Music History

The Beatles' classic albums were awarded platinum status after the British Phonographic Industry changed the rules for sales awards. Sgt. Pepper's became triple platinum, while Revolver, Help!, Rubber Soul and The White Album also received platinum status.

Elton John received the first-ever Brits Icon award during a special concert that marked his return to the stage following appendix surgery. The award was presented to him by Rod Stewart, who jokingly called him the second-best rock singer of all time.

Beyoncé won four awards at the MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum in Inglewood, including the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Miley Cyrus won Video of the Year for “Wrecking Ball”.

BBC Radio 2 listeners voted Led Zeppelin's “Whole Lotta Love” the greatest guitar riff of all time. It beat, among others, “Sweet Child O' Mine” by Guns N' Roses, “Back In Black” by AC/DC, “Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple and “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos.

Elvis Presley Forever, the second US postage stamp featuring his likeness, was unveiled at Graceland, featuring a 1955 black-and-white portrait by photographer William Speer; it was part of the Music Icons series.

Taylor Swift and Kanye West reconciled when Swift presented him with the Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards, where West had famously interrupted her acceptance speech six years earlier.

At the MTV Video Music Awards, she won Video of the Year for “Bad Blood.”

Beyoncé won Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards for “Formation”. In support of the Black Lives Matter movement, she brought four mothers of shooting victims onto the red carpet. During the evening, she and her production designer, choreographer, director, cinematographer, and editor won a total of eight awards, which according to the source represented a record number of wins in a single evening.

Kendrick Lamar won Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards for “HUMBLE.” and Taylor Swift premiered her music video “Look What You Made Me Do” there.