The 2015 Billboard Music Awards aired last night (May 17) on ABC-TV from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor facing off in eight categories. The 3-hour program averaged 11.1-million viewers for live and same-day earnings, with a 3.7 adults 18-49 rating, a year-over-year improvement.
Additional Nashville-affiliated nominees and winners included Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, The Black Keys, Luke Bryan, Brantley Gilbert, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Sam Hunt, and Florida Georgia Line (full list below).
Swift took home eight awards including the fan voted Billboard Chart Achievement Award. She also opened the show with the debut of her highly promoted music video for new single “Bad Blood.” Directed by Joseph Kahn and produced by Swift, the video included cameos from Jessica Alba, Lily Aldridge, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lena Dunham, Selena Gomez, Ellie Goulding, Gigi Hadid, Mariska Hargitay, Martha Hunt, Karlie Kloss, Kendrick Lamar, Ellen Pompeo, Serayah, Hailee Steinfeld, Hayley Williams, and Zendaya.
Pictured (L-R): Hayley Stommel, Tyler Hubbard, Scott Borchetta, Brian Kelley, Brittney Marie Cole. Photo: Twitter.
FGL took home Top Country Artist while Underwood took home Top Christian Song for “Something In The Water.”
With two trophies, Aldean was honored for his Old Boots, New Dirt album (2014) and its FGL-written lead single, “Burnin’ It Down.” Performance duo Trainor and John Legend also received a pair of trophies and debuted a new song, ”Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” written by Trainor, Caitlyn Smith and Justin Weaver and produced by Trainor and her Big Yellow Dog mate Chris Gelbuda.
Kelly Clarkson (L) performs. John Legend (C) takes the stage with Meghan Trainor (R). Photos: BBMA.
Additional top performances included the much anticipated performance of ”Girl Crush” by Little Big Town and Faith Hill. Kelly Clarkson also took the stage with her Sia-written ballad “Invincible.”
Presenters throughout the broadcast included Brett Eldredge, Swift and FGL.
Categories are based on album and digital song sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social-media interactions tracked year-round (March 10, 2014, through March 8, 2015) by Billboard and its data partners, including Nielsen Music and Next Big Sound. The only fan-voted award was the Swift-received Billboard Chart Achievement Award.
Faith Hill (L) performs “Girl Crush” with Little Big Town, pictured with Karen Fairchild. Photo: BBMA.
Full list of 2015 Billboard winners
Top Artist
Ariana Grande
One Direction
Katy Perry
Sam Smith
**Taylor Swift
Top New Artist
5 Seconds of Summer
Iggy Azalea
Hozier
**Sam Smith
Meghan Trainor
Top Male Artist
Drake
Pharrell Williams
Ed Sheeran
**Sam Smith
Justin Timberlake
Top Female Artist
Iggy Azalea
Ariana Grande
Katy Perry
**Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top Duo/Group
5 Seconds of Summer
Florida Georgia Line
MAGIC!
Maroon 5
**One Direction
Top Billboard 200 Artist
One Direction
Pentatonix
Ed Sheeran
Sam Smith
**Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist
Iggy Azalea
Ariana Grande
Sam Smith
**Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top Digital Songs Artist
Iggy Azalea
Ed Sheeran
Sam Smith
**Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top Radio Songs Artist
John Legend
Maroon 5
Ed Sheeran
**Sam Smith
Taylor Swift
Top Touring Artist
Lady Gaga
**One Direction
Katy Perry
The Rolling Stones
Justin Timberlake
Top Social Artist
**Justin Bieber
Miley Cyrus
Selena Gomez
Ariana Grande
Taylor Swift
Top Streaming Artist
** Iggy Azalea
Ariana Grande
Nicki Minaj
Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
Top R&B Artist
Beyonce
Chris Brown
John Legend
Trey Songz
**Pharrell Williams
Top Rap Artist
**Iggy Azalea
Cole
Drake
Nicki Minaj
Rae Sremmurd
Top Country Artist
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
**Florida Georgia Line
Brantley Gilbert
Blake Shelton
Top Rock Artist
Bastille
Coldplay
Fall Out Boy
**Hozier
Lorde
Top Latin Artist
J Balvin
Juan Gabriel
Enrique Iglesias
Prince Royce
**Romeo Santos
Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Avicii
Clean Bandit
