Nigerian Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy and Rema have made history emerging the first-ever winners in their categories at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards (BMAs) on Sunday at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Burna Boy swooped the ‘Top Afrobeats Artiste’ award ahead of fellow Nigerians Wizkid and Tems.
Reacting to his latest win at the Billboard Afrobeats awards, Burna Boy dedicated the gong to African artistes.
He noted that the recognition is just a “tip of the iceberg”.
“This is dedicated to Africa and every artiste coming out of Africa, this is for you and yeah man the future is bright,” he said.
Rema also went home with an award as he won the ‘Top Afrobeats Song’ category for his global hit “Calm Down” featuring Selena Gomez, the American singer.
The awards are driven by sales figures.
Country singer Morgan Wallen made a triumphant return as the top winner of the night with 11 awards including top male artist and album and single of the year, while Taylor Swift became the biggest female winner with 10 prizes including the coveted top artist and top-selling song awards for her hit single “Anti-Hero.”.
See below the full list of winners at the Billboard Afrobeats Awards:
TOP ARTISTE
Drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
WINNER: Taylor Swift
TOP NEW ARTISTE
Bailey Zimmerman
Ice Spice
Jelly Roll
Peso Pluma
WINNER: Zach Bryan
TOP MALE ARTISTE
Drake
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd
Zach Bryan
TOP FEMALE ARTISTE
Beyoncé
Miley Cyrus
Olivia Rodrigo
SZA
WINNER: Taylor Swift
TOP DUO/GROUP
Eslabon Armado
Fifty Fifty
WINNER: Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
Metallica
TOP BILLBOARD 200 ARTISTE
Drake
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
SZA
WINNER: Taylor Swift
TOP HOT 100 ARTISTE
Drake
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Songwriter (NEW)
Ashley Gorley
Jack Antonoff
SZA
WINNER: Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
TOP HOT 100 PRODUCER (NEW)
Jack Antonoff
WINNER: Joey Moi
Metro Boomin
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
TOP STREAMING SONGS ARTISTE
Drake
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
SZA
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
TOP RADIO SONGS ARTISTE
Miley Cyrus
Morgan Wallen
SZA
WINNER: Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
TOP SONG SALES ARTISTE
Jason Aldean
Miley Cyrus
Morgan Wallen
Oliver Anthony Music
WINNER: Taylor Swift
TOP BILLBOARD GLOBAL 200 ARTISTE
Bad Bunny
Morgan Wallen
SZA
WINNER: Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
TOP BILLBOARD GLOBAL (EXCL. U.S.) ARTISTE
Bad Bunny
Ed Sheeran
NewJeans
WINNER: Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
TOP R&B ARTISTE
Beyoncé
Chris Brown
Rihanna
WINNER: SZA
The Weeknd
TOP R&B MALE ARTISTE
Chris Brown
Miguel
WINNER: The Weeknd
TOP R&B FEMALE ARTISTE
Beyoncé
Rihanna
WINNER: SZA
TOP R&B TOURING ARTISTE
WINNER: Beyoncé
Bruno Mars
The Weeknd
TOP RAP ARTISTE
21 Savage
WINNER: Drake
Lil Baby
Metro Boomin
Travis Scott
TOP RAP MALE ARTISTE
21 Savage
WINNER: Drake
Travis Scott
TOP RAP FEMALE ARTISTE
Doja Cat
Ice Spice
WINNER: Nicki Minaj
TOP RAP TOURING ARTISTE
50 Cent
WINNER: Drake
Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa
TOP COUNTRY ARTISTE
Bailey Zimmerman
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Zach Bryan
TOP COUNTRY MALE ARTISTE
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
Zach Bryan
TOP COUNTRY FEMALE ARTISTE
Lainey Wilson
Megan Moroney
WINNER: Taylor Swift
TOP COUNTRY DUO/GROUP
Old Dominion
Parmalee
WINNER: Zac Brown Band
