TAYLOR SWIFT URGED US fans to register to vote in the November election as she accepted MTV’s top Video Music Award last night, one of seven accolades she took home from the awards.

Swift became the most successful solo artist of all time at the VMAs after winning in seven categories, including the top prize of Video of the Year for her song Fortnight, which was released on her latest album and featured Post Malone.

The night didn’t go as well for nominated Irish artists Hozier and U2, who missed out in their categories.

Hozier had been nominated for Too Sweet in Best Alternative song while U2 was nominated for Atomic City in the Best Rock category.

The awards went instead to Benson Boone for Beautiful Things and Lenny Kravitz for Human respectively.

Accepting the award for the Fortnight music video, which she directed, Swift said: “To the fans, I’m always trying to figure out a way to say thank you to you for making my life what it is, for making the Eras Tour what it has become, for making The Tortured Poets Department what it has become.”

“Thank you to MTV for giving me this opportunity to thank the fans – thank you for what you’ve done. The fact that this is a fan-voted award, and you voted for this, I appreciate it so much,” she said.

“And if you are over 18, please register to vote for something else that’s very important: our presidential election. I love you guys so, so much. Thank you for this moment.”

It came a day after the 34-year-old singer endorsed Kamala Harris moments after the debate ended between Harris and Donald Trump.

Other winners at the VMAs last night included Chappell Roan, who dedicated her Best New Artist trophy to “queer and trans people who feel hot, to the gays who dedicate my songs to someone they love or hate”.

“And for all the queer kids in the Midwest watching right now I see you,” the Missouri native continued. “I understand you, because I’m one of you, and don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t be exactly who you want to be.”

Roan, about to embark on a short European tour, cancelled shows to be at the VMAs but is due to perform in Dublin in the 3Olympia theatre next Tuesday. 

South Africa’s Tyla won Best Afrobeats for “Water,” a result she called “such a big moment for Africa”,

“The global impact that ‘Water’ had on the world just proved that African music can be pop music too,” she said.

“This is just so special but also bittersweet, because I know there’s a tendency to group all African artists under Afrobeats. African music is so diverse — it’s more than just Afrobeats.”

Sabrina Carpenter won the “Song of the Year” category for Espresso.

Katy Perry was given the the Video Vanguard prize, which her husband, the actor Orlando Bloom, presented to her.

Additional reporting by AFP