This year’s Billboard Winners were an actual kaleidoscope of artists. Unlike other awards, such as the Grammy Award, which determine nominations as a result of the highest votes received by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Billboard Music Awards finalists are based on album and digital songs sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring, and social engagement. These measurements are tracked year-round by Billboard and its data partners, including MRC Data and Next Big Sound.
The awards are based on a 12-month reporting period. Since 1940, the Billboard charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.
The 2022 telecast aired on Sunday, May 15th at 8 p.m. ET/PT from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Host Sean “Diddy” Combs was joined by today’s Billboard chart-topping artists for exhilarating performances, empowering moments, and historic wins. Eight on-air awards were given out, in addition to the earlier non-broadcast categories, and Olivia Rodrigo took home the most trophies of the night with seven wins – including Top New Artist, Top Female Artist, and Top Hot 100 Artist – making a notable splash for her first-ever BBMAs.
It was a big night for new winners as Dua Lipa, Silk Sonic, The Kid Laroi, and Walker Hayes all walked away with BBMA trophies for the very first time. The show also featured a lineup of superstar performances.
Kanye West won all the Christian and Gospel categories
The Christian Artist of The year was Kanye West’s ‘ Ye-‘ Project
Christian Song of The Year “Ye- ‘Hurricane”
Christian Album of The Year Kanye West “Ye- Dondra”
Gospel Album of The Year Kanye West “Ye- Dondra”
Gospel Artist of The Year Kanye West “Ye- Dondra”
Gospel song of The Year “Ye- ‘Hurricane”
Kanye was nominated in the same categories with Kirk Franklin, Maverick City and CeCe Winans. I personally find this interesting as as I listen to a gospel and Christian music stations and do not feel that Kanye was in greater play on these stations.
Candidly, I think it was a bit unfair to folks who actually do this as their artform to have their one chance at winning to be upstarted by someone who is a hip hop and mainstream artists. Viewing some of the visuals from this project, nothing struck me as being “Christian”.
I found the project more secular if anything and do feel slighted that he won in place of these other folks that actually put together projects that were worthy of the categories they were in.
I wonder if as business model his project was submitted to these categories because they would have received higher numbers than what a standard Christian/Gospel project would receive, there fore receiving the win.
Tell me what you think?