Noah Kahan, The War and Treaty and Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell are among the performers.
Some fans had accused him of wearing earbuds to block out Katy Perry's performance.
The pop superstar also thanked Carpenter for shouting her out on the red carpet, "because I forget I’m famous sometimes."
It was the second-most social telecast in history, topped only by the previous night's presidential debate.
The "Stick Season" singer recounted his own experience with photographers and paparazzi yelling at him and his mother.
All three pop stars took home new Moon Person trophies after the ceremony.
The "Anti-Hero" singer was also gagged by the Vanguard winner's onstage kiss with Doechii.
Although the three-hour telecast was a treat for pop music enthusiasts, several moments slipped past the cameras. Here’s what you missed.
Check out the best and worst of this year's MTV Video Music Awards.
"You don’t get to yell at me like that," Roan later said of the incident.
