This year’s Billboard Music Awards will take place on October 14 at 5PM PST (8PM EST / 12AM GMT). Hosted at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, this three-hour-long event promises performances from some of the world’s most popular artists including Post Malone, Bad Bunny, and Luke Combs. This is one event you won’t want to miss, and below, we’ll explain how to live stream the 2020 Billboard Music Awards online from the UK, Canada, or anywhere else overseas (outside of America).
You should note that we’ll only be recommending official sources. While there are almost always unlicensed streams of high-profile events like this, we advise against using them. To begin with, the video is often low-resolution, choppy, or on a delay. Additionally, unauthorized streams can be taken down without warning by the copyright holder, meaning you might not even see the end of the ceremony. We’ll explain how to watch this year’s Billboard Awards for free anyway, so there’s no need to use unreliable third-party streams.
You’ll need a VPN to watch the Billboard Music Awards on your usual streaming channels while traveling outside of the US.
How to stream the Billboard Music Awards live with a VPN
With the right VPN, it’s easy to bypass region-locking and use previously inaccessible services abroad. Just follow the steps below to stream the Billboard Music Awards outside the US.
Here’s how to watch the Billboard Music Awards 2020 online from anywhere:
- First, sign up for a suitable VPN. We recommend ExpressVPN but if you’re looking for a low-cost alternative, NordVPN and Surfshark are both strong choices.
- Next, download and install the VPN software. There will be a few different apps so make sure to get the appropriate version for your device.
- Decide which of the official sources below you’d like to use.
- Connect to a VPN server in the source region. For example, connect one of your VPN’s American servers for NBC.
- Try loading a video on your chosen platform. It should begin almost immediately but if it doesn’t, clear your browser’s cache and cookies, then reload the page.
The 2020 Billboard Music Awards will be broadcast live, meaning any unforeseen issues could lead to you missing the beginning. For this reason, we recommend testing your VPN with the steps above well before this event is due to air. This leaves you plenty of time to get help from your VPN’s customer support team if anything doesn’t work as expected.
How to watch the 2020 Billboard Music Awards for free on US TV
The Billboard Music Awards will be shown on NBC, which means it’s pretty straightforward to watch online. If you already have a cable TV subscription, you can just use your provider details to stream the awards live on NBC’s website. This is completely free, and you don’t even have to create an account.
Don’t have cable? There’s no need to worry; NBC also allows you to sign in with several over-the-top streaming services. fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV all carry NBC, and all offer a free trial. This means that you can sign up, stream the Billboard Music Awards live, and cancel afterward to avoid being charged.
You should note that some of these services require your payment method to be linked to a US address. As such, while Americans in other countries can sign up as normal, it can be difficult for foreign users to register. Hulu allows you to pay via gift card, which simplifies the process somewhat.
The platforms above are only available in the US. As such, you’ll need to use a VPN to connect to an American server abroad.
Will the 2020 Billboard Music Awards be shown internationally?
Details regarding international broadcasts are few and far between. However, we know that Canadian network CTV will show live coverage of the Billboard Music Awards, although you will need a cable TV subscription to stream CTV online. Alternatively, you can simply watch on-demand for free the day after the awards air.
It’s still possible to watch some of what goes on from other countries, however. Usually, Billboard streams live coverage from the red carpet on Twitter, and there’s no reason this shouldn’t happen against this year.
The real reason people watch this event is for the awards themselves, however. No other networks are broadcasting the Billboard Music Awards, so it’s effectively impossible to watch while abroad unless you have a VPN.
