The 'Video of the Year' VMA is a big deal. We know it's our own award show, but really, it is. This year's competition for the most coveted VMA is fiercer than ever: with energetic productions like Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga's "Rain On Me" going up against the cinematic "Blinding Lights", The Weeknd's brainchild; Eminem's versing Billie Eilish; Taylor Swift's battling Future... In other words, deciding on a winner this year is going to be tough.

So who will take home the Moonman for the Video of the Year at the 2020 MTV VMAs – the first-ever award show taking place during COVID-19? Let's take a look-see at all the nominees for Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards, shall we?

1. Lady Gaga Ft. Ariana Grande, “Rain On Me”

Featuring a mysterious cityscape, outfit changes and pouring rain – not to mention hand holding and twirling, this music video is basically a Bollywood movie sequence (but with Italian-American women). And look, we're not complaining.

Both Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande – who also lead this year's MTV VMAs nominations – will also perform together for the very first time at the Video Music Awards next week.

2. Billie Eilish, “Everything I Wanted” 

Now to dial that energy right down, it’s Billie Eilish’s music video for "Everything I Wanted", where we see Billie and her brother and collaborator Finneas take a sombre drive through the night. Billie – who also directed the video – dedicates it to her older brother in its opening moments.

This video's dark, dream-like quality mirrors the song's lyrics that canvas Billie Eilish's dreams about jumping off the golden gate bridge before waking to be reassured by her brother. The video's most powerful moment comes in at around the two-minute mark when the Bilie drives into the ocean. The underwater sequence is beautifully done. 

3. Eminem ft. Juice WRLD, "Godzilla"

Eminem's new music video "Godzilla" is pure unbridled chaos –  and we love every single second of it: verrry 2020. Will unbridled chaos be enough for Eminem to take home the most coveted Video Music Award, again? Perhaps...

Note: Eminem has already nabbed this prized Video Music Award home twice in his illustrious career; for "The Real Slim Shady" in 2000 and "Without Me" in 2002, along with a slew of other MTV VMAs awards and nominations over the years. Winning another Video of the Year music award would be another huge notch in the rapper's belt.

4. Future ft. Drake, "Life is Good" 

In the words of one YouTube commenter: "imagine waking up and seeing Drake and Future riding on the back of a garbage truck". Well that’s exactly how this video kicks off, followed by a bunch of scene changes where we see the two rappers cosplay as ‘normals’ with normal jobs – including car mechanics, bakers, car mechanics and IT guys. Props to Drake on his acting chops – that stint on Degrassi really paid off. Will Drake's acting skillz on "Life is Good" be rewarded with an MTV Video of the Year award?

5. Taylor Swift, "The Man" 

Taylor plays "The Man" at the centre of this video, and she's very good at it. She embodies a fantasy that women dream about. Wouldn't it be nice to go just one day (ahem, post-pandemic) man-spreading on the train and getting angry without consequence?

My favourite part of the music video is when he has a racket-smashing tantrum on the tennis court, much like – oh I don’t know – Novak Djovocich, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Marat Safin, to name a few. Of course, when female players like Serena Williams make even the slightest fuss…well. Taylor Swift for president... or at least for winner of the Video of the Year at the Video Music Awards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqAJLh9wuZ0

6. The Weeknd, "Blinding Lights"

Directed by Anton Tammi, this video is one dizzying ride. The music video treats us to the sight of The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) zipping around Las Vegas in an electric Mercedes Benz (we've all been there!), probably on a bender. Much like the song itself, the video has been described as an “80s fever dream with bits of Knight Rider, Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger's 'Dancing In The Street' thrown in”. It's wonderfully cinemantic, and nothing less than glorious. It's enough to land The Weeknd in the nominations category for Video of the Year at the VMAs; we'll see if he nabs the covetted Moonman on Monday, August 31.

Now if you'll excuse me, these videos aren't gonna re-watch themselves.

Catch the full list of nominees for every MTV VMA here, the VMAs performance line-up here and don't forget to tune in to the 2020 Video Music Awards, which will air live on Monday, August 31 from 8.30am AEST. 

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