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As the world continues to battle the pandemic for the eighth month, the entertainment business is learning how to cope with our new social distanced and mask-wearing world.
That includes award shows. Usually, they’re in packed theatres and arenas, but to prevent a second wave in New York, MTV decided to forgo the usual glitz of the Barclays Center and is taking everything virtual for the 2020 VMAs. Keke Palmer will be hosting the event from home but MTV is making sure New York still gets to have some fun with its performances being spread out across the five boroughs.
However, the musical performances will all be outside with little to no audience permitted to watch.
Another thank you to NYC, one of the cities hit hardest by the pandemic, is the introduction of the new “Everyday Heroes: Frontline Medical Workers,” category which is “celebrating performances by doctors, nurses, and other frontline medical workers who kept everyone going with their impromptu and off-the-cuff performances during the pandemic.”
Despite all the new changes, dope acts will still be taking the virtual stage including, The Weeknd, Maluma, Doja Cat, and CNCO. The pre-show will also be pretty entertaining, featuring Chloe x Halle, Machine Gun Kelly with Travis Barker and blackbear, and Jack Harlow. One of the artists we were most looking forward to was Roddy Ricch, but he reportedly pulled out at the last minute.
Check out the entire list of nominees below and be sure to check out the show tonight at 8.
Video of the Year
Billie Eilish: “Everything I Wanted” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD: “Godzilla” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Future ft. Drake: “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain on Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
Taylor Swift: “The Man” – Republic Records
The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records
Artist of the Year
DaBaby – SCMG / Interscope Records
Justin Bieber – RBMG / Def Jam
Lady Gaga – Streamline / Interscope Records
Megan Thee Stallion – 300 Entertainment
Post Malone – Republic Records
The Weeknd – XO / Republic Records
PUSH Best New Artist
Doja Cat – Kemosabe / RCA Records
Jack Harlow – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Lewis Capaldi – Capitol Records
Roddy Ricch – Atlantic Records
Tate McRae – RCA Records
Yungblud – Locomotion Recordings / Geffen Records / Interscope Records
Song of the Year
Billie Eilish: “Everything I Wanted” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat: “Say So” – Kemosabe / RCA Records
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
Megan Thee Stallion: “Savage” – 300 Entertainment
Post Malone: “Circles” – Republic Records
Roddy Ricch: “The Box” – Atlantic Records
Best Collaboration
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber: “Stuck with U” – Republic Records / Def Jam
Black Eyed Peas ft. J Balvin: “Ritmo (Bad Boys For Life)” – Epic Records / We The Best
Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid: “Beautiful People” – Atlantic Records
Future ft. Drake: “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj: “Tusa” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
Best Pop
BTS: “On” – Big Hit Entertainment
Halsey: “You Should Be Sad” – Capitol Records
Jonas Brothers: “What a Man Gotta Do” – Republic Records
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo: “Intentions” – RBMG / Def Jam
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
Taylor Swift: “Lover” – Republic Records
Best Hip-Hop
DaBaby: “Bop” – SCMG / Interscope Records
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD: “Godzilla” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Future ft. Drake: “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
Megan Thee Stallion: “Savage” – 300 Entertainment
Roddy Ricch: “The Box” – Atlantic Records
Travis Scott: “Highest in the Room” – Epic Records / Cactus Jack
Best R&B
Alicia Keys: “Underdog” – RCA Records
Chloe x Halle: “Do It” – Parkwood / Columbia Records
H.E.R. ft. YG: “Slide” – MBK / RCA Records
Khalid ft. Summer Walker: “Eleven” – Right Hand Music / RCA Records
Lizzo: “Cuz I Love You” – Atlantic Records
The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records
Best K-Pop
BTS: “On” – Big Hit Entertainment
EXO: “Obession” – SM Entertainment
(G)I-DLE: “Oh My God” – Republic Records
Monsta X: “Someone’s Someone” – Epic Records
Red Velvet: “Psycho” – SM Entertainment
Tomorrow X Together: “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)” – Big Hit Entertainment
Best Latin
Anuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin: “China” – Real Hasta La Muerte
Bad Bunny: “Yo Perreo Sola” – Rimas Entertainment
Black Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul: “Mamacita” – Epic Records
J Balvin: “Amarillo” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj: “Tusa” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Maluma ft. J Balvin: “Qué Pena” – Sony Music Latin