Billboard Music Awards: 2020 nominees
This year’s event will see Billboard hand out 55 awards recognizing the best artists from a huge array of genres. Don’t worry, though: as the broadcast will run for three hours, that’s an average of one award every three minutes or so. Below, we’ve compiled a full list of 2020 Billboard Music Awards nominees:
| Award | Nominees |
|---|---|
| Top Artist | Billie Eilish Jonas Brothers Khalid Post Malone Taylor Swift |
| Top New Artist | DaBaby Billie Eilish Lil Nas X Lizzo Roddy Ricch |
| Billboard Chart Achievement Award | Mariah Carey Luke Combs Lil Nas X Harry Styles |
| Top Male Artist | Drake Ed Sheeran Post Malone Travis Scott XXXTentacion |
| Top Female Artist | Ariana Grande Cardi B Ella Mai Halsey Taylor Swift |
| Top Duo/Group | BTS Dan + Shay Imagine Dragons Maroon 5 Panic! at the Disco |
| Top Billboard 200 Artist | Ariana Grande Drake Post Malone Travis Scott XXXTentacion |
| Top Hot 100 Artist | DaBaby Billie Eilish Khalid Lil Nas X Post Malone |
| Top Streaming Songs Artist | DaBaby Billie Eilish Lil Nas X Post Malone Travis Scott |
| Top Song Sales Artist | Billie Eilish Lil Nas X Lizzo Post Malone Taylor Swift |
| Top Radio Songs Artist | Jonas Brothers Khalid Lizzo Shawn Mendes Post Malone |
| Top Social Artist | BTS Billie Eilish EXO GOT7 Ariana Grande |
| Top Touring Artist | Elton John Metallica Pink Rolling Stones Ed Sheeran |
| Top R&B Artist | Chris Brown Khalid Lizzo Summer Walker The Weeknd |
| Top R&B Male Artist | Chris Brown Khalid The Weeknd |
| Top R&B Female Artist | Beyoncé Lizzo Summer Walker |
| Top R&B Tour | B2K Janet Jackson Khalid |
| Top Rap Artist | Cardi B City Girls Megan Thee Stallion |
| Top Rap Male Artist | DaBaby Lil Nas X Post Malone |
| Top Rap Female Artist | Cardi B City Girls Nicki Minaj |
| Top Rap Tour | Drake Post Malone Travis Scott |
| Top Country Artist | Kane Brown Luke Combs Dan and Shay Maren Morris Thomas Rhett |
| Top Country Male Artist | Kane Brown Luke Combs Thomas Rhett |
| Top Country Female Artist | Maren Morris Kacey Musgraves Carrie Underwood |
| Top Country Duo/Group | Dan + Shay Florida Georgia Line Old Dominion |
| Top Country Tour | Eric Church Florida Georgia Line George Strait |
| Top Rock Artist | Imagine Dragons Panic! at the Disco Tame Impala Tool Twenty One Pilots |
| Top Rock Tour | Elton John Metallica The Rolling Stones |
| Top Latin Artist | Anuel AA Bad Bunny J Balvin Ozuna Romeo Santos |
| Top Dance/Electronic Artist | Avicii The Chainsmokers DJ Snake ILLENIUM Marshmello |
| Top Christian Artist | Lauren Daigle Elevation Worship For King and Country Hillsong United Kanye West |
| Top Gospel Artist | Kirk Franklin Koryn Hawthorne Tasha Cobbs Leonard Sunday Service Choir Kanye West |
| Top Billboard 200 Album | "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" (Billie Eilish) "thank u, next" (Ariana Grande) "Free Spirit" (Khalid) "Hollywood's Bleeding" (Post Malone) "Lover" (Taylor Swift) |
| Top Soundtrack | "Aladdin" "Descendents 3" "Frozen II" "K-12" "The Dirt" |
| Top R&B Album | "Homecoming: The Live Album" (Beyoncé) "Changes" (Justin Beiber) "Indigo" (Chris Brown) "Free Spirit" (Khalid) "Over it" (Summer Walker( |
| Top Rap Album | "KIRK" (DaBaby) "Death Race for Love" (Juice Wrld) "Hollywood's Bleeding" (Post Malone) "Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial" (Roddy Ricch) "So Much Fun" (Young Thug) |
| Top Country Album | "Experiment" (Kane Brown) "What You See is What You Get" (Luke Combs) "GIRL" (Maren Morris) "Center Point Road" (Thomas Rhett) "If I Know Me" (Morgan Wallen) |
| Top Rock Album | "III" (The Lumineers) "We Are Not Your Kind" (Slipknot) "The Slow Rush" (Tame Impala) "Fear Inoculum" (Tool) "Father of the Bride" (Vampire Weekend) |
