Getty Images for MTV

 

Unsurprisingly in a year in which she has dominated all other comers in recorded music and the live sphere, Taylor Swift emerged as the leading nominee for MTV’s Video Music Awards, collecting 10 nominations in the competition for the 2024 spacemen.

Post Malone followed close behind with nine nods, primarily for sharing Swift’s “Fortnight” nominations, as her featured guest on that hit.

Sabrina Carpenter, Eminem and Ariana Grande tied for third place among VMAs finalists, with six nominations each. SZA and Megan Thee Stallion both picked up five nominations.

Moving ahead in the contest with four nods each are Olivia Rodrigo, Teddy Swims and, making big inroads as a solo artist, Blackpink’s Lisa. Tied with three nominations apiece are Benson Boone, Anitta, Dua Lipa, Tyla, Bleachers and GloRilla.

The VMAs will air live from UBS Arena on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It’s the first time for the awards show to be based in that New York venue, after being settled in at New Jersey’s Prudential Center for the last two years. A host has not yet been announced.

Fan voting in 15 categories, including video of the year, is open now through Aug. 30 at vote.mtv.com. But one category, best new artist, will leave voting open all the way through showtime on Sept. 10.

Swift has won the top prize, the video of the year award, for the last two years running, and picked it up four times overall. If she wins again this year, for the “Fortnight” video, she will be the first artist to have a “three-peat” as well as the first to be a five-time winner in the category in VMAs history. She won a year ago for “Anti-Hero” and in 2022 for “All Too Well: The Short Film”; prior to those successive wins, Swift picked up the prize for “You Need to Calm Down” in 2019 and “Bad Blood” in 2015.

 

If anyone is wondering if the possibility exists for Swift to personally pick up any trophies that come her way, the answer is yes, since she will be taking a nearly three-month break from the Eras Tour beginning in late August. If Swift hasn’t announced a release date for “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” by then, there may be a big tune-in among Swifties hopeful that she will use a VMAs speech to do it; there is some history there, as the singer announced her “Midnights” album at the 2022 ceremony.

The nominees for video of the year are Grande’s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” Eilish’s “Lunch,” Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red,” Eminem’s “Houdini,” SZA’s “Snooze” and the Swift/Malone collab “Fortnight.”

In the artist of the year category, Swift is joined by her tourmate, Carpenter, as well as Grande, Bad Bunny, Eminem and SZA. It’s a notable achievement for Carpenter that she is being nominated for artist of the year in the first year she has received any VMAs nominations at all.

Swift is the only artist to be nominated in the best direction category for directing her own video. Her other nominations came for artist of the year and — all for “Fortnight” — song of the year, best collaboration, best pop, best cinematography, best editing, best visual effects and best art direction.

With no album out of his own yet, Malone got his nine nominations by sharing most of Swift’s nods, as the featured artist on “Fortnight.” Malone did pick up one nomination for a non-Swift song, as he is represented in the best collaboration category twice, getting a second nod there for “I Had Some Help,” the lead single off his forthcoming country album, on which he was joined by Morgan Wallen.

The currently hot Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Charli XCX have two nominations each, joined as double-nominees by Drake, Jelly Roll, Bad Bunny, Coldplay, Latto, Jung Kook, Usher, Victoria Monet, Tate McRae, Sexyy Red, Rauw Alejandro and Jessie Murph.

Beyoncé, whose “Cowboy Carter” has been one of the year’s most talked about albums, has one nomination, for “Texas Hold ‘Em” as song of the year. Shaboozey, whose “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” has topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four nonconsecutive weeks so far, also has a single nod. In both cases, the artists released what were billed as “visualizers,” rather than the full produced music videos the VMAs typically honor.

The nominees for best new artist are Shaboozey, Boone, Roan, Swims, Tyla and Gracie Abrams.

 

Other artists who picked up their first VMAs nominations ever, besides Carpenter, include Wallen, Alexander Stewart, Burna Boy, Coco Jones, Flyana Boss, Gunna, Joyner Lucas, Laufey, Le Sserafim, Lojay, Myke Towers, NCT Dream, Pheelz, Playboi Carti, Raye, Tyler Childers and the Warning. Many of those first-timers picked up their nominations through the category of MTV Push Performance of the Year, honoring everyone who was picked on a monthly basis for MTV’s freshman artist initiative, or in the social-consciousness-honoring Video for Good division.

Tuesday’s rollout includes all of the nominations except social categories, which MTV says will be revealed at a later date.

The telecast’s executive producers are Bruce Gillmer and Den of Thieves co-founder Jesse Ignjatovic, with Barb Bialkowski as co-executive producer. Alicia Portugal and Jackie Barba are the executives in charge of production; Wendy Plaut is executive in charge of celebrity talent; and Lisa Lauricella is the show’s music talent executive.

