The VMAs are returning to Radio City Music Hall on Monday, August 20 at 9pm, after a stint at the Forum in LA. Cardi B and the Carters lead the 2018 VMA nominations, with 10 and eight respectively. Cardi B was nominated for her appearances in seven-time nominee Bruno Mars’ “Finesse (Remix)” clip (up for Video of The Year) and her own “Bartier Carti” (featuring 21 Savage, also nominated with Post Malone for “Rockstar” under Song of The Year). Jay-Z and Beyoncé received all eight nominations for the “APES**T” video, off their recent collaborative album Everything Is Love.
Because this is 2018, Drake shows up here too, earning seven nominations primarily for his massive, feel-good video for “God’s Plan.” Childish Gambino, on the strength of his video for “This Is America,” also received seven nominations, appearing on almost every ‘professional’ technical category except for Best Visual Effects.
Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello each had five nominations; coincidentally, last year’s Best Director winner Dave Meyers directed both the “No Tears Left To Cry” and “Havana” videos.
Meanwhile, despite premiering at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards, Taylor Swift‘s “Look What You Made Me Do” was only nominated in three technical categories.
View the full list of nominees below, and vote at the MTV website until August 10th. Best New Artist will remain open until the VMA broadcast.
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry”
Bruno Mars – “Finesse (Remix)” [ft. Cardi B]
Camila Cabello – “Havana” [ft. Young Thug]
The Carters – “APES**T”
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande
Bruno Mars
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Drake
Post Malone
SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars – “Finesse (Remix)” [ft. Cardi B]
Camila Cabello – “Havana” [ft. Young Thug]
Drake – “God’s Plan”
Dua Lipa – “New Rules”
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”
Post Malone – “rockstar” [ft. 21 Savage]
BEST NEW ARTIST
Bazzi
Cardi B
Chloe x Halle
Hayley Kiyoko
Lil Pump
Lil Uzi Vert
BEST COLLABORATION
Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be”
Bruno Mars – “Finesse (Remix)” [ft. Cardi B]
The Carters – “APES**T”
Jennifer Lopez – “Dinero” [ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B]
Logic – “1-800-273-8255” [ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid]
N.E.R.D – “Lemon” [ft. Rihanna]
BEST POP VIDEO
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry”
Camila Cabello – “Havana” [ft. Young Thug]
Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry”
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”
P!nk – “What About Us”
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood”
BEST HIP HOP VIDEO
Cardi B – “Bartier Cardi” [ft. 21 Savage]
The Carters – “APES**T”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
J. Cole – “ATM”
Migos – “Walk It Talk It” [ft. Drake]
Nicki Minaj – “Chun-Li”
BEST DANCE VIDEO
Avicii – “Lonely Together” [ft. Rita Ora]
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – “One Kiss”
The Chainsmokers – “Everybody Hates Me”
David Guetta & Sia – “Flames”
Marshmello – “Silence” [ft. Khalid]
Zedd & Liam Payne – “Get Low (Street Video)”
BEST LATIN VIDEO
Daddy Yankee – “Dura”
J Balvin – “Mi Gente” [ft. Willy William]
Jennifer Lopez – “Dinero” [ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B]
Luis Fonsi – “Échame La Culpa” [ft. Demi Lovato]
Maluma – “Felices los 4”
Shakira – “Chantaje” [ft. Maluma]
BEST ROCK VIDEO
Fall Out Boy – “Champion”
Foo Fighters – “The Sky Is A Neighborhood”
Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes”
Linkin Park – “One More Light”
Panic! at the Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)”
Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Walk On Water”
VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Dej Loaf and Leon Bridges – “Liberated”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
Janelle Monáe – “PYNK”
Jessie Reyez – “Gatekeeper”
Logic – “1-800-273-8255” [ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid]
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alessia Cara – “Growing Pains”
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry”
The Carters – “APES**T”
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Eminem – “River” [ft. Ed Sheeran]
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood”
BEST DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T”
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Drake – “God’s Plan”
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect”
Justin Timberlake – “Say Something” [ft. Chris Stapleton]
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood”
BEST ART DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T”
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
J. Cole – “ATM”
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel”
SZA – “The Weekend”
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do”
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry”
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together”
Eminem – “Walk On Water” [ft. Beyoncé]
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “All The Stars”
Maroon 5 – “Wait”
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do”
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Bruno Mars – “Finesse (Remix)” [ft. Cardi B]
Camila Cabello – “Havana” [ft. Young Thug]
The Carters – “APES**T”
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Dua Lipa – “IDGAF”
Justin Timberlake – “Filthy”
BEST EDITING
Bruno Mars – “Finesse (Remix)” [ft. Cardi B]
The Carters – “APES**T”
Childish Gambino – “This Is America”
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel”
N.E.R.D – “Lemon” [ft. Rihanna]
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do”
PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
July 2018 – Chloe x Halle
June 2018 – Sigrid
May 2018 – Lil Xan
April 2018 – Hayley Kiyoko
March 2018 – Jessie Reyez
February 2018 – Tee Grizzley
January 2018 – Bishop Briggs
December 2017 – Grace VanderWaal
November 2017 – Why Don’t We
October 2017 – PRETTYMUCH
September 2017 – SZA
August 2017 – Kacy Hill
July 2017 – Khalid
June 2017 – Kyle
May 2017 – Noah Cyrus
