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Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow and Kendrick Lamar lead with 7 VMA nominations

A man in a dark suit and a man in a white one stand back to back on a red carpet
Jack Harlow, left, and Lil Nas X attend the 64th Grammy Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 3 in Las Vegas.
(Amy Sussman / Getty Images)
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Lil Nas X is poised to clean up at the MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 28.

Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow and Kendrick Lamar led the awards nominations announced Tuesday with seven each.

Harlow and Lil Nas X shared six for their work on “Industry Baby,” including nods for video of the year, art direction and videography. Both were also nominated for artist of the year.

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“THANK U SO MUCH,” Nas X wrote on Twitter in a far cry from his reaction when he was not nominated at all for a BET Award. (He dissed BET on Twitter, sent a photo of himself urinating on a BET trophy and dropped a song called “F— BET” while accusing it of homophobia.)

Musicians Doja Cat, Drake and Ari Lennox are the top nominees at this year’s BET Awards. But Lil Nas X was shut out for the second year in a row.

June 1, 2022

Lamar‘s seven nominations included ones for best hip-hop, video for good, cinematography. Doja Cat and Harry Styles were next with six nominations each, while Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and the Weeknd each received five.

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, MTV mixed young stars and veteran acts at the annual Video Music Awards.

Sept. 13, 2021

Madonna made history by becoming the first artist to be nominated in each of the five decades in which the VMAs have aired. Madonna, who has won a record 20 VMA awards, received her 69th nomination for “Madame X.”

Baby Keem led the first-time nominees with four nods, including new artist, cinematography and direction. JID, Becky G and the Tems are among 26 artists who received their first MTV VMA nomination.

The 2022 VMAs are set to take the stage from New Jersey’s Prudential Center on Aug. 28. The show will be broadcast live on the East Coast at 8 p.m. Eastern time, and will be tape-delayed to start at 8 p.m. Pacific for the West Coast.

Lil Nas X grabbed the top prize for his controversial music video ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’ — which sees the MC descend into the underworld via stripper pole and give a lapdance to the devil.

Sept. 12, 2021

Fans can vote for their favorites in each category at vote.mtv.com. Find the full list of nominations below.

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VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was“ – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “brutal” – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “All too Well” (10-minute version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Drake – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records

Foo Fighters receive MTV Global Icon Award at VMAs and pay homage to late Stones drummer Charlie Watts.

Sept. 13, 2021

SONG OF THE YEAR

Adele – “Easy On Me” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay” – Columbia Records

NEW ARTIST

Baby Keem – Columbia Records
Dove Cameron – Disruptor Records / Columbia Records
Gayle – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
Latto – Streamcut / RCA Records
Måneskin – Arista Records
Seventeen – PLEDIS Entertainment/Geffen Records

Doja Cat has gone from online novelty to genre-fluid pop star to host of Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards, and still remains something of a mystery.

Sept. 12, 2021

PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

September 2021: Griff – “One Night” – Warner Records
October 2021: Remi Wolf – “Sexy Villain” – Island Records
November 2021: Nessa Barrett – “i hope ur miserable until ur dead” – Warner Records
December 2021: Seventeen – “Rock With You” – PLEDIS Entertainment / Geffen Records
January 2021: Mae Muller – “Better Days” – Capitol Records UK
February 2022: Gayle – “abcdefu” – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
March 2022: Sheneesa – “R U That” – Rich Immigrants / Interscope Records
April 2022: Omar Apollo – “Tamagotchi” – Warner Records
May 2022: Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” – Domino Recording Co.
June 2022: Muni Long – “Baby Boo” – Supergiant Records LLC / Def Jam Recording
July 2022: Doechii – “Persuasive” – Top Dog Entertainment / Capitol Records

COLLABORATION

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Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic
Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
Post Malone & the Weeknd – “One Right Now” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
Rosalía ft. the Weeknd – “La Fama” – Columbia Records
The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay” – Columbia Records

POP

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “traitor” – Geffen Records

HIP-HOP

Eminem & Snoop Dogg – “From the D 2 the LBC” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Future ft. Drake, Tems – “Wait for U” – Freebandz / Epic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Latto – “Big Energy” – Streamcut / RCA Records
Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby – “Do We Have a Problem?” – Young Money / Cash Money / Republic Records
Pusha T – “Diet Coke” – G.O.O.D. Music / Def Jam

Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna, Lil Nas X, Foo Fighters and Justin Bieber gave us some of the must-see moments at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards.

