Last night saw the 2016 edition of the American Music Awards broadcast on ABC. While the ceremony might not carry as much of the official prestige as something like the Grammys, it is still an evening filled with some of the biggest names in the music industry displaying the full extent of their prowess.
See below for clips of the biggest acts of the evening, including performances from The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande and a piercingly political turn from Green Day.
The Weeknd Sings "Starboy" Inside a Mirror Funhouse
We are now just days away from The Weeknd's highly-anticipated new album Starboy, so another performance of the excellent title track is at this point a serious tease. But it is no less infectiously catchy as it was when we first heard it.
Kendrick Lamar and Maroon 5 Play "Don't Wanna Know" for the First Time
Last month Maroon 5 debuted a new single that featured the one and only Kendrick Lamar in a true song-making cameo. And last night the two artists joined forces for its live debut.
Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande Reunite for "Side to Side"
After being one of the most memorable acts of the evening at this year's MTV VMAs, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande have repeated the feat with another rendition of "Side to Side" off Grande's album Dangerous Woman.
And Nicki Came Back to Slay DJ Khaled's "Do You Mind"
One of the best tracks on DJ Khaled's album Major Key was "Do You Mind," a star-studded slow jam that was pure gold. And the stage last night saw almost all of the guest stars together, which meant Khaled, Nicki, Future and Rick Ross were all on hand.
Green Day Steal the Show With an Anti-Trump Rally Cry
But the true king-making moment of the night belonged to Green Day, who played their new single "Bang Bang." Halfway through the song, they issued a charged cry of "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!" which was met with huge support from the audience.
In other music news, A Tribe Called Quest's new (and final) album has topped the charts on the Billboard 200. Read about it right here.
