorded a video of himself telling his wife that he was leaving the BBMAs early to get back home. “I’m already at the airport. I’ll be home for dinner by 8,” Legend responded to Teigen on Twitter nearly one hour after she asked him to “be home by 9” for “shortrib night.”

She’s back! Not only was the moment Jackson’s first television performance in nine years, but it was also the first time she has performed as a mom. The legendary performer hit the stage in a sparkling gold sweatshirt dress and shiny gold thigh-high shoes as she sang her 1986 hit “Nasty” before launching into her 1993 song “Throb.”

After the electrifying production, that left the audience chanting “Janet! Janet!” Jackson shared heartfelt words in her acceptance speech: “I’m deepy humbled and grateful for this award. I believe that for all the challenges, all of our challenges, we live a great moment in history. It’s a moment that at long last women have made it clear that we will not be controlled, manipulated or abused.”

It’s been nearly 25 years since Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue scored a Top 10 hit with their 1993 duet “Whatta Man,” and on Sunday, the two supergroups reunited to perform the crowd-pleasing hit and a funky hit-filled medley that mashed up “Push It,” “Shoop,” and “Let’s Talk About Sex.” Viewers were also treated to a surprise when, just before the song wrapped, host Kelly Clarkson came out to take a climactic line on the chorus.