TOP COUNTRY TOURING ARTISTE
George Strait
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen
TOP ROCK ARTISTE
Jelly Roll
Noah Kahan
Stephen Sanchez
Steve Lacy
WINNER: Zach Bryan
TOP ROCK DUO/GROUP (NEW)
WINNER: Arctic Monkeys
Foo Fighters
Metallica
TOP ROCK TOURING ARTISTE
WINNER: Coldplay
Depeche Mode
Elton John
TOP LATIN ARTISTE
WINNER: Bad Bunny
Eslabon Armado
Fuerza Regida
Karol G
Peso Pluma
TOP LATIN MALE ARTISTE
WINNER: Bad Bunny
Peso Pluma
Rauw Alejandro
TOP LATIN FEMALE ARTISTE
WINNER: Karol G
ROSALÍA
Shakira
TOP LATIN DUO/GROUP
Eslabon Armado
WINNER: Fuerza Regida
Grupo Frontera
TOP LATIN TOURING ARTISTE
Daddy Yankee
WINNER: Karol G
RBD
TOP GLOBAL K-POP ARTISTE (NEW)
Jimin
WINNER: NewJeans
Stray Kids
Tomorrow X Together
Twice
TOP K-POP TOURING ARTISTE (NEW)
WINNER: Blackpink
Suga
Twice
TOP AFROBEATS ARTISTE (NEW)
WINNER: Burna Boy
Libianca
Rema
Tems
Wizkid
TOP DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTISTE
WINNER: Beyoncé
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Drake
Tiësto
TOP CHRISTIAN ARTISTE
Brandon Lake
Elevation Worship
for King & Country
WINNER: Lauren Daigle
Phil Wickham
TOP GOSPEL ARTISTE
CeCe Winans
Elevation Worship
WINNER: Kanye West
Kirk Franklin
Maverick City Music
TOP BILLBOARD 200 Album
Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss
Metro Boomin, Heroes & Villains
WINNER: Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time
SZA, SOS
Taylor Swift, Midnights
TOP SOUNDTRACK
WINNER: Barbie: The Album
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From and Inspired By Elvis
Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Soundtrack From and Inspired by the Motion Picture)
Top Gun: Maverick
TOP R&B ALBUM
Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE
Brent Faiyaz, WASTELAND
Drake, Honestly, Nevermind
Steve Lacy, Gemini Rights
WINNER: SZA, SOS
TOP RAP ALBUM
WINNER: Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss
Future, I Never Liked You
Lil Baby, It’s Only Me
Metro Boomin, Heroes & Villains
Travis Scott, Utopia
TOP COUNTRY ALBUM
Luke Combs, Gettin’ Old
Luke Combs, Growin’ Up
WINNER: Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time
Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Zach Bryan, American Heartbreak
TOP ROCK ALBUM
Hardy, the mockingbird & The Crow
Jelly Roll, Whitsitt Chapel
Noah Kahan, Stick Season
Steve Lacy, Gemini Rights
WINNER: Zach Bryan, American Heartbreak
TOP LATIN ALBUM
WINNER: Bad Bunny, Un Verano Sin Ti
Eslabon Armado, DESVELADO
Ivan Cornejo, Dañado
Karol G, MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO
Peso Pluma, GÉNESIS
TOP K-POP ALBUM (NEW)
Jimin, FACE
NewJeans, 2nd EP ‘Get Up’
WINNER: Stray Kids, 5-STAR
Tomorrow X Together, The Name Chapter: Temptation
Twice, Ready To Be: 12th Mini Album
TOP DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM
WINNER: Beyoncé, RENAISSANCE
Drake, Honestly, Nevermind
Illenium, Illenium
Kim Petras, Feed the Beast
Tiësto, Drive
TOP CHRISTIAN ALBUM
WINNER: Anne Wilson, My Jesus
Brandon Lake, House of Miracles
Cain, Rise Up
Elevation Worship, Lion
Lauren Daigle, Lauren Daigle
TOP GOSPEL ALBUM
Jonathan McReynolds, My Truth
WINNER: Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin, Kingdom Book One
Tye Tribbett, All Things New
Whitney Houston, I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston
Zacardi Cortez, Imprint (Live in Memphis)
TOP HOT 100 SONG
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, ‘Creepin’
Miley Cyrus, ‘Flowers’
WINNER: Morgan Wallen, ‘Last Night’
SZA, ‘Kill Bill’
Taylor Swift, ‘Anti-Hero’
TOP STREAMING SONG
Miley Cyrus, ‘Flowers’
WINNER: Morgan Wallen, ‘Last Night’
