Billboard Music Awards: The Weeknd Leads Winners on Night Dominated by Women
Adele was also a big winner, taking home five awards.
— -- On a night dominated by women, a man, The Weeknd, walked away the big winner at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards Sunday night.
The R&B superstar took home eight awards -- the most of any male artist since 2011. Unsurprisingly, Adele was also a big winner, taking home the Top Artist prize among her five awards. Rihanna won the fan voted Billboard Chart Achievement Award.
The show was bookended by high profile female performances. Britney Spears opened with a medley of many of her best known hits, while Madonna closed the show with a tribute to Prince, performing the late icon's "Nothing Compares 2 U" before bringing out Stevie Wonder to help lead a sing along on "Purple Rain."
Celine Dion made an emotional appearance performing Queen's "The Show Must Go On" and delivering an emotional acceptance speech with her son, Rene Charles by her side.
In another emotional note, Kesha performed a slow rendition of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe," accompanied by Ben Folds on piano, though she made no mention of her legal dispute with producer Dr. Luke.
Other highlights included the debut of Adele's video for her latest single "Send My Love (to Your New Lover), a duet between couple Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani on "Go Ahead and Break My Heart."
Here are the 2016 Billboard Music Award winners:
Top Artist:Adele
Top New Artist:Fetty Wap
Top Male Artist:Justin Bieber
Top Female Artist:Adele
Top Duo/Group:One Direction
Top Billboard 200 Artist:Adele
Top Hot 100 Artist:The Weeknd
Top Song Sales Artist:The Weeknd
Top Radio Songs Artist:The Weeknd
Top Streaming Songs Artist:The Weeknd
Top Social Media Artist:Justin Bieber
Top Touring Artist:Taylor Swift
Top R&B Artist:The Weeknd
Top Rap Artist:Drake
Top Country Artist:Luke Bryan
Top Rock Artist:twenty one pilots
Top Latin Artist:Romeo Santos
Top Dance/Electronic Artist:David Guetta
Top Christian Artist:Hillsong UNITED
Top Gospel Artist:Kirk Franklin
Top Billboard 200 Album:Adele, "25"
Top Soundtrack:Pitch Perfect 2
Top R&B AlbumThe Weeknd, "Beauty Behind the Madness"
Top Rap Album:Meek Mill, "Dreams Worth More than Money"
Top Country Album:Chris Stapleton, "Traveller"
Top Rock Album:twenty one pilots, "Blurryface"
Top Latin Album:Juan Gabriel, "Los Dúo"
Top Dance/Electronic Album:Zedd, "True Colors"
Top Christian Album:Lauren Daigle, "How Can It Be"
Top Gospel Album:*Kirk Franklin, Losing My Religion
Top Hot 100 Song:Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”
Top Selling Song:Adele, “Hello”
Top Radio Song:WALK THE MOON, “Shut Up And Dance”
Top Streaming Song (Audio):The Weeknd, “The Hills”
Top Streaming Song (Video):Silentó, “Watch Me”
Top R&B Song:The Weeknd, “The Hills”
Top Rap Song:Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”
Top Country Song:Thomas Rhett, “Die A Happy Man”
Top Rock Song:WALK THE MOON, “Shut Up And Dance”
Top Latin Song:Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias, “El Perdón
Top Dance/Electronic Song:Major Lazer & DJ Snake ft. MØ “Lean On”
Top Christian Song:Hillsong UNITED “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)”
Top Gospel Song:Kirk Franklin, "Wanna Be Happy?"
Fan Voted Billboard Chart Achievement Award:Rihanna