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Culture > Entertainment

Ariana Grande & Lady Gaga Lead The Newly Released 2020 MTV VMA Nominations

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCLA chapter.

2020 has definitely been a year for the books- and the world of entertainment is no different. The release of MTV’s Video Music Awards 2020 nominations reminds us just how lucky we have been to have so many artists keep us company during quarantine this year. 

Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga lead the nominations this year, with 9 nominations each. Billie Eilish and The Weeknd are also at the forefront, with 6 nominations each. This year, the VMAs are also introducing the all-new categories “Best Music Video From Home” and “Best Quarantine Performance.” We’re looking forward to seeing who will take home moon people this year! 

The full list of nominees for the 2020 MTV VMAs are: 

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

  • Billie Eilish – “everything i wanted” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
  • Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – “Godzilla” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
  • Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
  • Taylor Swift – “The Man” – Republic Records
  • The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • DaBaby – SCMG / Interscope Records
  • Justin Bieber – RBMG / Def Jam
  • Lady Gaga – Streamline / Interscope Records 
  • Megan Thee Stallion – 300 Entertainment 
  • Post Malone – Republic Records
  • The Weeknd – XO / Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR

  • Billie Eilish – “everything i wanted” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
  • Doja Cat – “Say So” – Kemosabe / RCA Records
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records
  • Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage” – 300 Entertainment
  • Post Malone – “Circles” – Republic Records
  • Roddy Ricch – “The Box” – Atlantic Records

BEST COLLABORATION

  • Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U” – Republic Records / Def Jam
  • Black Eyed Peas ft. J Balvin – “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)” – Epic Records / We The Best 
  • Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid – “Beautiful People” – Atlantic Records
  • Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
  • Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records

PUSH BEST NEW ARTIST, Presented by Chime Banking

  • Doja Cat – Kemosabe / RCA Records
  • Jack Harlow – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
  • Lewis Capaldi – Capitol Records
  • Roddy Ricch – Atlantic Records
  • Tate McRae – RCA Records
  • YUNGBLUD – Locomotion Recordings / Geffen Records / Interscope Records

BEST POP

  • BTS – “On” – Big Hit Entertainment
  • Halsey – “You should be sad” – Capitol Records
  • Jonas Brothers – “What a Man Gotta Do” – Republic Records
  • Justin Bieber ft. Quavo – “Intentions” – RBMG / Def Jam
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records 
  • Taylor Swift – “Lover” – Republic Records

BEST HIP-HOP

  • DaBaby – “BOP” – SCMG / Interscope Records
  • Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – “Godzilla” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records 
  • Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good” – Epic Records / Freebandz
  • Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage” – 300 Entertainment
  • Roddy Ricch – “The Box” – Atlantic Records
  • Travis Scott – “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” – Epic Records / Cactus Jack

BEST ROCK

  • blink-182 – “Happy Days” – Columbia Records
  • Coldplay – “Orphans” – Atlantic Records
  • Evanescence – “Wasted On You” – BMG
  • Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean – “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)” – Island Records
  • Green Day – “Oh Yeah!” – Reprise / Warner Records
  • The Killers – “Caution” – Island Records

BEST ALTERNATIVE

  • The 1975 – “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” – Dirty Hit / Interscope Records 
  • All Time Low – “Some Kind Of Disaster” – Fueled By Ramen
  • FINNEAS – “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night” – AWAL
  • Lana Del Rey – “Doin’ Time” – Interscope Records
  • Machine Gun Kelly – “Bloody Valentine” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records
  • twenty one pilots – “Level of Concern” – Elektra Music Group / Fueled By Ramen

BEST LATIN

  • Anuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin – “China” – Real Hasta La Muerte 
  • Bad Bunny – “Yo Perreo Sola” – Rimas Entertainment
  • Black Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul – “MAMACITA” – Epic Records
  • J Balvin – “Amarillo” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment
  • Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa” – Universal Music Latin Entertainment 
  • Maluma ft. J Balvin – “Qué Pena” – Sony Music Latin

BEST R&B

  • Alicia Keys – “Underdog” – RCA Records
  • Chloe x Halle – “Do It” – Parkwood / Columbia Records
  • H.E.R. ft. YG – “Slide” – MBK / RCA Records
  • Khalid ft. Summer Walker – “Eleven” – Right Hand Music / RCA Records 
  • Lizzo – “Cuz I Love You” – Atlantic Records
  • The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records

BEST K-POP

  • (G)I-DLE – “Oh My God” – Republic Records
  • BTS – “On” – Big Hit Entertainment
  • EXO – “Obsession” – SM Entertainment
  • Monsta X – “SOMEONE’S SOMEONE” – Epic Records
  • Tomorrow X Together – “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)” Republic Records 
  • Red Velvet – “Psycho” – SM Entertainment

