Taylor Swift won the biggest prize at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards: the video of the year trophy for “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone.

In her speech, she spoke about her ‘boyfriend Travis’ and thanked him for being on the set of the music video.

“Everything this man touches turns to happiness and joy and magic,” she said of NFL star Travis Kelce, before discussing the 2024 presidential election and urging her fans over 18 to register to vote.

Swift, however, avoided discussing Kamala Harris’ presidential bid onstage. On Tuesday night, Swift said the vice president signedmoments after Harris’ debate with former President Donald Trump ended.

Swift’s awards bring her career total to 30, tying her with Beyonce for the most-awarded musician in VMA history. Eminem is now the male artist with the most VMAs, with 14.

Swift and Post Malone also won the first VMA award for Best Television Collaboration, for “Fortnight,” which was presented by Flavor Flav and Olympian Jordan Chiles.

Swift began his speech by remembering all those who lost their lives and loved ones on 9/11 23 years ago.

“I’ve just been thinking about what happened 23 years ago, everyone who lost a loved one and everyone we lost and that’s the most important thing about today,” she said. “And everything that happens tonight falls behind that.”

Then she went on to talk about Malone.

“There’s a reason Post Malone is the favorite person to collaborate with in the music world,” she shifted her attention to him. “It took me forever to get him to stop calling me ma’am.”

Chappell Roan won the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist.

“I dedicate this to all the drag artists who inspire me,” she said in her speech, wearing chainmail and reading from a speech written in her journal. “And I dedicate this to queer and trans people who run pop. … Thank you for listening.”

Women were the kings of the awards, and Roan’s imaginative medieval decor was the best example of that.

Drag queen Sasha Colby introduced her with “your favorite drag queen’s favorite artist,” a reference to Roan’s now-famous Coachella performance, which was itself inspired by Colby. True fans no doubt enjoyed this hyper-referential tidbit.

Roan appeared in armor, shooting a flaming crossbow at the castle gates behind her, burning them in the process. Her dancers were knights, battling each other in incredible choreography as she sang her queer pop hit “Good Luck, Babe.”

The other voice of pop music in 2024, Sabrina Carpenter, won the award for best song of the year for “Espresso.”

“This is really special,” she said in her speech, dedicated to her fans. “And thank you for that me espresso.”

Earlier that night, she brought her summer pop music to the awards show, performing her hit singles “Please Please Please,” “Taste,” and “Espresso” and dancing with a moon man and an alien.

Tyla won the award for best Afrobeats.

Katy Perry received the Video Vanguard Award for her performance of a medley of eight songs from her career: “Roar”, “ET”, “California Gurls”, “Teenage Dream”, “I Kissed a Girl”, “Firework” and “Lifetimes”.

“I did all that on the first day of my period, can you believe it?” she joked after accepting the honor from her partner, Orlando Bloom. “There are so many things that have to align to have a long and successful career as an artist. There are no accidents that last decades.”

She also announced a new song, “I’m His, He’s Mine,” featuring Doechii, which samples the Crystal Waters classic “Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee La Da Da).”

Previous winners of the Video Vanguard Award include Shakira, Beyoncé, Minaj, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Missy Elliott.

An army of Slim Shady-esque artists followed Eminem as he kicked off the VMAs, performing a medley of his hits “Houdini” and “Somebody Save Me,” along with a send-up of Jelly Roll. (The song is a reference to Jelly Roll’s huge country radio hit, “Save Me.”)

Megan Thee Stallion welcomed the audience for the first time as a host on Wednesday night, joking that the VMAs have become “the voluptuous Megan Awards” these days. She later performed.

Earlier in the evening, Karol G took over with a fiery rendition of her hit “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”. Rauw Alejandro brought Puerto Rico to the stage with “Touching The Sky”, “DILUIVO” and “Déjame Entrar”.

LL COOL J celebrated 40 years of Def Jam Records with Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav and Chuck D.

Halsey took it to the suburbs for her new single, “Ego,” which channeled garage bands. GloRilla’s “Yeah Glo!” and “TGIF” brought style.

Blackpink’s LISA, winner of the best K-pop award, made her first solo appearance on the VMAs stage, performing two of her brand new singles, “New Woman” and “Rockstar.” Shawn Mendes made her long-awaited return, debuting a new John Mayer-style acoustic number, “Nobody Knows.”

Anitta performed “Paradise,” “Alegria,” and “Savage Funk,” alongside DJ Khaled, Fat Joe, and Tiago PZK, winning the award for Best Latin. Camilla Cabello performed in a panopticon. Benson Boone still seemed excited to perform his viral hit “Beautiful Things” on the VMAs stage. Lenny Kravitz proved that rock ain’t dead with “Are You Gonna Go My Way,” “Human,” and finally “Fly,” on which he was joined by Quavo.

The 40th VMAs were held at the UBS Arena on Long Island, New York.

The night was packed with celebrities, and Swift was also a frequent presence. She arrived at the awards ceremony in a green checked corset with matching train and long, black leather gloves.

The pop star led the nominations with 12 — eight for her “Fortnight” music video, two social categories and nods in the pop and artist of the year categories. She’s followed by her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone, who has 11. He’s tied with Swift for 10 nominations and earned his 11th for his country hit “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen.

Last year, she took home nine VMAs, bringing her total to an impressive 23. That puts her just behind Beyoncé, who has 30, and just ahead of Madonna, who has 20 awards. Lady Gaga has 19.

If Swift wins seven times, she will tie Beyoncé’s record. And if she wins eight, she could become the most-awarded musician in VMA history.

Throughout the evening, MTV looked back at the history the VMAs have made over the past 40 years, including Britney Spears’ albino python and Madonna’s performance of “Like A Virgin.”

The VMAs aired on MTV and were simulcast on BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1 and in Spanish on Univision.