Best Rock
Blink-182: “Happy Days” – Columbia Records
Coldplay: “Orphans” – Atlantic Records
Evanescence: “Wasted On You” – BMG
Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean: “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)” – Island Records
Green Day: “Oh Yeah!” – Reprise / Warner Records
The Killers: “Caution” – Island Records
Best Alternative
The 1975: “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” – Dirty Hit / Interscope Records
All Time Low: “Some Kind Of Disaster” – Fueled By Ramen
Finneas: “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night” – AWAL
Lana Del Rey: “Doin’ Time” – Interscope Records
Machine Gun Kelly: “Bloody Valentine” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records
Twenty One Pilots: “Level of Concern” – Elektra Music Group / Fueled By Ramen
Best Music Video From Home
5 Seconds of Summer: “Wildflower” – Interscope Records
Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber: “Stuck with U” – Republic Records / Def Jam
Blink-182: “Happy Days” – Columbia Records
Drake: “Toosie Slide” – OVO/Republic Records
John Legend: “Bigger Love” – Columbia Records
Twenty One Pilots: “Level of Concern” – Elektra Music Group / Fueled By Ramen
Best Quarantine Performance
Chloe x Halle: “Do It (from MTV Prom-Athon)”
CNCO: MTV Unplugged At Home
DJ D-Nice: Club MTV Presents: #DanceTogether
John Legend: #TogetherAtHome Concert Series
Lady Gaga: “Smile” from One World: Together At Home
Post Malone: Nirvana Tribute
Video For Good
Anderson .Paak: “Lockdown” – 12 Tone Music Group
Billie Eilish: “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Demi Lovato: “I Love Me” – Island Records
H.E.R.: “I Can’t Breathe” – MBK / RCA Records
Lil Baby: “The Bigger Picture” – Quality Control Music / Motown / Capitol Music Group
Taylor Swift: “The Man” – Republic Records
Best Direction
Billie Eilish: “Xanny” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Directed by Billie Eilish
Doja Cat: “Say So” – Kemosabe / RCA Records – Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
Dua Lipa: “Don’t Start Now” – Warner Records – Directed by Nabil
Harry Styles: “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Directed by Dave Meyers
Taylor Swift: “The Man” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Directed by Anton Tammi
Best Cinematography
5 Seconds of Summer: “Old Me” – Interscope Records – Cinematography by Kieran Fowler
Camila Cabello ft. DaBaby: “My Oh My” – Syco Music / Epic Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
Billie Eilish: “all the good girls go to hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Christopher Probst
Katy Perry: “Harleys In Hawaii” – Capitol Records – Cinematography by Arnau Valls
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Michael Merriman
The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Cinematography by Oliver Millar
Best Art Direction
A$AP Rocky: “Babushka Boi” – Polo Grounds Music / RCA Records – Art Direction by A$AP Rocky & Nadia Lee Cohen
Dua Lipa: “Physical” – Warner Records – Art Direction by Anna Colomer Nogué
Harry Styles: “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by Laura Ellis Cricks
Miley Cyrus: “Mother’s Daughter” – RCA Records – Art Direction by Christian Stone
Selena Gomez: “Boyfriend” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
Taylor Swift: “Lover” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Kurt Gefke
Best Visual Effects
Billie Eilish: “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Drive Studios
Demi Lovato: “I Love Me” – Island Records – Visual Effects by Hoody FX
Dua Lipa: “Physical” – Warner Records – Visual Effects by EIGHTY4 and Mathematic
Harry Styles: “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Mathematic
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios
Travis Scott: “Highest in the Room” – Epic Records / Cactus Jack – Visual Effects by ARTJAIL, SCISSOR FILMS & FRENDER
Best Choreography
BTS: “On” – Big Hit Entertainment – Choreography by The Lab, Son Sung Deuk
CNCO & Natti Natasha: “Honey Boo” – Sony Music Latin / RCA Records – Choreography by Kyle Hanagami
DaBaby: “BOP” – SCMG / Interscope Records – Choreography by Dani Leigh and Cherry
Dua Lipa: “Physical” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande: “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Choreography by Richy Jackson
Normani: “Motivation” – Keep Cool / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Best Editing
Halsey: “Graveyard” – Capitol Records – Edited by Emilie Aubry, Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
James Blake: “Can’t Believe the Way We Flow” – Republic Records – Edited by Frank Lebon
Lizzo: “Good As Hell” – Atlantic Records – Edited by Russell Santos & Sofia Kerpan
Miley Cyrus: “Mother’s Daughter” – RCA Records – Edited by Alexandre Moors, Nuno Xico
Rosalía: “A Palé” – Columbia Records – Edited by Andre Jones
The Weeknd: “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Edited by Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