VIDEO FOR GOOD

  • Anderson .Paak – “Lockdown” – 12 Tone Music Group
  • Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
  • Demi Lovato – “I Love Me” – Island Records
  • H.E.R. – ”I Can’t Breathe” – MBK / RCA Records
  • Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture” – Quality Control Music / Motown / Capitol Music Group
  • Taylor Swift – “The Man” – Republic Records

BEST MUSIC VIDEO FROM HOME

  • 5 Seconds of Summer – “Wildflower” – Interscope Records
  • Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U” – Republic Records / Def Jam 
  • blink-182 – “Happy Days” – Columbia Records
  • Drake – “Toosie Slide” – OVO/Republic Records
  • John Legend – “Bigger Love” – Columbia Records
  • twenty one pilots – “Level of Concern” – Elektra Music Group / Fueled By Ramen

BEST QUARANTINE PERFORMANCE

  • Chloe & Halle – “Do It” from MTV’s Prom-athon
  • CNCO – Unplugged At Home
  • DJ D-Nice – Club MTV presents #DanceTogether
  • John Legend – #togetherathome Concert Series
  • Lady Gaga – “Smile” from One World: Together At Home
  • Post Malone – Nirvana Tribute

BEST DIRECTION

  • Billie Eilish – “xanny” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Directed by Billie Eilish
  • Doja Cat – “Say So” – Kemosabe / RCA Records – Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
  • Dua Lipa – “Don’t Start Now” – Warner Records – Directed by Nabil
  • Harry Styles – “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Directed by Dave Meyers
  • Taylor Swift – “The Man” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
  • The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Directed by Anton Tammi

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • 5 Seconds of Summer – “Old Me” – Interscope Records – Cinematography by Kieran Fowler 
  • Camila Cabello ft. DaBaby – “My Oh My” – Syco Music / Epic Records – Cinematography by Dave Meyers
  • Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Christopher Probst
  • Katy Perry – “Harleys In Hawaii” – Capitol Records – Cinematography by Arnau Valls
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Thomas Kloss
  • The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Cinematography by Oliver Millar

BEST ART DIRECTION

  • A$AP Rocky – “Babushka Boi” – Polo Grounds Music / RCA Records – Art Direction by A$AP Rocky & Nadia Lee Cohen
  • Dua Lipa – “Physical” – Warner Records – Art Direction by Anna Colomé Nogu ́
  • Harry Styles – “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Art Direction by Laura Ellis Cricks
  • Miley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” – RCA Records – Art Direction by Christian Stone 
  • Selena Gomez – “Boyfriend” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter 
  • Taylor Swift – “Lover” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Ethan Tobman

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

  • Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” – Darkroom / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Drive Studios
  • Demi Lovato – “I Love Me” – Island Records – Visual Effects by Hoody FX
  • Dua Lipa – “Physical” – Warner Records – Visual Effects by EIGHTY4
  • Harry Styles – “Adore You” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Mathematic
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios
  • Travis Scott – “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” – Epic Records / Cactus Jack – Visual Effects by ARTJAIL, SCISSOR FILMS & FRENDER

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

  • BTS – “On” – Big Hit Entertainment – Choreography by Son Sung Deuk, Lee Ga Hun, Lee Byung Eun
  • CNCO & Natti Natasha – “Honey Boo” – Sony Music Latin / RCA Records – Choreography by Kyle Hanagami
  • DaBaby – “BOP” – SCMG / Interscope Records – Choreography by Dani Leigh and Cherry 
  • Dua Lipa – “Physical” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La’Donna
  • Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” – Streamline / Interscope Records – Choreography by Richy Jackson
  • Normani – “Motivation” – Keep Cool / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead

BEST EDITING

  • Halsey – “Graveyard” – Capitol Records – Edited by Emilie Aubry, Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
  • James Blake – “Can’t Believe the Way We Flow” – Republic Records – Edited by Frank Lebon 
  • Lizzo – “Good As Hell” – Atlantic Records – Edited by Russell Santos & Sofia Kerpan
  • Miley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” – RCA Records – Edited by Alexandre Moors, Nuno Xico 
  • ROSALÍA – “A Palé” – Columbia Records – Edited by Andre Jones
  • The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” – XO / Republic Records – Edited by Janne Vartia & Tim Montana

The 2020 MTV VMAs will air live on Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 5PM PDT. From now until August 23, you can start voting for their favorites across 15 gender-neutral categories, including “Video of the Year,” “Artist of the Year,” “Best Quarantine Performance” and more by visiting http://www.mtv.com/vma

Kalysa was the 2020-21 Editor in Chief and Campus Correspondent for the UCLA chapter of Her Campus. She was also previously a Senior Editor and Feature Writer for the chapter. On the rare occasion she's not busy studying for school or writing for Her Campus, you'll probably find her indulging in tiramisu or reading (and re-reading) her favorite novels.