MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMA) have reached a milestone they may want to keep quiet – middle age.
The American music channel is celebrating 40 years of its VMAs and it has drawn on those decades to mark the occasion.
The 2024 award ceremony gets under way Wednesday night in New York with a collection of performers who have had hits across the years since the inaugural one in 1984.
Hosted by Grammy-award winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion, it will feature artists from LL Cool J and Eminem to Benson Boone and Sabrina Carpenter.
Here’s all you need to know about who is on stage, who is up for an award and how to catch the action.
When are the 2024 MTV VMAs?
The MTV VMAs are being held at the UBS Arena in Elmont in Long Island, New York on Wednesday 11 September.
It was originally going to be on Tuesday 10 September but had to be rescheduled to avoid a clash with the US presidential election televised debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
As the ceremony now falls on 9/11, MTV will be making donations from the show’s profit to 9/11 Day and Tuesday’s Children in tribute to the 23rd anniversary of the terror attacks.
Proceedings kick-off at 8pm (local time) which is the early hours of Thursday 12 September UK time.
To watch it live, music fans in the UK will need to be awake from 1am to 4am.
How can I watch the MTV VMAs live in the UK?
MTV in the UK will be screening the ceremony live from 1am (BST) and it will be available to stream on demand on Paramount+.
Subscriptions to Paramount+ start from £6.99 a month but there is an initial seven-day free trial.
Who is performing at the VMAs?
There is a host of music stars of the past and present taking to the stage at this year’s MTV VMAs including Lenny Kravitz, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello.
Katy Perry will be performing a medley of her hits as she is set to receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
Here is the full line-up of artists performing:
- Anitta
- Benson Boone
- Camila Cabello
- Chappell Roan
- Eminem
- GloRilla
- Halsey
- Jessie Murph (Extended play stage)
- Karol G
- Katy Perry (Video Vanguard Medley)
- Lenny Kravitz
- Le Sserafim (Pre-show)
- Lisa
- LL Cool J
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Rauw Alejandro
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Shawn Mendes
- Teddy Swims (Extended play stage)
Who are the nominees?
Taylor Swift is leading the field with 12 nominations in total, closely followed by Post Malone with 11.
Here are the nominees across 25 categories in the running for an award.
Video of the Year:
- Ariana Grande – “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”
- Billie Eilish – “Lunch”
- Doja Cat – “Paint The Town Red”
- Eminem – “Houdini”
- SZA – “Snooze”
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight”
Artist of the Year:
- Ariana Grande
- Bad Bunny
- Eminem
- Sabrina Carpenter
- SZA
- Taylor Swift
Song of the Year:
- Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ‘Em”
- Jack Harlow – “Lovin On Me”
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso”
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight”
- Teddy Swims – “Lose Control”
Best New Artist
- Benson Boone
- Chappell Roan
- Gracie Abrams
- Shaboozey
- Teddy Swims
- Tyla
MTV Push Performance of the Year:
- August 2023: Kaliii – “Area Codes”
- September 2023: GloRilla – “Lick or Sum”
- October 2023: Benson Boone – “In The Stars”
- November 2023: Coco Jones – “ICU”
- December 2023: Victoria Monét – “On My Mama”
- January 2024: Jessie Murph – “Wild Ones”
- February 2024: Teddy Swims – “Lose Control”
- March 2024: Chappell Roan – “Red Wine Supernova”
- April 2024: Flyana Boss – “Yeaaa”
- May 2024: Laufey – “Goddess”
- June 2024: Le Sserafim – “Easy”
- July 2024: The Warning – “Automatic Sun”
Best Collaboration:
- Drake ft Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy”
- GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be”
- Jessie Murph ft Jelly Roll – “Wild Ones”
- Jung Kook ft Latto – “Seven”
- Post Malone ft Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help”
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight”
Best Pop:
- Camila Cabello
- Dua Lipa
- Olivia Rodrigo
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Tate McRae
- Taylor Swift
Best Group:
- Coldplay
- Imagine Dragons
- NCT Dream
- NewJeans
- NSYNC
- Seventeen
- Tomorrow X Together
- Twenty One Pilots
Best Hip-Hop:
- Drake ft Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy”
- Eminem – “Houdini”
- GloRilla – “Yeah Glo!”
