The singer should be able to console himself with the fact that the Billboards are based on hard numbers and not voters' whims, and that he walked away with such honors as Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top R-&-B Artist, Top Radio Songs Artist and Top Hot 100 Song, Top R-&-B Song and Top Radio Song for "Blinding Lights."
Other multiple winners included BTS, the late Pop Smoke, Bad Bunny, Gabby Barrett, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Machine Gun Kelly, Morgan Wallen and Drake, who won Top Streaming Artist in addition to Artist of the Decade, bringing his record number of Billboard awards won to 29.
But the show was really about the performances -- over a dozen of them -- including hits medleys from Icon Award winner Pink, Alicia Keys, Duran Duran and Jonas Brothers, featuring Marshmello. The last two also performed their new songs -- Duran, "Invisible," Jo Bros, "Leave Before You Love Me." BTS ("Butter") and DJ Khaled, featuring H.E.R. and Migos ("We Going Crazy)" also performed recently released songs. Doja Cat, featuring SZA, Twenty One Pilots, AJR, The Sounds of Blackness, Glass Animals and The Weeknd all did less recent material.
A number of artists brought family members with them, including Pink, who performed "Cover Me in Sunshine" in the air with her nine-year-old daughter, Willow. Drake accepted his award accompanied by three-year-old son Adonis and his parents, Dennis and Sandi Graham. The late Pop Smoke's mother, Audrey Jackson, picked up his televised award and spoke lovingly on his behalf.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama introduced Keys's special performance. Jon Bon Jovi presented Pink with her Icon Award, and Houston rapper Trae the Truth became the second recipient of the annual Billboard Change Maker Award for his work on behalf of the underprivileged in his home town.
Click herefor a complete winners list.