During her acceptance speech, the singer announced she will release a new album on October 21.Â
Rapper Jack Harlow took flight to open the awards, while Johnny Depp made a surprise float above the audience as the Moon Man.
Harlow kicked off his performance inside a mock airplane walking down aisle while performing his hit song First Class, which was sampled by Fergie's Glamorous.
The rapper joined Fergie onstage - wearing a sparkling silver dress with the red words First Class - who sang her 2006 jam.
"Thank you to Fergie for coming out with me tonight and clearing this song," said Harlow after First Class won the award for song of the summer later in the show.
During the show, Depp made a surprise appearance nearly three months after the verdict in his defamation trial with his former wife Amber Heard.
The 59-year-old actor floated from the ceiling while wearing the iconic astronaut outfit with his face digitally inserted into custom's helmet.
"And you know what? I needed the work," Depp told the audience at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Lizzo had Swift dancing out of her seat while she performed her new single 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready).
Kendrick Lamar entered the show with seven nominations with Harry Styles and Doja Cat closely coming behind with six nods apiece. Sheeran, Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Tayler Swift and The Weeknd each had five.
Swift had earlier accepted the award for best long form video for her All Too Well: The Short Film. The singer spoke about creating her first short film, giving thanks to several including actors Sadie Sink and Dylan O'Brien who starred in the project.
"We put our entire hearts into this," Swift said.
Styles won album of the year for Harry's House. He was unable to attend the awards due to his show at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Harlow pulled double duty, joining LL Cool J and Nicki Minaj as the show's emcees.
Minaj performed a medley of her career's biggest hits from Roman's Revenge, Chun-Li, Moment 4 Life, Beez in the Trap, Anaconda and Super Bass.
After her set, the rapper accepted the show's Video Vanguard award, which MTV has said she's receiving for her artistry, barrier-breaking hip-hop and status as a global superstar. The honour is named after Michael Jackson.
Eminem and Snoop Dogg brought the metaverse to the VMAs as the duo performed From the D 2 The LBC, which was featured on Eminem's greatest hits album Curtain Call 2.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers took the stage as the recipients of the Global Icon award after being introduced by Cheech & Chong as their "favourite band of all time."
The band - which consists of Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante - performed several songs including their hit Can't Stop from the group's 2002 album By the Way and Black Summer from this year's Unlimited Love album.
Madonna, who is the most awarded artist in MTV history with 20 wins, becomes the only artist to receive a nomination in each of the VMAs five decades. She earned her 69th nomination for her 14th studio album Madame X.
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