| Top Latin Album | "Oasis" (J BALVIN & Bad Bunny) "Gangalee" (Farruko) "11:11" (MALUMA) "Utopia" (Romeo Santos) "Suenos" (Sech) |
| Top Dance/Electronic Album | "TIM" (Avicii) "World War Joy" (The Chainsmokers) "Ascend" (ILLENIUM) "Fortnite Extended Set" (Marshmellow) "Different World" (Alan Walker) |
| Top Christian Album | "Victory: Recorded Live" (Bethel Music) "Only Jesus" (Casting Crowns) "People" (Hillsong United) "Victorious" (Skillet) "Jesus is King" (Kanye West) |
| Top Gospel Album | "Long Live Love" (Kirk Franklin) "Goshen" (Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers) "The Cry" (William McDowell) "Jesus is Born" (Sunday Service Choir) "Jesus is King" (Kanye West) |
| Top Hot 100 Song | "Someone You Loved" (Lewis Capaldi) "bad guy" (Billie Eilish) "Old Town Road" (Lil Nas X) "Truth Hurts" (Lizzo) "Senorita" (Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello) |
| Top Streaming Song | "No Guidance" (Chris Brown) "bad guy" (Billie Eilish) "Old Town Road" (Lil Nas X) "Ran$om" (Lil Tecca) "Sunflower" (Post Malone) |
| Top Selling Song | "Someone You Loved" (Lewis Capaldi) "bad guy" (Billie Eilish) "Old Town Road" (Lil Nas X) "Truth Hurts" (Lizzo) "God's Country" (Blake Shelton) |
| Top Radio Song | "Someone You Loved" (Lewis Capaldi) "Sucker" (Jonas Brothers) "Talk" (Khalid) "Truth Hurts" (Lizzo) "I Don't Care" (Ed Sheeren & Justin Bieber) |
| Top Collaboration | "No Guidance" (Chris Brown ft. Drake) "Old Town Road" (Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus) "Senorita" (Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello) "Sunflower" (Post Malone & Swae Lee) "I Don't Care" (Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber) |
| Top R&B Song | "No Guidance" (Chris Brown) "Juicy" (Doja Cat & Tyga) "Talk" (Khalid) "Good as Hell" (Lizzo) "Heartless" (The Weeknd) |
| Top Rap Song | "Old Town Road" (Lil Nas X) "Ran$om" (Lil Tecca) "Truth Hurts" (Lizzo) "Sunflower" (Post Malone) "Wow" (Post Malone) |
| Top Country Song | "10,000 Hours" (Dan and Shay) "The Bones" (Maren Morris) "One Man Band" (Old Dominion) "God's Country" (Blake Shelton) "Whiskey Glasses" (Morgan Wallen) |
| Top Rock Song | "Bad Liar" (Imagine Dragons) "I Think I'm Okay" (Machine Gun Kelly) "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" (Panic at the Disco) "Chlorine" (Twenty One Pilots) "The Hype" (Twenty One Pilots) |
| Top Latin Song | "China" (Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Ozuna, J BALVIN) "Callaita" (Bad Bunny & Tainy) "Con Calma" (Daddy Yankee ft. Snow) "No Me Conoce" (Jhay Cortez, J BALVIN, Bad Bunny) "Otro Trago" (Sech ft. Darell, Nicky Jam, Ozuna, Anuel AA) |
| Top Dance/Electronic Song | "Ritmo" (Black Eyed Peas) "Close to Me" (Ellie Goulding & Diplo) "Good Things Fall Apart" (ILLENIUM & John Bellion) "Higher Love" (Kygo & Whitney Houston) "Here With Me" (Marshmello ft. CHVRCHES) |
| Top Christian Song | "Raise a Hallelujah" (Bethel Music, Jonathan David Helser & Melissa Helser) "Nobody" (Casting Crowns) "Rescue" (Lauren Daigle) "God Only Knows" (For King and Country) "Follow God" (Kanye West) |
| Top Gospel Song | "Love Theory" (Kirk Franklin) "Closed on Sunday" (Kanye West) "Follow God" (Kanye West) "On God" (Kanye West) "Selah" (Kanye West |
Which artists are expected to do well?
This year, a few major artists dominate the Billboard Music Awards. Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Khalid, and Lil Nas X all seem set to win something, simply based on how many nominations they have. It’s always more interesting when things don’t go as expected, though. Billie Eilish is competing against three Korean groups for the Best Social Artist award; suddenly, it’s not just BTS that performers have to worry about.
