From eye-catching performances to unexpected nominees, this year’s Video Music Awards set a new record as the most watched VMAs performance in history with over 1 billion global views. On September 7th at UBS Arena, LL Cool J hosted the show live on Paramount+ and for the first time, on CBS. HHS students voted on a series of questions asking about their thoughts concerning VMA award winners on a data survey. Now let’s take a look at what they have to say!
The survey consisted of fifteen questions about the VMAs this year with twenty-seven student responses in total. Based on the survey, 15.4% of HHS students voted for Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar, 26.9% voted for Manchild by Sabrina Carpenter, and 30.8% voted for Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish. The outcome of this award ended with Ariana Grande’s brighter days ahead as the winner. Ariana Grande also received the Best Pop Award, which 26.9% of students agreed she should have won, while 26.9% thought Bruno Mars and Rosé should have won with their viral collaboration song APT.
Though Bruno Mars and Rosé did not win the Best Pop award, they received both the Song of the Year and Best Collaboration awards. Why has this song skyrocketed to fame you might ask? Some would argue that its catchy lyrics and rhythm, along with its upbeat vibe make it appealing to its audience. However, only 3.8% of HHS students agreed that voting for APT as the Song of the Year was the “best choice.” Students had various answers for what should have won the Song of the Year Award, with Die With A Smile by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga at 15.4%, both What Was That by Lorde and I Love You, I’m Sorry by Gracie Abrams at 19.2%, and Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish at 23.1%.
Winning Artist of the Year award was Lady Gaga, which 40.7% of students voted in favor of. The data revealed a variety of different responses from students for this particular question: 22.2% for Kendrick Lamar, 14.8% for Beyonce, and surprisingly, only 11.1% for Taylor Swift.
Whether students were hoping for their favorite artists to take home the awards they deserved or were awaiting the hyped performances, the VMAs once again proved to be one of the most unpredictable awards shows in music history, and HHS students are here for it!