- Gunna – “fukumean”
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA”
- Travis Scott ft Playboi Carti – “FE!N”
Best R&B:
- Alicia Keys – “Lifeline”
- Muni Long – “Made For Me”
- SZA – “Snooze”
- Tyla – “Water”
- USHER, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – “Good Good”
- Victoria Monét – “On My Mama”
Best K-Pop:
- Jung Kook ft Latto – “Seven”
- LISA – “Rockstar”
- NCT Dream – “Smoothie”
- NewJeans – “Super Shy”
- Stray Kids – “Lalalala”
- Tomorrow X Together – “Deja Vu”
Best Alternative:
- Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things”
- Bleachers – “Tiny Moves”
- Hozier – “Too Sweet”
- Imagine Dragons – “Eyes Closed”
- Linkin Park – “Friendly Fire”
- Teddy Swims – “Lose Control (Live)”
Best Rock:
- Bon Jovi – “Legendary”
- Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove”
- Green Day – “Dilemma”
- Kings of Leon – “Mustang”
- Lenny Kravitz – “Human”
- U2 – “Atomic City”
Best Latin:
- Anitta – “Mil Veces”
- Bad Bunny – “Monaco”
- Karol G – “Mi Ex Tenia Razon”
- Myke Towers – “Lala”
- Peso Pluma & Anitta – “Bellakeo”
- Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky”
- Shakira & Cardi B – “Puntería”
Best Afrobeats:
- Ayra Starr ft Giveon – “Last Heartbreak Song”
- Burna Boy – “City Boys”
- Chris Brown ft Davido & Lojay – “Sensational”
- Tems – “Love Me JeJe”
- Tyla – “Water”
- Usher and Pheelz – “Ruin”
Video for Good:
- Alexander Stewart – “If you only knew”
- Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For”
- Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove”
- Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll – “Best For Me”
- Raye – “Genesis”
- Tyler Childers – “In Your Love”
Best Trending Video:
- Beyoncé – “Texas hold ‘em”
- Camila Cabello ft Playboi Carti – “I luv it”
- Chappell Roan – “Hot to go!”
- Charlie XCX – “Apple”
- Megan Thee Stallion ft Yuki Chiba – “Mamushi”
- Tinashe – “Nasty”
Song of Summer:
- Ariana Grande– “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”
- Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things”
- Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”
- Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”
- Charli XCXandBillie Eilish – “Guess”
- Eminem – “Houdini”
- Future,Metro BoominandKendrick Lamar – “Like That”
- GloRillaandMegan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be”
- Hozier – “Too Sweet”
- Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”
- Post MalonefeaturingMorgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help”
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please”
- Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
- SZA – “Saturn”
- Taylor SwiftfeaturingPost Malone – “Fortnight”
- Tommy Richman – “Million Dollar Baby”
VMAs Most Iconic Perfomance:
- Beyoncé – “Love on Top” (2011)
- Britney Spears,Christina Aguilera,MadonnaandMissy Elliott – “Like a Virgin” and “Hollywood” (2003)
- Eminem – “The Real Slim Shady” and “The Way I Am” (2000)
- Katy Perry – “Roar” (2013 live fromEmpire-Fulton Ferry Park)
- Lady Gaga – “Paparazzi” (2009)
- Madonna – “Like a Virgin” (1984)
- Taylor Swift – “You Belong with Me” (2009)
Best Direction:
- Ariana Grande – “We can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Christian Breslauer
- Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Alex Lockett & Margaret Qualley
- Eminem – “Houdini” – Rich Lee
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Daniel Iglesias Jr
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Bardia Zeinali
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Taylor Swift
Best Art Direction:
- Charli XCX – “360” – Grace Surnow
- Lisa – “Rockstar” – Pongsan Thawatwichian
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Brittany Porter
- Olivia Rodrigo – “Bad idea right?” – Nicholas des Jardins
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Nicholas des Jardins
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Ethan Tobman
Best Editing:
- Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Nick Yumul
- Ariana Grande – “We can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Luis Caraza Peimbert
- Eminem – “Houdini” – David Checel
- Lisa – “Rockstar” – Nik Kohler
- Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Jai Shukla
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Chancler Haynes
Best Cinematography:
- Ariana Grande – “We can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Anatol Trofimov
- Charli XCX – “Von dutch” – Jeff Bierman
- Dua Lipa – “Illusion” – Nikita Kuzmenko
- Olivia Rodrigo – “Obsessed” – Marz Miller
- Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Camilo Monsalve
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Rodrigo Prieto
Best Choreography:
- Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Margaret Qualley
- Dua Lipa – “Houdini” – Charm La’Donna
- Lisa – “Rockstar” – Sean Bankhead
- Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos
- Tate McRae – “Greedy” – Sean Bankhead
- Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Sergio Reis, Mauro van de Kerkhof
Best Visual Effects:
- Ariana Grande – “The boy is mine” – Digital Axis
- Eminem – “Houdini” – Synapse Virtual Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post
- Justin Timberlake – “Selfish” – Candice Dragonas
- Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Mathematic
- Olivia Rodrigo – “Get him back!” – Uppercut, John Geehreng, Steve Cokonis, Mitch Gardiner, Chelsea Pistono, John Ashby, Alice Cen, Ernie Armitage, Georgina Poushkine, Cooper Vacheron, Preston Mohr, Karen Arakelian andJustin Johnson
- Taylor Swift ft Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Parliament