The 2019 Video Music Awards Nominations Are In & Obvs It's All About Lil Nas | MTV Skip to main content
  • News
  • Watch MTV
    • All shows
    • Geordie Shore
    • The Challenge: WOTW 2
    • Ghosted: Love Gone Missing
    • Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
    • Teen Mom 2
    • Teen Mom: Young + Pregnant
    • Teen Mom Australia
  • Music
    • TRL
    • MTV Unplugged
    • Upload
    • Call & Response
    • Stripped
    • MTV Push
    • MTV Live Sessions
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • Download
  • TV Guide
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Search
  • Pictures
  • Win
  • Download
  • TV Guide
Home
  • News
  • Watch MTV
    • All shows
    • Geordie Shore
    • The Challenge: WOTW 2
    • Ghosted: Love Gone Missing
    • Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
    • Teen Mom 2
    • Teen Mom: Young + Pregnant
    • Teen Mom Australia
  • Music
    • TRL
    • MTV Unplugged
    • Upload
    • Call & Response
    • Stripped
    • MTV Push
    • MTV Live Sessions
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Search

VMA 2019

  • Main
  • Videos
  • Pictures
  • News

The 2019 Video Music Awards Nominations Are In & Obvs It's All About Lil Nas

  • Share to Facebook
  • Tweet to Twitter
  • Share to Google plus
Wednesday, July 24, 2019 - 09:54

She's got the biggest selling album of the year, and now Ariana Grandecontinues her hot streak by co-leading the pack of nominees for the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards!

Grande has racked up a whopping 10 (!) nominations, including Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop, Best Direction, and Best Cinematography, all for her cameo-packed, rom-com-inspired "thank u, next" video. Joining her at the top of the list is fellow pop titan Taylor Swift, who also boasts 10 nods, split between her whimsical "ME!" and "You Need to Calm Down" visuals. In the list announced Tuesday (July 23), VMA newbies Billie Eilish grabbed nine nods and Lil Nas X trails close behind with eight. Eilish also joins Grande in the illustrious Artist of the Year category, alongside Cardi B, Halsey, Jonas Brothers, and Shawn Mendes.

Meanwhile, the mother-of-them-all category — Video of the Year — is predictably packed. Grande's "thank u, next" is up against Eilish's "bad guy," Swift's "You Need to Calm Down," Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road (Remix)," Jonas Brothers's "Sucker," and 21 Savage and J. Cole's "a lot."

This year's show also sees the introduction of a brand new prize: Best K-pop. BTS scored a nom for their Halsey-featuring smash "Boy With Luv," and the rest of the category is filled with more of the genre's biggest stars: Blackpink, Monsta X, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, NCT 127, and EXO.

We'll find out who wins when the 2019 VMAs touch down at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on Monday, August 26. See the full list of nominees below and get voting now — your faves need you!

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

21 Savage ft. J. Cole – "a lot" – Slaughter Gang LLC/Epic Records

Billie Eilish – "bad guy" – Darkroom/Interscope Records

Ariana Grande – "thank u, next" – Republic Records

Jonas Brothers – "Sucker" – Republic Records

Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road (Remix)" – Columbia Records

Taylor Swift – "You Need to Calm Down" – Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Cardi B – Atlantic Records

Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records

Ariana Grande – Republic Records

Halsey – Capitol Records

Jonas Brothers – Republic Records

Shawn Mendes– Island Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

Drake – "In My Feelings" – Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records

Ariana Grande – "thank u, next" – Republic Records

Jonas Brothers – "Sucker" – Republic Records

Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – "Shallow" – Interscope Records

Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road (Remix)" – Columbia Records

Taylor Swift – "You Need to Calm Down" – Republic Records

BEST NEW ARTIST, presented by Taco Bell®

Ava Max – Atlantic Records

Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records

H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records

Lil Nas X – Columbia Records

Lizzo – Atlantic Records

ROSALÍA – Columbia Records

BEST COLLABORATION

Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road (Remix)" – Columbia Records

Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper – "Shallow" – Interscope Records

Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – "Señorita" – Island Records

Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – "ME!" – Republic Records

Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber – "I Don’t Care" – Atlantic Records

