Ed Sheeran was the big winner at this year’s Billboard Awards, held in Las Vegas.
The singer took home four awards: top artist, top radio songs artist, top song sales artist and top hot 100.
During the ceremony artists paid tribute to Avicii, who died last month aged 28, and there was an emotional plea from host Kelly Clarkson in the wake of a school shooting in Texas.
“I’m so sick of moments of silence. It’s not working,” she said.
Having to compose herself on multiple occasions, she continued: “Why don’t we not do a moment of silence? Why don’t we do a moment of action? A moment of change?”
Ten people died on Friday at Santa Fe High School after 17-year-old Dimitrios Pagourtzis allegedly opened fire on classmates.
“Once again we are grieving for more kids that have died for just absolutely no reason at all,” Kelly said.
The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School show choir later joined Shawn Mendes and Khalid on stage.
They’re from the school in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people were killed in February.
They performed the song Youth, which has the chorus: “You can’t take my youth away.”
Andrew Taggart of The Chainsmokers was one of the artists who paid tribute to Avicii, saying the DJ’s death was “a great loss for the music world and for us”.
“He was an artist who inspired so many in so many ways and simply put he meant so much to us and so many in the EDM community,” he said.
Halsey added: “Everyone who worked with him would agree he was such a joy and it makes this tragedy all the more painful.
“And it’s a reminder to all of us to be there and to support and love all of our friends and family members who may be struggling with mental health issues.”
The annual awards show, which celebrates artists’ achievements on the Billboard charts in the US, had a performance from Ariana Grande.
She performed No Tears Left To Cry, her first single since the Manchester Arena terror attack, which took place almost a year ago.
Other winners included Taylor Swift, who won top female artist, and Camila Cabello, who scooped the Billboard chart achievement award.
Khalid won top new artist, Taylor Swift won top selling album for reputation and Kendrick Lamar was named top streaming artist.
Source: BBC