The full list of 2024 VMAs nominations:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “Lunch” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Paint The Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Eminem – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
SZA – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR
Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ‘Em” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – “Lovin On Me” – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records

BEST NEW ARTIST

Benson Boone – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Chappell Roan – Island
Gracie Abrams – Interscope Records
Shaboozey – American Dogwood / EMPIRE
Teddy Swims – Warner Records
Tyla – Epic Records

MTV PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

August 2023: Kaliii – “Area Codes” – Atlantic Records
September 2023: GloRilla – “Lick or Sum” – CMG / Interscope Records
October 2023: Benson Boone – “In the Stars” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
November 2023: Coco Jones – “ICU” – Def Jam
December 2023: Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records
January 2024: Jessie Murph – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
February 2024: Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records
March 2024: Chappell Roan – “Red Wine Supernova” – Island
April 2024: Flyana Boss – “Yeaaa” – Vnclm_/ Atlantic Records
May 2024: Laufey – “Goddess” – Laufey / AWAL
June 2024: Le Sserafim – “Easy” – Source Music / Geffen Records
July 2024: The Warning – “Automatic Sun” – Lava / Republic Records

BEST COLLABORATION

Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be” – CMG / Interscope Records
Jessie Murph ft. Jelly Roll – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – Bighit Music / Geffen Records
Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help” – Mercury / Republic / Big Loud
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records

BEST POP

Camila Cabello – Geffen / Interscope Records
Dua Lipa – Warner Records
Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records

BEST HIP-HOP

Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
GloRilla – “Yeah Glo!” – CMG / Interscope Records
Gunna – “Fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions
Travis Scott ft. Playboi Carti – “FE!N” – Cactus Jack / Epic Records

BEST R&B

Alicia Keys – “Lifeline” – AK Records / Gamma
Muni Long – “Made For Me” – Def Jam
SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Tyla – “Water” – Fax Records / Epic Records
Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – “Good Good” – Mega / Gamma
Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records

BEST ALTERNATIVE

Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit
Hozier – “Too Sweet” – Columbia Records
Imagine Dragons – “Eyes Closed” – KIDinaKorner / Interscope Records
Linkin Park – “Friendly Fire” – This Compilation / Warner Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control (Live)” – Warner Records

BEST ROCK

Bon Jovi – “Legendary” – Island
Coldplay – “Feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
Green Day – “Dilemma” – Reprise Records / Warner Records
Kings of Leon – “Mustang” – Capitol Records

Lenny Kravitz – “Human” – Roxie Records Inc. / BMG Rights Management
U2 – “Atomic City” – Interscope Records

 

BEST LATIN

Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Bad Bunny – “Monaco” – Rimas Entertainment
Karol G – “Mi Ex Tenia Razon” – Bichota / Interscope Records
Myke Towers – “Lala” – Warner Music Latina
Peso Pluma & Anitta – “Bellakeo” – Double P Records
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment
Shakira & Cardi B – “Puntería” – Sony Music US Latin

BEST AFROBEATS

Ayra Starr ft. Giveon – “Last Heartbreak Song” – Mavin / Republic
Burna Boy – “City Boys” – Spaceship / Bad Habit / Atlantic Records
Chris Brown ft. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” – Chris Brown Entertainment / RCA Records
Tems – “Love Me JeJe” – Since ’93 / RCA Records
Tyla – “Water” – Fax Records / Epic Records
Usher, Pheelz – “Ruin” – mega / gamma.

BEST K-POP

Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – Bighit Music / Geffen Records
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records
NCT Dream – “Smoothie” – SM Entertainment / Virgin Music Group
NewJeans – “Super Shy” – ADOR / Geffen Records
Stray Kids – “Lalalala” – JYP Entertainment / Imperial / Republic Records
Tomorrow X Together – “Deja vu” – Bighit Music / Imperial / Republic Records

VIDEO FOR GOOD

Alexander Stewart – “If You Only Knew” – FAE Grp
Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For (From the Motion Picture “Barbie”)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Coldplay – “Feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll – “Best for Me” – Twenty Nine Music Group
Raye – “Genesis” – Human Re Sources
Tyler Childers – “In Your Love” – Hickman Holler Records / RCA Records

BEST DIRECTION

Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records – Directed by
Christian Breslauer
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit – Directed by Alex Lockett & Margaret Qualley
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Rich Lee
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr.
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Directed by Bardia Zeinali
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records – Cinematography
by Anatol Trofimov
Charli XCX – “Von Dutch” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Jeff Bierman
Dua Lipa – “Illusion” – Warner Records – Cinematography by Nikita Kuzmenko
Olivia Rodrigo – “Obsessed” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Marz Miller
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Cinematography by Camilo Monsalve
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rodrigo

Prieto

BEST EDITING

Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment – Editing by Nick Yumul
Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” – Republic Records – Editing by Luis
Caraza Peimbert
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Editing by David Checel
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Editing by Nik Kohler
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island – Editing by Jai Shukla
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit – Choreography by Margaret Qualley
Dua Lipa – “Houdini” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching the Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Choreography
by Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos
Tate McRae – “Greedy” – RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records – Choreography by Sergio Reis, Mauro Van De Kerkhof

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ariana Grande – “The Boy is Mine” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Digital Axis
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Synapse Virtual
Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post
Justin Timberlake – “Selfish” – RCA Records – “Selfish” – RCA Records – Visual Effects by Candice Dragonas
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Visual Effects by Mathematic
Olivia Rodrigo – “Get Him Back!” – Geffen Records – Visual Effects by Cooper Vacheron, Preston
Mohr, Karen Arakelian, Justin Johnson
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament

BEST ART DIRECTION

Charli XCX – “360” – Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Grace Surnow
Lisa – “Rockstar” – Lloyd Co. / RCA Records – Art Direction by Pongsan Thawatwichian
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
Olivia Rodrigo – “Bad Idea Right?” – Geffen Records – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Ethan Tobman