With some twerking and shaking, the leading ladies of pop music dominated the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, while an emotional Miley Cyrus and a touching moment between Beyoncé and her family led the Moonman award wins of the night.

Cyrus, who set tongues wagging last year with her raunchy twerking during her VMAs performance, won the night’s top prize for video of the year for Wrecking Ball, in which she cavorted naked on a wrecking ball.

She opted not to collect her award, instead sitting in the audience and holding back tears while sending a homeless young man named Jesse to collect her award.

“I’ve cleaned your hotels rooms, I’ve been an extra in your movies, I’ve been an extra in your life. Though I may have been invisible to you in the streets, I have many of the same dreams that brought many of you here tonight,” the young man said.

Miley Cyrus won Video of the Year for Wrecking Ball. Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Reuters

Earlier on the red carpet, Cyrus said she “retired” her grinding explicit dance moves. But while Cyrus has retired the twerk, rapper Nicki Minaj brought her rump-grinding to kick off the show with hip hop song Anaconda, scantily-clad and twerking against a jungle-themed backdrop.

Beyoncé delivered the night’s most touching moment when accepting the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award for her lifetime achievement in music from her husband, rapper Jay-Z called her the “greatest living entertainer”.

Jay-Z, carrying the couple’s daughter Blue Ivy, then shared a sweet kiss on stage with his wife, who was overcome with emotion, saying “I have nothing to say, I am so full from gratitude”.

The singer, dressed in a sparkly bodysuit and surrounded by large screens and silhouetted dancers, performed a mini-concert of her hits including Haunted, Drunk in Love, Partition and Blue, her ode to her daughter.She also picked up three other awards; best collaboration for Drunk in Love with Jay-Z, and best cinematography and video with a social message for Pretty Hurts.

Nicki Minaj, Jessie J and Ariana Grande performing Bang Bang. Photo: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Pop music’s ladies delivered a number of high-octane performances throughout the night. Ariana Grande kicked off the show with Break Free before joining Minaj and Jessie J for Bang Bang.

Taylor Swift debuted her upbeat first single Shake It Off from her upcoming pop album 1989, while Azalea and British singer Rita Ora performed their sultry track Black Widow.

British newcomer Sam Smith used a bare set to showcase his voice on his hit Stay With Me, while rockers Maroon 5 performed Maps outside of the newly renovated Forum theatre in Inglewood.

Other top winners included Katy Perry who landed the best female video award for the Cleopatra-themed music video for Dark Horse. British singer Ed Sheeran won best male video Moonman for Sing, Lorde won best rock video for Royals, and Grande won best pop video for Problem.

The top winners

Video of the year: Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus
Artist to watch: Miss Movin’ On – Fifth Harmony
Best male video: Sing – Ed Sheeran
Best female video: Dark Horse – Katy Perry feat. Juicy J
Best pop video: Problem– Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea
Best hip hop video: Hold On (We’re Going Home) – Drake feat. Majid Jordan
Best rock video: Royals – Lorde
Best lyric video: Don’t Stop – 5 Seconds of Summer