SZA and Ice Spice have taken home the first awards at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

The live ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles saw US rapper and actor Ludacris host, which is set to honour Cher with the iHeart icon award and Beyonce with the iHeart innovator award.

“Two incredible women who have changed all of our lives,” Ludacris said.

The ceremony saw US rapper Ice Spice, who has collaborated with Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, and PinkPantheress, awarded the best new hip hop artist.

“I just want to let all the young girls know, and boys too, whoever you are, just keep chasing your dreams, keep doing you,” she said.

Meanwhile SZA – real name Solna Imani Rowe – took home three awards in the R&B category, receiving artist of the year, song for Snooze and album of the year for SOS.

“I’m grateful that we didn’t succumb to the pressure of needing to have the perfect writers, the perfect producers – we just did us and that’s a blessing,” she said.

Taylor Swift was honoured with the artist of the year award, although she did not attend the ceremony.

The ceremony also saw Avril Lavigne introduce “one of my all-time favourites” Green Day, as they were awarded the landmark award – marking the 30th anniversary of hit album Dookie and two decades since American Idiot was released.

The US band, who will kick off a world stadium tour in May, sang their new track Bobby Sox and 1994 hit Basket Case.

Other performers included Justin Timberlake, who opened the ceremony with a rendition of Selfish with an acoustic guitar, before a performance of No Angels with lively choreography.

US singer Jelly Roll, who was awarded best new artist for pop and country, performed Save Me with Lainey Wilson.

“My mama always said I had a face for radio baby,” he joked.

Ludacris described his appearance at the iHeartRadio Awards as a “full circle moment” as he got his start on the radio.

“Some of you may know me as Ludacris the rapper, some you may know me as Ted from the Fast & Furious franchise, some of you may know me as the guy on the song with Justin Bieber.

“But what you guys might not know is, I got my start on the radio in Atlanta Georgia so hosting this show is a full circle moment for me, I’m just trying to make my mama proud.”