Disclosure
**Calvin Harris
Lindsey Stirling
Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
**Hillsong
Lecrae
MercyMe
Newsboys
Top Billboard 200 Album
Maroon 5 V
Pentatonix That’s Christmas To Me
Ed Sheeran x
Sam Smith In the Lonely Hour
**Taylor Swift 1989
Top Soundtrack
The Fault in Our Stars
Fifty Shades of Grey
**Frozen
Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix: Vol. 1
Into the Woods
Top R&B Album
Beyonce Beyonce
Chris Brown X
Michael Jackson Xscape
John Legend Love in the Future
**Pharrell G I R L
Top Rap Album
**J. Cole 2014 Forest Hill Drive
Drake If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late
Nicki Minaj The Pinkprint
Iggy Azalea The New Classic
Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Top Country Album
**Jason Aldean Old Boots, New Dirt
Garth Brooks Man Against Machine
Luke Bryan Crash My Party
Brantley Gilbert Just As I Am
Miranda Lambert Platinum
Top Rock Album
AC/DC Rock or Bust
The Black Keys Turn Blue
**Coldplay Ghost Stories
Hozier Hozier
Lorde Pure Heroine
Top Latin Album
Juan Gabriel Los Duo
**Enrique Iglesias Sex and Love
Romeo Santos Formula: Vol. 2
Santana Corazon
Marc Anthony 3.0
Top Dance/Electronic Album
Avicii True
Disclosure Settle
Calvin Harris Motion
Skrillex Recess
** Lindsey Stirling Shatter Me
Top Christian Album
**Lecrae Anomaly
Casting Crowns Thrive
MercyMe Welcome to the New
NEEDTOBREATHE Rivers in the Wasteland
Chris Tomlin Love Ran Red
Top Hot 100 Song
Iggy Azalea Feat. Charli XCX “Fancy”
John Legend “All of Me”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Taylor Swift “Shake It Off”
**Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass”
Top Digital Song
Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Taylor Swift “Shake It Off”
** Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass”
Pharrell Williams “Happy
Top Radio Song
**John Legend “All of Me”
MAGIC! “Rude”
Nico & Vinz “Am I Wrong”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Pharrell Williams “Happy
Top Streaming Song (Audio)
Iggy Azalea Feat. Charli XCX “Fancy”
Hozier “Take Me to Church”
**John Legend “All of Me”
Sam Smith “Stay With Me”
Tove Lo “Habits (Stay High)”
Top Streaming Song (Video)
Idina Menzel “Let It Go”
Bobby Shmurda “Hot Boy”
Taylor Swift “Blank Space”
**Taylor Swift “Shake It Off”
Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass”
Top R&B Song
Chris Brown Featuring Lil Wayne, French Montana, Too $hort & Tyga “Loyal”
Jason Derulo Feat. 2 Chainz “Talk Dirty”
Jeremih Featuring YG “Don’t Tell ‘Em”
John Legend “All of Me”
**Pharrell “Happy”
Top Rap Song
**Iggy Azalea Feat. Charli XCX “Fancy”
Iggy Azalea Feat. Rita Ora “Black Widow”
Big Sean Featuring E-40 “I Don’t F**k With You”
Nicki Minaj “Anaconda”
Bobby Shmurda “Hot Boy”
Top Country Song
**Jason Aldean “Burnin’ It Down”
Luke Bryan “Play It Again”
Sam Hunt “Leave the Light On”
Florida Georgia Line Featuring Luke Bryan “This Is How We Roll”
Florida Georgia Line “Dirt”
Top Rock Song
Bastille “Pompeii”
Coldplay “A Sky Full of Stars”
Fall Out Boy “Centuries”
**Hozier “Take Me to Church”
Paramore “Ain’t It Fun”
Top Latin Song
J Balvin Featuring Farruko “6 AM”
**Enrique Iglesias Featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona “Bailando”
Romeo Santos “Eres Mia”
Romeo Santos Featuring Drake “Odio”
Romeo Santos “Propuesta Indecente”
Top Dance/Electronic Song
Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne “Rather Be”
Disclosure Featuring Sam Smith “Latch”
**DJ Snake & Lil Jon “Turn Down For What”
Ariana Grande Featuring Zedd “Break Free”
Calvin Harris “Summer”
Top Christian Song
Francesca Battistelli “He Knows My Name”
Hillsong “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”
MercyMe “Greater”
newsboys “We Believe”
**Carrie Underwood “Something In The Water”
Billboard Chart Achievement Award
Iggy Azalea
**Taylor Swift
Meghan Trainor
About the Author
Eric T. Parker oversees operations and contributes editorial for MusicRow's print magazine, MusicRow.com, the RowFax tip sheet and the MusicRow CountryBreakout chart. He also facilitates annual events for the enterprise, including MusicRow Awards, CountryBreakout Awards and the Rising Women on the Row. eparker@musicrow.com | @EricTParkerView Author Profile
