WATCH: Billboard Music Awards 2018 top 8 highlights, gallery and full list of winners

The 'Shape of You' hitmaker won the top award of the night, Top Artist, as well as Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Song Sales Artist, and Top Hot 100 Artist.

Pal Taylor Swift won Top Female Artist and Camila Cabello won the Billboard Chart Achievement Award while Janet Jackson was awarded the Icon Award.

Other winners include Top Female Artist Taylor Swift and Camila Cabello, who scooped the Billboard Chart Achievement Award.

The Billboards are the awards where artists most feel the love from their fans as album and digital sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social engagement are all taken into account by Billboard ahead of awarding winners.

Here are the top 10 highlights of the night (scroll down for the full winners list):

1. Kelly Clarkson's emotional opening

Host Kelly Clarkson opened the ceremony with a tearful plea for a “moment of action” in the wake of the school shooting at Santa Fe High School, which claimed the lives of 10 people and reignited the already explosive gun control debate in the US.

“Once again we are grieving for more kids that have died for just absolutely no reason at all. And tonight they wanted me to say that, obviously we’re going to pray for the victims and pray for their families, but they also wanted me to do a moment of silence," said a clearly emotional Clarkson, who has four children.

“And I’m so sick of moments of silence. It’s not working. So why don’t we not do a moment of silence? Why don’t we do a moment of action? A moment of change?”

“Mommies and daddies should be able to send their kids to school.”

2. When Shawn Mendes and Khalid invited school shooting survivors on stage

Singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes performed his new single Youth alongside rising star Khalid and the pair invited members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School choir from Parkland, Florida, on stage with them.

The school was the scene of a mass shooting earlier this year.

Chills from this moving @ShawnMendes & @thegreatkhalid performance. A huge thank you to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Show Choir for being a part of this special #BBMAs moment. pic.twitter.com/tBntNJs2J5
— Billboard Music Awards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2018

3. Ariana Grande's performance

Grande took to the stage just two days before the first anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing to perform her new single No Tears Left To Cry, her first since the attack last year.

Grande had just finished a show at the Manchester Arena on May 22 2017 when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated an explosive device in the foyer, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds more.

The music video for the song references the events in Manchester. A bee, the symbol of the city, appears in the video.

...ʎɹɔ oʇ ʇɟǝl sɹɐǝʇ ou ɥʇᴉʍ ʇɥƃᴉu ǝɥʇ ɟɟo ƃuᴉʞɔᴉʞ
We are lovin', livin', and turnin' it 🆙 for this @ArianaGrande performance! 💧🌈 #ARIANA_BBMAs #BBMAs pic.twitter.com/l9KNihzmmu
— Billboard Music Awards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2018

4. Janet Jackson's acceptance speech

Janet Jackson, 52, was awarded the Icon Award and used her acceptance speech to praise women who have “made it clear that we will no longer be controlled, manipulated or abused”.

She said: “I am deeply humbled and grateful for this award. I feel that for all the challenges, all of our challenges, we live at a glorious moment in history.

After rocking the stage with her incredible performance, @JanetJackson accepts the 2018 #BBMAs Icon Award! #ICON_JANET pic.twitter.com/S7nDbrGJQI
— Billboard Music Awards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2018

“It’s a moment when at long last women have made it clear that we will no longer be controlled, manipulated or abused.

“I stand with these women and with those men who are equally outraged by discrimination, who support us in heart and mind.”

4. Janet Jackson's performance

Before picking up her award, Jackson performed a medley of three of her best known songs; Nasty, If and Throb. It was her first TV performance in nearly a decade.

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She was introduced on stage by Bruno Mars before the audience was shown a short film featuring highlights of her career.

Jackson is one of the famous Jackson siblings and her older brother, Michael, is one of the biggest-selling musicians of all time.

The previous recipients of the Icon Award are Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Cher.

5. The Avicii tribute

Avicii’s fellow electronic dance music stars paid tribute to him on stage at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

The Swedish DJ, known for his club anthems including Wake Me Up and Levels, died at the age of 28 in Oman in April.

While presenting the award for Top Hot 100 Song, American DJs The Chainsmokers and singer Halsey paid tribute to the late star, whose real name was Tim Bergling.

Nothing but love for Avicii from @TheChainsmokers & @halsey as they present the #BBMAs for Top Hot 100 Song. 💞 pic.twitter.com/k89czVBrih
— Billboard Music Awards (@BBMAs) May 21, 2018

Andrew Taggart of The Chainsmokers said: “His passing was a great loss for the music world and for us. He was an artist who inspired so many in so many ways and simply put he meant so much to us and so many in the EDM community.”

Halsey added: “Everyone who worked with him would agree he was such a joy and it makes this tragedy all the more painful. And it’s a reminder to all of us to be there and to support and love all of our friends and family members who may be struggling with mental health issues.”

6. JLo's return

Jennifer Lopez and DJ Khaled performed Dinero without Cardi B although the latter appeared in a black and white video rapping for her part of the song) and it was classic JLo.

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Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber won the Top Hot 100 Song award for their hit, Despacito.

Before the ceremony kicked off, Lamar was leading the way with six wins from the non-televised categories.

Clarkson and Grande were among several artists to perform on the night, including Sheeran, Khalid, Mendes, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, Cabello, Dua Lipa and Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue.

7. Christina Aguilera's Fall in Line featuring Demi Lovato

The voices lads, the voices...

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And Tyra's reaction said it all:

"That was powerful!!!!!!!!!!" - Tyra Banks reacts to Christina Aguilera & Demi Lovato's duet pic.twitter.com/Ka4CHdp6YF
— Born Salty (@cjzero) May 21, 2018