SZA, ‘Kill Bill’
Taylor Swift, ‘Anti-Hero’
Zach Bryan, ‘Something in the Orange’
TOP RADIO SONGS
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, ‘Creepin’
WINNER: Miley Cyrus, ‘Flowers’
Rema & Selena Gomez, ‘Calm Down’
Taylor Swift, ‘Anti-Hero’
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande ‘Die for You’
TOP SELLING SONG
Jason Aldean, ‘Try That in a Small Town’
Jimin, ‘Like Crazy’
Miley Cyrus,’Flowers’
Oliver Anthony Music, ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’
WINNER: Taylor Swift, ‘Anti-Hero’
TOP COLLABORATION
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, ‘I’m Good (Blue)
WINNER: Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, ‘Creepin’
Rema & Selena Gomez, ‘Calm Down’
Sam Smith & Kim Petras, ‘Unholy’
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, ‘Die for You’
TOP BILLBOARD GLOBAL 200 SONG
WINNER: Miley Cyrus, ‘Flowers’
Rema & Selena Gomez, ‘Calm Down’
SZA, ‘Kill Bill’
Taylor Swift, ‘Anti-Hero’
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, ‘Die for You’
TOP BILLBOARD GLOBAL (Excl. U.S.) SONG
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, ‘I’m Good (Blue)
Harry Styles, ‘As It Was’
WINNER: Miley Cyrus, ‘Flowers’
Rema & Selena Gomez, ‘Calm Down’
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, ‘Die for You’
TOP R&B SONG
Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, ‘Creepin’
Miguel, ‘Sure Thing’
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, ‘Die for You’
WINNER: SZA, ‘Kill Bill’
SZA, ‘Snooze’
TOP RAP SONG
Coi Leray, ‘Players’
WINNER: Drake & 21 Savage, ‘Rich Flex’
Gunna, ‘fukumean’
Lil Durk ft. J. Cole, ‘All My Life’
Toosii, ‘Favorite Song’
TOP COUNTRY SONG
Bailey Zimmerman, ‘Rock and a Hard Place:
Luke Combs, ‘Fast Car’
WINNER: Morgan Wallen, ‘Last Night’
Morgan Wallen, ‘You Proof’
Zach Bryan, ‘Something in the Orange’
TOP ROCK SONG
Jelly Roll, ‘Need A Favor’
Stephen Sanchez, ‘Until I Found You’
Steve Lacy, ‘Bad Habit’
Zach Bryan ft. Kacey Musgraves, ‘I Remember Everything’
WINNER: Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange’
TOP LATIN SONG
WINNER: Eslabon Armado x Peso Pluma, ‘Ella Baila Sola’
Fuerza Regida x Grupo Frontera, ‘Bebe Dame’
Grupo Frontera x Bad Bunny, ‘Un x100to’
Karol G & Shakira, ‘TQG’
Yng Lvcas x Peso Pluma, ‘La Bebe’
TOP GLOBAL K-POP SONG (NEW)
Fifty Fifty, ‘Cupid’
Jimin, ‘Like Crazy’
WINNER: Jung Kook ft. Latto, ‘Seven’
NewJeans, ‘Ditto’
NewJeans, ‘OMG’
TOP AFROBEATS SONG (NEW)
Ayra Starr, ‘Rush’
Libianca, ‘People’
Oxlade, ‘KU LO SA’
WINNER: Rema & Selena Gomez, ‘Calm Down’
Victony, Rema, & Tempoe ft. Don Toliver, ‘Soweto’
TOP DANCER/ELECTRONIC SONG
Bizarrap & Shakira, ‘Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’
David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray, ‘Baby Don’t Hurt Me’
WINNER: David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, ‘I’m Good (Blue)’
Elton John & Britney Spears, ‘Jold Me Closer’
Tiësto ft. Tate McRae, ’10:35′
TOP CHRISTIAN SONG
WINNER: Brandon Lake, ‘Gratitude’
Chris Tomlin, ‘Holy Forever’
for King & Country with Jordin Sparks, ‘Love Me Like I Am’
Lauren Daigle, ‘Thank God I Do’
Phil Wickham, ‘This Is Our God’
TOP GOSPEL SONG
WINNER: CeCe Winans, ‘Goodness of God’
Crowder & Dante Bowe ft. Maverick City Music, ‘God Really Loves Us’
Elevation Worship ft. Chandler Moore & Tiffany Hudson, ‘More Than Able’
Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin ft. Brandon Lake & Chandler Moore, ‘Fear is Not My Future’
Zacardi Cortez, ‘Lord Do It for Me (Live in Memphis)’
CHART ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
WINNER: Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
