The MTV’s Highly anticipated VMA 2023 nominations are out! Celebrating artists whose cultural impact and work during the last 12 months have transformed the music industry and cultivated global conversations is all the rage these days. Taylor Swift (8) leads this year’s nominations, looking for a repeat “Video of the Year” victory after breaking records last year to become the only artist to win 3x in the highly covered category. She is closely followed by SZA (6), Doja Cat, Kim Petras, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo and Sam Smith (5 each), and BLACKPINK, Diddy and Shakira (4 each).
This year boasts a record number of first-ever “VMAs” nominees (35 total), with multiple nominations for first-timers Kim Petras (5), Metro Boomin and Rema (3 each), Ayra Starr, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Peso Pluma, Reneé Rapp and Yung Miami (2 each). Other artists receiving first-time nods include Aespa, boygenius, Burna Boy, Davido, Eslabon Armado, FLETCHER, FIFTY FIFTY, JVKE, Lauren Spencer Smith, Musa Keys, PinkPantheress, Saucy Santana, Stephen Sanchez and Toosii, among others.
Beginning today, fans can vote for their favorites across 15 gender-neutral categories, including the all-new “Best Afrobeats” category, plus the highly-coveted “Video of the Year,”and “Artist of the Year” categories, by visiting vote.mtv.com through Friday, September 1st; voting for “Best New Artist” will remain active into the show on Tuesday, September 12th. Nominations for social categories including “Group of the Year” and “Song of Summer” will be announced at a later date.
The 2023 “VMAs” will return to celebrate the biggest names in music on Tuesday, September 12 at New Jersey’s famed Prudential Center, with headline-generating surprises, one time only performances and a fan-filled audience.
Without further a-do, let’s summarize shall we?
MTV 2023 VMA NOMINATIONS
| Video of the Year | Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records |
| Artist of the Year | Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records KAROL G – Interscope Records Nicki Minaj – Republic Records Shakira – Sony Music US Latin Taylor Swift – Republic Records |
| Song of the Year | Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records |
| Best New Artist | GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records Kaliii – Atlantic Records Peso Pluma – Double P Records PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records |
| Push Performance of the Year | August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED” – Def Jam March 2023: FLETCHER – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy On It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records |
| Best Collaboration | David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records |
| Best Pop | Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records P!NK – “TRUSTFALL” – RCA Records Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records |
| Best Hip-Hop | Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “STAYING ALIVE” – We The Best / Epic Records GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records |
| Best R&B | Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love In The Way” – Empire Distribution |
| Best Alternative | blink-182 – “EDGING” – Columbia Records boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like A Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records Thirty Seconds To Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord |
| Best Rock | Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records Måneskin – “THE LONELIEST” – Arista Records Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records |
| Best Latin | Anitta – “Funk Rave” – Republic Records Bad Bunny – “WHERE SHE GOES” – Rimas Entertainment Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” – DEL Records, Inc. / Prajin Parlay, Inc. Grupo Frontera Bad Bunny – “un x100to” – Rimas Entertainment KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino ROSALÍA – “DESPECHÁ” – Columbia Records Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin |
| Best K-Pop | aespa – “Girls” – SM ENTERTAINMENT Co., Ltd. BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records SEVENTEEN – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records Stray Kids – “S-Class” – JYP / Republic TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records |
| Best Afrobeats | Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd Davido ft. Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records Fireboy DML & Asake – ”Bandana” – Empire Distribution Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records |
| Video For Good | Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral) – NETFLIX Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente” – Rimas Entertainment Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records Dove Cameron – “Breakfast” – Columbia Records Imagine Dragons – “Crushed” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records Maluma – “La Reina” – Sony Music US Latin |
| Best Direction | Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz) Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift |
| Best Cinematography | Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 0 Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rina Yang |
| Best Visual Effect | Fall Out Boy – “Love From The Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner Harry Styles – “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios Melanie Martinez – “VOID” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament |
| Best Choreography | BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX) Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead Panic! At The Disco – “Middle Of A Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel |
| Best Art Direction | boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT) Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Art Direction by Spencer Graves Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Art Direction by Niko Philipides SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch |
| Best Editing | BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT) Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes |
Fans in Southeast Asia can stay tuned, and follow @MTVAsia on socials for more updates on the show! Additional details will be announced closer to the show. Follow @MTVAsia and @VMAs on social to keep up with all-things #VMAs.