BTS ft. Halsey – "Boy With Luv" – Columbia Records

PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Bazzi – Atlantic Records

CNCO – RCA Records

Billie Eilish – Darkroom/Interscope Records

H.E.R. – MBK/RCA Records

Lauv – LAUV/AWAL

Lizzo – Atlantic Records

BEST POP

5 Seconds of Summer – "Easier" – Interscope Records

Cardi B & Bruno Mars – "Please Me" – Atlantic Records

Billie Eilish – "bad guy" – Darkroom/Interscope Records

Ariana Grande – "thank u, next" – Republic Records

Jonas Brothers – "Sucker" – Republic Records

Taylor Swift – "You Need to Calm Down" – Republic Records

Khalid - "Talk" - RCA Records

BEST HIP HOP

2 Chainz ft. Ariana Grande – "Rule the World" – 2 Chainz Ps/Def Jam

21 Savage ft. J. Cole – "a lot" – Slaughter Gang LLC/Epic Records

Cardi B – "Money" – Atlantic Records

DJ Khaled ft. Nipsey Hussle & John Legend – "Higher" – We The Best/Epic Records

Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road (Remix)" – Columbia Records

Travis Scott ft. Drake – "SICKO MODE" – Epic Records/Grand Hustle/Cactus Jack

BEST R&B

Anderson .Paak ft. Smokey Robinson – "Make It Better" – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music

Childish Gambino – "Feels Like Summer" – RCA Records

H.E.R. ft. Bryson Tiller – "Could’ve Been" – MBK/RCA Records

Alicia Keys – "Raise A Man" – RCA Records

Ella Mai – "Trip" – 10 Summers/Interscope Records

Normani ft. 6lack – "Waves" – Keep Cool/RCA Records

BEST K-POP

BTS ft. Halsey – "Boy With Luv" – Columbia Records

BLACKPINK – "Kill This Love" – YG Entertainment/Interscope Records

Monsta X ft. French Montana – "Who Do You Love" – Epic Records

TOMORROW X TOGETHER – "Cat & Dog" – Republic Records

NCT 127 – "Regular" – SM Entertainment

EXO – "Tempo" – SM Entertainment

BEST LATIN

Anuel AA, Karol G – "Secreto" – Universal Music Latino

Bad Bunny ft. Drake – "MIA" – OVO Sound/Warner Records

benny blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez, J Balvin – "I Can’t Get Enough" – NEON16/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records

Daddy Yankee ft. Snow – "Con Calma" – Universal Music Latin Entertainment

Maluma – "Mala Mía" – Sony Music US Latin

ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – "Con Altura" – Columbia Records

BEST DANCE

The Chainsmokers, Bebe Rexha – "Call You Mine" – Disruptor/Columbia Records

Clean Bandit ft. Demi Lovato – "Solo" – Big Beat/Atlantic Records

DJ Snake ft. Selena Gomez, Ozuna & Cardi B – "Taki Taki" – DJ Snake Music Productions Ltd/Geffen

David Guetta, Bebe Rexha & J Balvin – "Say My Name" – Big Beat/Atlantic Records

Marshmello & Bastille – "Happier" – Capitol Records

Silk City & Dua Lipa ft. Diplo & Mark Ronson– "Electricity" – Columbia Records

BEST ROCK

The 1975 – "Love It If We Made It" – Dirty Hit/Interscope Records

Fall Out Boy – "Bishops Knife Trick" – Island Records

Imagine Dragons – "Natural" – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records

Lenny Kravitz – "Low" – BMG Rights Management (UK) Ltd.

Panic! At The Disco – "High Hopes" – Elektra Music Group

twenty one pilots – "My Blood" – Elektra Music Group

VIDEO FOR GOOD

Halsey – "Nightmare" – Capitol Records

The Killers – "Land of the Free" – Island

Jamie N Commons, Skylar Grey ft. Gallant – "Runaway Train" – Interscope Records

John Legend – "Preach" – Columbia Records

Lil Dicky – "Earth" – Dirty Burd, Inc./Commission/BMG

Taylor Swift – "You Need to Calm Down" – Republic Records

BEST DIRECTION

Billie Eilish – "bad guy" – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Meyers

FKA twigs – "Cellophane" – Young Turks – Directed by Andrew Thomas Huang

Ariana Grande – "thank you, next" – Republic Records – Directed by Hannah Lux Davis

Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road (Remix)" – Columbia Records – Directed by Calmatic

LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – "No New Friends" – Columbia Records – Directed by Dano Cerny

Taylor Swift – "You Need to Calm Down" – Republic Records – Directed by Drew Kirsch & Taylor Swift

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Billie Eilish – "when the party’s over" – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Ryan Ross, Andres Jaramillo

FKA twigs – "Cellophane" – Young Turks – Visual Effects by Matt Chandler, Fabio Zaveti for Analog

Ariana Grande – "God is a Woman" – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Fabrice Lagayette, Kristina Prilukova & Rebecca Rice for Mathematic

DJ Khaled ft. SZA – "Just Us" – We The Best/Epic Records – Visual Effects by Sergii Mashevskyi

LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – "No New Friends" – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Ethan Chancer

Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – "ME!" – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier & Lucas Salton for BUF VFX

BEST EDITING

Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – "Tints" – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Editing by Elias Talbot

Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road (Remix)" – Columbia Record – Editing by Calmatic

Billie Eilish – "bad guy" – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Editing by Billie Eilish

Ariana Grande – "7 Rings" – Republic Records – Editing by Hannah Lux Davis & Taylor Walsh

Solange – "Almeda" – Columbia Records – Editing by Solange Knowles, Vinnie Hobbs, Jonathon Proctor

Taylor Swift – "You Need to Calm Down" – Republic Records – Editing by Jarrett Fijal

BEST ART DIRECTION

BTS ft. Halsey – "Boy With Luv" – Columbia Records – Art Direction by JinSil Park, BoNa Kim (MU:E)

Ariana Grande – "7 Rings" – Republic Records – Art Direction by John Richoux

Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road (Remix)" – Columbia Records – Art Direction by Christian Zollenkopf for Prettybird

Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – "Señorita" – Island Records – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter

Taylor Swift – "You Need to Calm Down" – Republic Records – Art Direction by Brittany Porter

Kanye West and Lil’ Pump ft. Adele Givens – "I Love It" – Warner Records & Def Jam Music Group – Art Direction by Tino Schaedler

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

FKA twigs – "Cellophane" – Young Turks – Choreography by Kelly Yvonne

ROSALÍA & J Balvin ft. El Guincho – "Con Altura" – Columbia Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna

LSD ft. Labrinth, Sia, Diplo – "No New Friends" – Columbia Records – Choreography by Ryan Heffington

Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – "Señorita" – Island Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge, Sara Biv

Solange – "Almeda" – Columbia Records – Choreography by Maya Taylor, Solange Knowles

BTS ft. Halsey – "Boy With Luv" – Columbia Records – Choreography by Rie Hata

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar – "Tints" – Aftermath Ent/12 Tone Music – Cinematography by Elias Talbot

Billie Eilish – "hostage" – Darkroom/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Pau Castejon

Ariana Grande – "thank you, next" – Republic Records – Cinematography by Christopher Probst

Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello – "Señorita" – Island Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham

Solange – "Almeda" – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Chayse Irvin, Ryan Marie Helfant, Justin Hamilton

Taylor Swift ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco – "ME!" – Republic Records – Cinematography by Starr Whitesides

The VMAs will air Tuesday 27th August from 9am - only on MTV!

9 Times Lil Nas Was The Yeehaw Cowboy Of Your Dreams...

9 Times Lil Nas Was The Yeehaw Cowboy Of Your Dreams

  • 1 of 9
  • 2 of 9
  • 3 of 9
  • Getty
    4 of 9
  • 5 of 9
  • 6 of 9
  • 7 of 9
  • Getty
    8 of 9
  • Getty
    9 of 9

Latest News

Thicc Earth Warrior Jason Momoa Scolding Chris Pratt For Using A Water Bottle Is My Kink

Yeaaah Buddy: We're Celebrating 10 Years Of Jersey Shore

Watch Katy Perry Celebrate Christmas By Receiving A Nude Massage From A Reindeer

Would You Risk $1 Mill To Tweet About Pete Davidson’s Jokes?

Mike Nolan From 'The Big Lez Show' Has Officially Released His Own Tinny For You To Get Your Gob Around

Jacob Elordi Publicly Confirms That He Rode That Sydney Train With Zendaya Only As Friends

Bae, Basic, Turnt & All The Other Slang We Really Wanna Leave In The '10s

The Internet Has Completely Fallen In Love With Baby Yoda & Honestly We Hope The Memes Never Stop

22 Delightful New Xmas Songs You Should Add To Your Festive Playlist

Hold On To Your Low-Rise Jeans Coz The Pussycat Dolls, Jesse McCartney, Smash Mouth & More Are Heading To Aus & NZ For Epic Tour

'Tones and I' Has Opened Up About Receiving ‘Death Threats & Very Harsh Judgement’ Following Her ARIA Wins

Shawn Mendes Told Fans That Being In Love With Camila Cabello Is Greater Than Being Grammy-Nominated

Music Royalty Paul McCartney & Rihanna Have Bumped Into Each Other In First Class On A Trip To London

WATCH: Loosen Up My Buttons Because The Pussycat Dolls Have Reunited For Their First Performance In Ten Years

Love Island's Adam & The Bachelor's Elly Rocked Up At An Event Together Yesterday & We're Shipping It So Hard

James Charles Actually Hit *THAT* Note From 'Praying' In Front Of Kesha Herself

Please Enjoy This Old Video Of Nicole Scherzinger Getting Visibly Pissed After Another Pussycat Doll Tried To Take Centre Stage

A Sydney Bar Has Apparently Exposed Love Island's Cassie Trying To Nab Some Free Drinks

A Sydney Bar Has Apparently Exposed Love Island's Cassie Trying To Nab Some Free Drinks

James Charles Says He Hasn't Recovered From The Tati Westbrook Drama & TBH Neither Have I

More From VMA 2019

Tammy Hembrow

VMA 2019 | Tammy Takes The VMAs

Taylor Swift Has Responded After John Travolta Accidentally Gave Her Award To Drag Queen Jade Jolie

WATCH: Tammy Hembrow Spills On What Happened When She Ran Into Lady Gaga In A Bathroom

Oop Normani Opens Up About ~That~ Wardrobe Malfunction During Her VMAs Performance

The Internet Dragged James Charles’ 'Extra' VMAs Look & He Wants To Know Why

14 VMAs Red Carpet Couples We Firmly Want To Get In-Between

Rihanna Gave Lizzo The Filthiest Compliment Ever After Epic VMAs Performance

14 VMAs Red Carpet Couples We Firmly Want To Get In-Between

Miley Cyrus Debuts Her Second Breakup Tatt At The VMAs & Honestly Where Are The Tissues

2019 MTV Video Music Awards

The 2019 MTV VMAs in 60 Seconds

The 2019 VMAs Performances Ranked

Miley Cyrus Brought Kaitlynn Carter Backstage At The VMAs Fuelling Romance Rumours

Trending Articles

Mike Nolan From 'The Big Lez Show' Has Officially Released His Own Tinny For You To Get Your Gob Around

26 #PoorMichelle Moments That'll Make You Say 'Poor Michelle'

'Love Island' Runner Up Erin Barnett Claims Ex-BF Eden Dally "Tried To Kill Us"

Thicc Earth Warrior Jason Momoa Scolding Chris Pratt For Using A Water Bottle Is My Kink

Why Do People Hate Taylor Swift So Much?

Yeaaah Buddy: We're Celebrating 10 Years Of Jersey Shore

Rose McIver Speaks Out Following Sexual Assault Allegations Against iZombie Co-Star

Hold On To Your Low-Rise Jeans Coz The Pussycat Dolls, Jesse McCartney, Smash Mouth & More Are Heading To Aus & NZ For Epic Tour

Lea Michele Is No Longer Single! Meet Her New Leading Man...

Get Excited 'Coz Ex On The Beach Is Returning With A Brand New Season Filmed In New Zealand

Please Enjoy This Old Video Of Nicole Scherzinger Getting Visibly Pissed After Another Pussycat Doll Tried To Take Centre Stage

Jay Alvarrez Is Being Accused Of "Degrading" His GF In This Seriously NSFW IG Pic

  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • MTV Press
  • Advertising Opportunities
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Collection Statement
  • Site Feedback
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Google Plus
Hit us with some keywords!