Last night The MTV “Video Music Awards” for 2017 were handed out at The Forum in Los Angeles. Last years they did this at our own famed Madison Square Garden and I guess it was proper to give LA a chance for the next go round. Now, I must admit to the readership that I no longer even remotely watch the MTV network nor have much of an interest in its programming. As a Rock guy with a lean towards the Metal side of the fence, its kind of hard for me to sit through endless Rap and R&B stuff since its not my thing. Sure I loved Run DMC and some Grandmaster Flash along with a few other legends over the years but there is no connection in my world of today with that sound. I generally post the “Rock” category winners over on PiercingMetal.com to get our readers all fired up and lamenting the state of the music industy but over on “The Chronicles” I am giving you the whole list that was compiled thanks to the other entertainment websites and the MTV one itself to be on point. We are here to entertain you after all so lets take a look at the list and who went home with a “moon person” stateuette.

Video of the Year:
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) — WINNER
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records)
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records)

Song of Summer:
Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi, Feat. Justin Bieber – “Despacito (Remix)”
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
Shawn Mendes – “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back”
Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry”
DJ Khaled Feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”
Camila Cabello Feat. Quavo – “OMG”
Fifth Harmony Feat. Gucci Mane – “Down”
Lil Uzi Vert – “XO Tour Llif3” — WINNER

Artist of the Year:
Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records)
Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic Records) — WINNER
Ariana Grande (Republic Records)
The Weeknd (XO/Republic Records)
Lorde (Republic Records)

Best New Artist:
Khalid (RCA Records) — WINNER
Kodak Black (Atlantic Records)
SZA (TDE/RCA Records)
Young M.A (3D)
Julia Michaels (Republic Records)
Noah Cyrus (Records)

Best Collaboration:
Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (Atlantic Records)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best)
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records)
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records)
Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean – “Feels” (Columbia Records)
Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)” (Republic Records) — WINNER

Best Pop:
Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better” (Island Records)
Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You” (Asylum/Atlantic Records)
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records)
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) — WINNER
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records)
Miley Cyrus – “Malibu” (RCA Records)

Best Hip Hop:
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) — WINNER
Big Sean – “Bounce Back” (Def Jam)
Chance the Rapper – “Same Drugs” (Chance the Rapper LLC)
D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records)
Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad & Boujee” (300 Entertainment)
DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne – “I’m The One” (Epic Records/We The Best)

Best Dance:
Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay” (Interscope) — WINNER
Kygo x Selena Gomez – “It Ain’t Me” (Ultra/Interscope)
Calvin Harris – “My Way” (Columbia Records)
Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water” (Mad Decent)
Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Gone” (Wall Recordings/Latium/RCA Records)

Best Rock:
Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams” (Parlophone/Atlantic Records)
Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace” (Island)
Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul” (Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic Records) — WINNER
Green Day – “Bang Bang” (Warner Bros. Records)
Foo Fighters – “Run” (RCA Records)

Best Fight Against the System:
Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan” (Race & LGBTQ) (Def Jam) — WINNER
The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” (Immigration) (Atlantic Records) — WINNER
Big Sean – “Light” (Race) (Def Jam) — WINNER
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Body image) (Def Jam) — WINNER
Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL” (Environment) — WINNER
John Legend – “Surefire” (Immigration & Anti-Muslim hate) (Columbia Records) — WINNER

Best Cinematography:
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Scott Cunningham) — WINNER
Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope) (Matthew Wise)
Ed Sheeran – “Castle On The Hill” (Asylum/Atlantic Records) (Steve Annis)
DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels – “Nobody Speak” (Mass Appeal Records LLC) (David Proctor)
Halsey – “Now or Never” (Astralwerks/Capitol) (Kristof Brandl)

Best Direction:
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers & the little homies) — WINNER
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Mathew Cullen)
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records)(Cameron Duddy & Bruno Mars)
Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam) (Aaron A)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Glenn Michael)

Best Art Direction:
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Spencer Graves) — WINNER
Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) (Alex Delgado)
Katy Perry ft. Migos – “Bon Appetit” (Capitol Records) (Natalie Groce)
DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) (Damian Fyffe)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Creative Director: Lamar C Taylor / Co-creative Director: Christo Anesti)

Best Visual Effects:
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall) — WINNER
A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation” (Epic Records) (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel)
KYLE ft. Lil Yachty – “iSpy” (Atlantic Records) (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi)
Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Company: MIRADA)
Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records) (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cédric Nivoliez)

Best Choreography:
Kanye West – “Fade” (Def Jam) (Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Jae Blaze & Derek ‘Bentley’ Watkins) — WINNER
Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers)
Sia – “The Greatest” (Monkey Puzzle Records/RCA Records) (Ryan Heffington)
Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) (Sean Bankhead)

Best Editing:
Future – “Mask Off” (Epic Records/Freebandz/A1) (Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost)
Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean” (300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records) (Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini) — WINNER
Lorde – “Green Light” (Republic Records) (Nate Gross of Exile Edit)
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records) (Jennifer Kennedy)
The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Red Barbaza)

*** end of list ***

Piercing Ken Thoughts: So there you have it. If you are a fan of the groups that were in the running are you happy with the winners circle? I’d venture to guess that Kendrick Lamar is going to need another shelf set up for all the awards he walked away from this with. Hopefully none of you readers were playing any drinking games with his wins as you’re going to have an aching head for a couple of days. As anticipated, the Rock inclusion was paltry but what can you do. This network was built on the backs of that genre and no longer really brings its diverse offerings to the table. Feel free to let me know your thoughts about these winners if you are a fan of the music. If you are one of my Metal website audience people please divert your commentary to our post about the category on our other medium as opposed to here. As I close this up I had to chuckle at the notion about our Google searching going up based on my featuring numerous tags in this post that I would likely never be opining about. Until we meet again.

Official Website: http://www.mtv.com