Billboard Music Awards, News, Music News

2019 Billboard Music Awards: What to Expect

The 2019 Billboard Music Awards air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas tonight (Wednesday, May 1, 2019) at 8pm ET/PT on NBC.

Kelly Clarkson will return as the host for the music-filled night. Presenters include Asher Angel, Becky G, Chrissy Metz & Justin Hartley, Cobie Smulders, Dave Bautista & Kumail Nanjiani, David Guetta, Erin & Sara Foster, Eva Longoria, Florida Georgia Line, Jennifer Hudson, Jesse Spencer, Julia Michaels, Julianne Hough, Kane Brown, Olivia Wilde, Beanie Feldstein & Kaitlyn Dever, Ralph Macchio, Rob Gronkowski, Ross Lynch & Kiernan Shipka, Sabrina Carpenter, Sophie Turner & Tye Sheridan, Terry Crews, and William Zabka.


The night will see many star-studded performances, including an opening performance of "ME!" by Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, and a closing medley performance by Paula Abdul. Throughout the show, there will be performances by BTS featuring Halsey, Ariana Grande, Jonas Brothers, Ciara, Madonna & Maluma, Panic! at the Disco, Halsey, Kelly Clarkson, Lauren Daigle, Dan + Shay with Tori Kelly, and Khalid.

Mariah Carey will also perform a medley of her biggest hits as she is being honored with the Icon Award.


Cardi B, Drake, Post Malone, and Travis Scott lead the night with the most nominations. Check out the list of nominees below:

Top Artist:
Cardi B
Drake
Ariana Grande
Post Malone
Travis Scott

Top New Artist:
Bazzi
Juice Wrld
Lil Baby
Dua Lipa
Ella Mai

Billboard Chart Achievement Award:
Dan + Shay
Drake
Ariana Grande
Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Dua Lipa

Top Male Artist:
Drake
Post Malone
Travis Scott
Ed Sheeran
XXXTentacion

Top Female Artist:
Cardi B
Ariana Grande
Halsey
Ella Mai
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group:
BTS
Dan + Shay
Imagine Dragons
Maroon 5
Panic! At The Disco

Top Billboard 200 Artist:
Drake
Ariana Grande
Post Malone
Travis Scott
XXXTentacion

Top Hot 100 Artist:
Cardi B
Drake
Ariana Grande
Juice Wrld
Post Malone

Top Social Artist:
BTS
EXO
GOT7
Ariana Grande
Louis Tomlinson

Top R&B Artist:
H.E.R.
Khalid
Ella Mai
The Weeknd
XXXTentacion

Top R&B Male Artist:
Khalid
The Weeknd
XXXTentacion

Top R&B Female Artist:
H.E.R.
Ella Mai
Queen Naija

Top Rap Artist:
Cardi B
Drake
Juice Wrld
Post Malone
Travis Scott

Top Rap Male Artist:
Drake
Post Malone
Travis Scott

Top Rap Female Artist:
Cardi B
City Girls
Nicki Minaj

Top Country Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line

Top Country Male Artist:
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs

Top Country Female Artist:
Maren Morris
Kacey Musgraves
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group:
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Old Dominion

Top Rock Artist:
Imagine Dragons
Lovelytheband
Panic! At The Disco
Queen
Twenty One Pilots

Top Dance/Electronic Artist:
Calvin Harris
Kygo
Marshmello
Odesza
The Chainsmokers

Top Christian Artist:
Cory Asbury
Lauren Daigle
For King & Country
Hillsong Worship
MercyMe

Top Gospel Artist:
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tori Kelly
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Marvin Sapp

Top Billboard 200 Album:
Cardi B “Invasion of Privacy”
Drake “Scorpion”
Post Malone “beerbongs & bentleys"
Travis Scott “ASTROWORLD”
XXXTentacion “?”

Top Soundtrack:
“13 Reasons Why: Season 2”
“A Star is Born” by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
“The Greatest Showman”

Top R&B Album:
Ella Mai “Ella Mai”
H.E.R. “H.E.R.”
Khalid “American Teen”
The Weeknd “My Dear Melancholy,”
XXXTentacion “17”

Top Rap Album:
Cardi B “Invasion of Privacy”
Drake “Scorpion”
Post Malone “beerbongs & bentleys"
Travis Scott “ASTROWORLD”
XXXTentacion “?”

Top Hot 100 Song:
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You”
Post Malone “Better Now”
Travis Scott “SICKO MODE”

Top Collaboration:
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
Khalid & Normani “Love Lies”
Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B “Girls Like You”
Marshmello & Bastille “Happier”
Post Malone ft. Ty Dolla $ign “Psycho”

Top R&B Song:
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Chance The Rapper & Quavo “No Brainer”
Ella Mai “Boo’d Up”
Ella Mai “Trip”
Khalid “Better”
Lil Dicky ft. Chris Brown “Freaky Friday”

Top Rap Song:
Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin “I Like It”
Drake “In My Feelings”
Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams”
Post Malone “Better Now”
Travis Scott “SICKO MODE”

Top Country Song:
Kane Brown “Heaven”
Luke Combs “She Got the Best of Me”
Dan + Shay “Speechless”
Dan + Shay “Tequila”
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be”

Top Rock Song:
Foster The People “Sit Next to Me”
Imagine Dragons “Natural”
Imagine Dragons “Whatever It Takes”
Lovelytheband “broken”
Panic! At The Disco “High Hopes”


Sway Calloway, Sofia Reyes, and Jaymes Vaughan will host the BBMAs Red Carpet Live beginning at 6pm ET/3pm PT, streaming exclusively on Twitter. The two hour pre-ceremony festivities will include exclusive interviews from the red carpet and discussion of the night's nominees, performers and presenters. There will also be Live Red Carpet footage on E! starting at 6pm ET.


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Article image: Aditya Chinchure via Unsplash.

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About Michelle Ruoff

  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania