Megan Thee Stallion, Drake, Lil Nas X and many more will be contenders to win Moon Person trophies at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. On Wednesday (Aug. 11), the annual awards ceremony announced its full list of nominees, which include the likes of Cardi B, Doja Cat, DJ Khaled, The Weeknd and more.
Megan Thee Stallion will be a frontrunner at the Sept. 12 ceremony as the Houston native is currently nominated for six awards, following behind only Justin Bieber, who leads with seven. “WAP,” the rapper’s six-time platinum hit collaboration with Cardi B accounts for several of those nods, including Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Hip Hop. Megan is also nominated for Artist of the Year and double-nominated in the Best Hip Hop category for her song with Lil Baby, “On Me (Remix).”
Lil Nas X’s viral “Montero” video also received major support, landing the 22-year-old star five nominations, including Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Direction, Video for Good and Video of the Year.
The Weeknd is also nominated in the Best Visual Effects and Video of the Year categories; Drake and Lil Durk’s collaboration “Laugh Now Cry Later” is nominated for two awards; and Polo G and Saweetie are contenders for Best New Artist.
After a remote 2020 broadcasting, this year’s VMAs will be presented to a live audience at the Brooklyn Barclays Center. Due to the event’s proximity to the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Rolling Stone reports that MTV will work with the 9/11 Day nonprofit to commemorate the National Day of Service and Remembrance.
“MTV and Barclays Center are working closely with state and local officials to implement best practices and execute a screen-breaking spectacle that brings together music fans from around the globe with the health and safety of our artists, fans, staff and partners remaining the No. 1 priority,” event organizers said in a statement.
See the full list of this year’s nominees below.
Video of the Year
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
DJ Khaled / Drake: “POPSTAR” (Starring Justin Bieber)
Doja Cat: “Kiss Me More” [ft. SZA]
Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits”
Lil Nas X: “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”
The Weeknd: “Save Your Tears”
Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
Justin Bieber
Megan Thee Stallion
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
Song of the Year
24kGoldn: “Mood” [ft. iann dior]
Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open”
BTS: “Dynamite”
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Dua Lipa: “Levitating”
Olivia Rodrigo: “drivers license”
Best New Artist, Presented by Facebook
24kGoldn
Giveon
The Kid LAROI
Olivia Rodrigo
Polo G
Saweetie
PUSH Performance of the Year
September 2020: Wallows – “Are You Bored Yet?”
October 2020: Ashnikko – “Daisy”
November 2020: SAINt JHN – “Gorgeous”
December 2020: 24kGoldn – “Coco”
January 2021: JC Stewart – “Break My Heart”
February 2021: Latto – “Sex Lies”
March 2021: Madison Beer – “Selfish”
April 2021: The Kid LAROI – “WITHOUT YOU”
May 2021: Olivia Rodrigo – “drivers license”
June 2021: girl in red – “Serotonin”
July 2021: Fousheé – “my slime”
August 2021: jxdn – “Think About Me”
Best Collaboration
24kGoldn: “Mood” [ft. iann dior]
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Doja Cat: “Kiss Me More” [ft. SZA]
Drake: “Laugh Now Cry Later” [ft. Lil Durk]
Justin Bieber: “Peaches” [ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon]
Miley Cyrus: “Prisoner” [ft. Dua Lipa]
Best Pop
Ariana Grande: “positions”
Billie Eilish: “Therefore I Am”
BTS: “Butter”
Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness”
Justin Bieber: “Peaches” [ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon]
Olivia Rodrigo: “good 4 u”
Shawn Mendes: “Wonder”
Taylor Swift: “willow”
Best Hip-Hop
Cardi B: “WAP” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Drake: “Laugh Now Cry Later” [ft. Lil Durk]
Lil Baby: “On Me (Remix)” [ft. Megan Thee Stallion]
Moneybagg Yo: “Said Sum”
Polo G: “RAPSTAR”
Travis Scott: “FRANCHISE” [ft. Young Thug & M.I.A.]
Best Rock
Evanescence: “Use My Voice”
Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame”
John Mayer: “Last Train Home”
The Killers: “My Own Soul’s Warning”
Kings of Leon: “The Bandit”
Lenny Kravitz: “Raise Vibration”
Best Alternative
Bleachers: “Stop Making This Hurt”
Glass Animals: “Heat Waves”
Imagine Dragons: “Follow You”
Machine Gun Kelly: “my ex’s best friend” [ft. blackbear]
twenty one pilots: “Shy Away”
WILLOW: “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l” [ft. Travis Barker]
Best Latin
Bad Bunny / Jhay Cortez: “Dákiti”
Billie Eilish / Rosalía: “Lo Vas A Olvidar”
Black Eyed Peas / Shakira: “GIRL LIKE ME”
J Balvin / Dua Lipa / Bad Bunny / Tainy: “UN DIA (ONE DAY)”
Karol G: “Bichota”
Maluma: “Hawái”
Best R&B
Beyoncé / Blue Ivy / SAINt JHN / WizKid: “BROWN SKIN GIRL”
Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open”
Chris Brown / Young Thug: “Go Crazy”
Giveon: “HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY”
H.E.R.: “Come Through” [ft. Chris Brown]
SZA: “Good Days”
Best K-Pop
(G)I-DLE: “DUMDi DUMDi”
BLACKPINK / Selena Gomez: “Ice Cream”
BTS: “Butter”
Monsta X: “Gambler”
SEVENTEEN: “Ready to love”
TWICE: “Alcohol-Free”
Video for Good
Billie Eilish: “Your Power”
Demi Lovato: “Dancing With the Devil”
H.E.R.: “Fight for You”
Kane Brown: “Worldwide Beautiful”
Lil Nas X: “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”
Pharrell Williams: “Entrepreneur” [ft. JAY-Z]
Best Direction
Billie Eilish: “Your Power” (dir. Billie Eilish)
DJ Khaled ft. Drake: “POPSTAR” (dir. Director X)
Lil Nas X: “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” (dir. Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino)
Taylor Swift: “willow” (dir. Taylor Swift)
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A: “Franchise” (dir. Travis Scott)
Tyler, the Creator – “LUMBERJACK” (dir. Wolf Haley)
Best Cinematography
Beyoncé / Blue Ivy / SAINt JHN / WizKid: “BROWN SKIN GIRL” (cinematography: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, MOHAMMAED ATTA AHMED, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan Helfant)
Billie Eilish: “Therefore I Am” (cinematography: Rob Witt)
Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame” (cinematography: Santiago Gonzalez)
Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper: “Holy” (cinematography: Elias Talbot)
Lady Gaga: “911” (cinematography: Jeff Cronenweth)
Lorde: “Solar Power” (cinematography: Andrew Stroud)
Best Art Direction
Beyoncé / Shatta Wale / Major Lazer: “ALREADY” (art direction: Susan Linns, Gerard Santos)
Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits” (art direction: Alison Dominitz)
Lady Gaga: “911” (art direction: Tom Foden, Peter Andrus)
Lil Nas X: “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” (art direction: John Richoux)
Saweetie ft. Doja Cat: “Best Friend” (art direction: Art Haynes)
Taylor Swift: “willow” (art direction: Ethan Tobman, Regina Fernandez)
Best Visual Effects
Bella Poarch: “Build A Bitch” (visual effects: Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, Yekaterina Vetrova)
Coldplay: “Higher Power” (visual effects: Mathematic)
Doja Cat & The Weeknd: “You Right” (visual effects: La Pac, Anthony Lestremau, Julien Missaire, Petr Shkolniy, Alexi Bailla, Micha Sher, Antoine Hache, Mikros MPC, Nicolas Huget, Guillaume Ho Tsong Fang, Benjamin Lenfant, Stephane Pivron, MPC Bangalore, Chanakya Chander, Raju Ganesh, David Rouxel)
Glass Animals: “Tangerine” (visual effects: Ronan Fourreau)
Lil Nas X: “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” (visual effects: Mathematic)
P!NK: “All I Know So Far” (visual effects: Dave Meyers, Freenjoy Inc)
Best Choreography
Ariana Grande: “34+35” (choreography: Brian Nicholson & Scott Nicholson)
BTS: “Butter” (choreography: SON SUNG DEUK With BHM PERFORMANCE DIRECTING TEAM)
Ed Sheeran: “Bad Habits” (choreography: Natricia Bernard)
Foo Fighters: “Shame Shame” (choreography: Nina McNeely)
Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness” (choreography: Paul Roberts)
Marshmello & Halsey: “Be Kind” (choreography: Dani Vitale)
Best Editing
Silk Sonic: “Leave the Door Open” (editing: Troy Charbonnet)
BTS: “Butter” (editing: Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens)
Drake: “What’s Next” (editing: Noah Kendal)
Harry Styles: “Treat People With Kindness” (editing: Claudia Wass)
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon: “Peaches” (editing: Mark Mayr, Vinnie Hobbs)
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa: “Prisoner” (editing: William Town at Modern Post)