Lil Nas X is expected to make a splash at the MTV Video Music Awards on August 28. The “Industrial Baby” rapper – who isn’t afraid to speak her mind when ignored by other awards shows – joins Jack Harlow and Kendrick Lamar to lead the 2022 nominees list. The nominations, announced today (July 26), will see Jack and Nas X compete for Video of the Year, with both vying for Artist of the Year. Kendrick will actually compete with himself for best photography (“Family Ties,” “N95”). His “The Heart Part 5” also won Video For Good and Best Visual Effects.
Doja Cat and Harry Styles both received 6 nominations, while Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd each received 5 nominations. This year’s nominations saw 26 first-time nominees, with Baby Keem, Gayle, Måneskin, Kacey Musgraves, Tems, Wet Leg, Karol G, Dove Cameron, Becky G, and more. Madonna, meanwhile, became the only entertainer to be nominated in each of the five decades at the VMA, as she picked up her 69th nomination (not bad) for “MADAME X.”
The 2022 VMA was held at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. This year’s awards show airs at 8pm ET/PT and will be simulcast on The CW with BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TVLand and VH1 out.
Fans can now vote for their favorites among 22 neutral categories by visiting vote.mtv.com, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration and two brand new categories – Best Long Video and Most Best Metaverse Show – until Friday, August 19, 2022. Voting for Best Newcomer, presented by EXTRA® Gum, will continue on Sunday, August 28, 2022. Nominations for social categories including Group of the Year and Song of the Summer will be announced at a later date.
Here is the full list of nominees provided by MTV:
Video of the Year presented by Burger King®
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records/RCA Records
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – “Tremble” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As Is” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “Savage” – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “So Good” (10 Minutes) (Taylor Version) – Republic Records
Artist of the Year
Bad Rabbit – Rimas Entertainment
Drake – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – Now Generation / Atlantic Records
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records
song of the year
Adele – “Easy 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
Best Newcomer Award, presented by EXTRA® Gum
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
Annual Drive Performance
September 2021: Griff – “One Night” – Warner Records
October 2021: Remi Wolf – “Sexy Villain” – Island Records
November 2021: Nessa Barrett – “I Want You To Die In Misery” – 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: Sheenesa – “RU That” – Rich Immigrants / Interscope Records
April 2022: Omar Apollo – “Electronic Pet” – Warner Records
May 2022: Wet Legs – “Recliner” – Domino’s
June 2022: Muni Long – “Baby Boo” – Supergiant Records LLC / Def Jam Recording
July 2022: Doechii – “Convincing” – Top Dog Entertainment / Capitol Records
best cooperation
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
best pop music
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records/RCA Records
Ed Sheeran – “Tremble” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As Is” – Columbia Records
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “Traitor” – Geffen Records
best 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 – “Are We Having Problems?” – Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records
Pusha T – “Diet Coke” – Good Music / Def Jam
best rock
Foo Fighters – “Love Dies Young” – RCA Records
Jack White – “Take Me Back” – Third Person Records
Muse – “Won’t Back Down” – Warner Records
Red Chili Peppers – “Black Summer” – Warner Records
Shinedown – “Planet Zero” – Elektra Music Group
Three Days of Grace – “The So-Called Life” – RCA Records
best choice
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 Want to Be Your Slave” – Arista Records
panic! At Disco – “Viva Las Vengeance” – Promoted by Ramen / Elektra Music Group
21 Pilots – “Saturday” – Boosted by Ramen / Elektra Music Group
WILLOW, Avril Lavigne ft. Travis Barker – “GROW” – MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation Records
best latin
Anita – “Envolver” – Warner Records
Bad Rabbit – “Tití Me Preguntó” – Rimas Entertainment
Becky GX KAROL G – “MAMIII” – Kemosabe Records / Sony Music Latin / RCA Records
Daddy Yankee – “REMIX” – Republic Records
Farruko – “Pepas” – Sony Music American Latin
J Balvin & Skrillex – “In Da Getto” – Sueños Globales, LLC /Universal Music Latino / Asylum Records UK
Best R&B
Alicia Keys – “City of the Gods (Part II)” – AKW
Chlöe – “Have Mercy” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
HER – “For Anyone” – RCA Records
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep It Cool/RCA Records
Summer Walker, SZA and Cardi B – “No Love (Extended Version)” – LVRN / Interscope Records
The Weeknd – “Out Of Time” – XO/Republic Records
Best K-Pop Music
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 – “Feel” – JYP Entertainment
good video
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
Best meta-inverse performance
BLACKPINK VIRTUAL | PUBG – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
BTS | Minecraft – BIGHIT Music / Geffen Records
Charlie XCX | Roblox – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – Interactive Virtual Experience | Wave – Def Jam
Rift Tour ft. Ariana Grande | Fortnite – Republic Records
Twenty-One Pilots Concert Experience | Roblox – Ramen Push / Elektra Music Group
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Foo Fighters – Studio 666 – RCA Records
Kacey Musgraves – Star-studded – Interscope Records/MCA Nashville
Madonna – Mrs X – Interscope Records
Olivia Rodrigo – Drive Home 2 u – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “So Good” (10 Minutes) (Taylor Version) – Republic Records
best photography
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “Family Bond” – Columbia Records
Camila Cabello ft. Ed Sheeran – “Bam Bam” – Epic Records
Harry Styles – “As Is” – Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records
Normani ft. Cardi B – “The Wild Side” – Keep Cool/RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “So Good” (10 Minutes) (Taylor Version) – Republic Records
best direction
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “Family Bond” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Ed Sheeran – “Tremble” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As Is” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “So Good” (10 Minutes) (Taylor Version) – Republic Records
best art direction
Adele – “Oh My God” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat – “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
best 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
Best 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 Is” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Normani ft. Cardi B – “The Wild Side” – Keep Cool/RCA Records
best editor
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “Family Bond” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat – “Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records/RCA Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “Savage” – Geffen Records
ROSALÍA – “SAOKO” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “So Good” (10 Minutes) (Taylor Version) – Republic Records
The Weeknd – “Take My Breath” – XO/Republic Records
The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards will be live on Sunday, August 28th at 8pm ET at the Prudential Center
