Taylor Swift Wins Big at MTV Video Music Awards, Ties Beyoncé’s Record

US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
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Taylor Swift Wins Big at MTV Video Music Awards, Ties Beyoncé’s Record

US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
US singer Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year award for "Fortnight" on stage during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, on September 11, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

Taylor Swift 's dominance continued at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she took home seven awards — including the night's biggest, the trophy for video of the year.
In her speech Wednesday night, Swift thanked her “boyfriend, Travis” for being on set of the “Fortnight” music video and cheering her on. Fans rewarded the mention of NFL star Travis Kelce with loud screams.
"Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic,” she said, before shifting gears to the 2024 presidential election and instructing her fans who are over 18 to register to vote.
Swift did, however, avoid discussing Kamala Harris’ presidential bid on stage. On Tuesday night, Swift endorsed the vice president, moments after Harris’ debate with former president Donald Trump ended.
Swift's awards haul brings her to a career total of 30, tying her and Beyoncé for the title of most-awarded musician in VMA history, The Associated Press reported. Eminem is now the male artist with the most VMAs, at 14.
Swift and Post Malone also took home the first televised award of the VMAs for best collaboration, for “Fortnight,” handed to them by Flavor Flav and Olympian Jordan Chiles.
Swift started that speech by giving remembrance to everyone who lost their lives and loved ones during 9/11, 23 years ago.
“I’ve just been thinking about what happened 23 years ago, everyone who lost a loved one and everyone that we lost and that is the most important thing about today," she said. “And everything that happens tonight falls behind that.”
The other voice of 2024 pop, Sabrina Carpenter, won the trophy for song of the year for “Espresso.”
Katy Perry received the Video Vanguard Award, performing an eight-song medley spanning her career: “Roar,” “E.T.,” “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “I Kissed a Girl,” “Firework,” and "Lifetimes."
Previous recipients of the Video Vanguard Award include Shakira, Beyoncé, Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Missy Elliott.



Beyonce's 'Cowboy Carter' Snubbed by Country Music Awards

FILE - Beyonce, left, accepts the Innovator Award during the iHeartRadio Music Awards, April 1, 2024, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)
FILE - Beyonce, left, accepts the Innovator Award during the iHeartRadio Music Awards, April 1, 2024, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)
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Beyonce's 'Cowboy Carter' Snubbed by Country Music Awards

FILE - Beyonce, left, accepts the Innovator Award during the iHeartRadio Music Awards, April 1, 2024, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)
FILE - Beyonce, left, accepts the Innovator Award during the iHeartRadio Music Awards, April 1, 2024, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)

Beyonce did not receive a Country Music Association awards nomination when the nods for the 58th edition were announced Monday, even though her "Cowboy Carter" album proved a cultural phenomenon upon release this year, Agence France Presse reported.

The absence of "Cowboy Carter" among the slate of nominees was conspicuous: "Texas Hold 'Em," her sprawling album's first single, soared to the top of the charts, including the country list, and the album was widely considered a smash.

Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" is a full-throated ode to her southern US roots, a rollicking revue that also deals a vital history lesson on the Black lineage of country music.

Nashville's gatekeepers have long tried to promote a rigid view of country music that's overwhelmingly white and male -- "Cowboy Carter" skewered that notion.

She leads listeners through country's evolution from African American spirituals and fiddle tunes to its pioneering women.

The awards ceremony will be held on November 20.

Morgan Wallen, the controversial country-pop singer who has found enormous streaming success, received the most nominations with seven, including for the coveted "Entertainer of the Year" title.

Chris Stapleton and Cody Johnson received five nominations each.

Lainey Wilson notched four, as did Post Malone, who segued into country this year from his warbling rock-rap. His single "I Had Some Help" features Wallen, and its nominations ushered that artist to the front of the pack.

Beyonce is no stranger to CMA controversy: she notably received racist comments after performing what was then her most country song to date, "Daddy Lessons," at the 2016 CMA awards.

A Texan raised by a mother from Louisiana and a father from Alabama, Beyonce tackled the perceived "controversy" over her country turn this year on the track "Ameriican Requiem."

"They used to say I spoke, 'Too country' / Then the rejection came, said I wasn't, 'Country enough' / Said I wouldn't saddle up, but if that ain't country, tell me, what is?" Beyonce sings on the track, whose musical allusions include Buffalo Springfield's classic "For What It's Worth."

"Cowboy Carter" was far more than country: it included technical mastery of a blend of styles including various country subsets as well as rap, dance, soul, funk, rock and gospel.