Sept. 13, 2021

ROCK

Foo Fighters – “Love Dies Young” – RCA Records
Jack White – “Taking Me Back” – Third Man Records
Muse – “Won’t Stand Down” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Black Summer” – Warner Records
Shinedown – “Planet Zero” – Elektra Music Group
Three Days Grace – “So Called Life” – RCA Records

ALTERNATIVE

Avril Lavigne ft. blackbear - “Love It When You Hate Me” - Elektra Music Group / DTA Records
Imagine Dragons x JID – “Enemy” – KidinaKorner / Interscope Records
Machine Gun Kelly ft. Willow – “emo girl” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records
Måneskin – “I Wanna Be Your Slave” – Arista Records
Panic! At the Disco – “Viva Las Vengeance” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group
Twenty One Pilots – “Saturday” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group
Willow, Avril Lavigne ft. Travis Barker – “G R O W” – MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation Records

LATIN

Anitta – “Envolver” – Warner Records
Bad Bunny – “Tití Me Preguntó” – Rimas Entertainment
Becky G X Karol G – “MAMIII” – Kemosabe Records / Sony Music Latin / RCA Records
Daddy Yankee – “Remix” – Republic Records
Farruko – “Pepas” – Sony Music US Latin
J Balvin & Skrillex – “In Da Getto” – Sueños Globales, LLC /Universal Music Latino / Asylum Records UK

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R&B

Alicia Keys – “City of Gods (Part II)” – AKW
Chlöe – “Have Mercy” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
H.E.R. – “For Anyone” – RCA Records
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool/RCA Records
Summer Walker, SZA & Cardi B – “No Love (Extended Version)” – LVRN / Interscope Records
The Weeknd – “Out of Time” – XO / Republic Records

K-POP

BTS – “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)” – BigHit Music / Geffen Records
ITZY – “Loco” – JYP Entertainment
LISA – “LALISA” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
Seventeen – “Hot” – PLEDIS Entertainment/Geffen Records
Stray Kids – “Maniac” – JYP Entertainment
TWICE – “The Feels” – JYP Entertainment

VIDEO FOR GOOD

Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Latto – “P*ssy” – Streamcut / RCA Records
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Rina Sawayama – “This Hell” – Dirty Hit
Stromae – ”Fils de joie” – Mosaert Label / The Darkroom / Interscope Records

METAVERSE PERFORMANCE

Blackpink the Virtual | PUBG – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
BTS | Minecraft – BigHit Music / Geffen Records
Charli XCX | Roblox – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – An Interactive Virtual Experience | Wave – Def Jam
Rift Tour ft. Ariana Grande | Fortnite – Republic Records
Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience | Roblox – Fueled by Ramen / Elektra Music Group

LONGFORM VIDEO

Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Foo Fighters – Studio 666 – RCA Records
Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville
Madonna – Madame X - Interscope Records
Olivia Rodrigo – driving home 2 u – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “All too Well” (10-minute version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records

CINEMATOGRAPHY

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Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records
Camila Cabello ft. Ed Sheeran – “Bam Bam” – Epic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “All too Well” (10-minute version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records

DIRECTION

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10-minute version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records

ART DIRECTION

Adele – “Oh My God” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO / Republic Records
Kacey Musgraves – “simple times” – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment

VISUAL EFFECTS

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Coldplay X BTS – “My Universe” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay” – Columbia Records

CHOREOGRAPHY

BTS – “Permission to Dance” – BigHit Music/Geffen Records
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
FKA twigs ft. the Weeknd – “Tears In the Club” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby” – Columbia Records
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records

EDITING

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “brutal” – Geffen Records
Rosalía– “SAOKO” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “All too Well” (10-minute version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records
The Weeknd – “Take My Breath” – XO / Republic Records

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