The 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards did not go unnoticed as some artists made history at the award show presented on Thursday 27 May 2021 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.
The Weeknd took home the award for song of the year and also triumphed to secure the socially-voted award for TikTok bop of the year.
He also took home the award for male artist of the year for the very first time making him the third Canadian artist to win in the category after Justin Bieber (2016-17) and Drake (2019).
Watch The Weeknd’s acceptance speech below
English singer and songwriter Dua Lipa took home the female artist of the year award for the first time.
She won in the category that had Megan Thee Stallion and three past winners, Taylor Swift (2015-16 and 2018), Ariana Grande (2019), and Billie Eilish (2020).
There was a surprise winner in the duo/group of the year category as Dan + Shay beat the red-hot BTS as well as three past winners in the category – Jonas Brothers, Maroon 5, and Twenty One Pilots.
Read more: Upcoming albums from Billie Eilish, Maroon 5 and other top stars to look out for
In the eight-year history of the iHeartRadio Music Awards, the duo, Dan + Shay, is the first country group to win in this all-genre category.
BTS, however, won in two socially voted categories – best fan army for the fourth year in a row and best music video for “Dynamite.”
Watch BTS acceptance speech below
Roddy Ricch strolled to two awards stowing away the hip-hop artist of the year and new hip-hop artist of the year.
He made history as the only new artist to win as the top artist of the year in the genre category.
“The Box” by Roddy Ricch also earned him the hip-hop song of the year award.
“Savage” (Remix) by Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé was awarded the best collaboration award.
It follows in the footsteps of Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj’s “Bang Bang” which won the award six years ago to become the second all-female collab to take that award.
Taylor Swift also won pop album of the year with her album, “Folklore”.
For new talented singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, she bagged the social star award and it’s shaping to be the first of many awards the 18-year-old would be winning as the year progresses.
Elton John received the icon award from Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Lil Nas X and if the iHeartRadio Music Awards had existed in his mid-‘70s heyday, he would have dominated extensively.
John undoubtedly paved the way for the success of other British pop and rock musicians, such as Cold Play’s Chris Martin, as well as for the emergence of other openly gay artists, such as Lil Nas X.
You can visit iHeartRadio to check out the full list of winners.
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