Taylor Swift leads VMA nominations (again) but there are 29 first-timers too: See the list
Taylor Swift leading the VMA nominations for a second year in a row is no surprise. She remains in peak form, with new albums and intriguing music videos.
Among her 10 nods, Swift is looking to extend her record-breaking streak for “Video of the Year” to become the only artist to three-peat and win five times overall in the major category. She’s joined by familiar names at the top, with collaborator Post Malone earning nine nods, Ariana Grande and Eminem with six and Megan Thee Stallion and SZA with five each.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any twists among the nomination list. Beyoncé got a single nod (for song of the year with “Texas Hold 'Em”) and some serious chart-toppers – Benson Boone, Chappell Roan, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Teddy Swims and Shaboozey – are among the 29 first-time nominees. Scroll down to see the full list of first-time nominees.
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from New York’s UBS Arena Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. ET.
Fans can vote in 15 gender-neutral categories by visiting vote.mtv.com through Aug. 30. Voting for best new artist will remain active into the Sept. 10 ceremony. Nominations for social categories will be announced at a later date.
2024 VMAs nominees, full list:
Video of the year
Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “LUNCH” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Paint The Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Artist of the year
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Eminem – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
SZA – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Song of the year
Beyoncé – “TEXAS HOLD 'EM” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – “Lovin On Me” – Generation Now / Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang, under exclusive license to Interscope Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control” – Warner Records
Best new artist
Benson Boone – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Chappell Roan – Island
Gracie Abrams – Interscope Records
Shaboozey – American Dogwood / EMPIRE
Teddy Swims – Warner Records
Tyla – Epic Records
MTV Push performance of the year
August 2023: Kaliii – “Area Codes" – Atlantic Records
September 2023: GloRilla – "Lick or Sum" – CMG / Interscope Records
October 2023: Benson Boone – "In The Stars" – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
November 2023: Coco Jones – "ICU" – Def Jam
December 2023: Victoria Monét – "On My Mama" – Lovett Music / RCA Records
January 2024: Jessie Murph – "Wild Ones" – Columbia Records
February 2024: Teddy Swims – "Lose Control" – Warner Records
March 2024: Chappell Roan – "Red Wine Supernova" – Island
April 2024: Flyana Boss – "yeaaa" – vnclm_/ Atlantic Records
May 2024: Laufey – "Goddess" – Laufey / AWAL
June 2024: LE SSERAFIM – "EASY" – SOURCE MUSIC / Geffen Records
July 2024: The Warning – "Automatic Sun" – Lava / Republic Records
Best collaboration
Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion – “Wanna Be” – CMG / Interscope Records
Jessie Murph ft. Jelly Roll – “Wild Ones” – Columbia Records
Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen – “I Had Some Help” – Mercury / Republic / Big Loud
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records
Best pop
Camila Cabello – Geffen / Interscope Records
Dua Lipa – Warner Records
Olivia Rodrigo – Geffen Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Best hip-hop
Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA – “Rich Baby Daddy “ – OVO / Republic Records
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records
GloRilla – “Yeah Glo!” – CMG / Interscope Records
Gunna – “fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions
Travis Scott ft. Playboi Carti – “FE!N” – Cactus Jack / Epic Records
Best R&B
Alicia Keys – “Lifeline” – AK Records, under exclusive license to gamma.
Muni Long – “Made For Me” – Def Jam
SZA – “Snooze” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Tyla – “Water” – FAX Records / Epic Records
USHER, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – “Good Good” – mega / gamma.
Victoria Monét – “On My Mama” – Lovett Music / RCA Records
Best alternative
Benson Boone – “Beautiful Things” – Night Street Records, Inc. / Warner Records
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit
Hozier – “Too Sweet” – Columbia Records
Imagine Dragons – “Eyes Closed” – KIDinaKorner / Interscope Records
Linkin Park – “Friendly Fire” – This Compilation / Warner Records
Teddy Swims – “Lose Control (Live)” – Warner Records
Best rock
Bon Jovi – “Legendary” – Island
Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
Green Day – “Dilemma” – Reprise Records / Warner Records
Kings of Leon – “Mustang” – Capitol Records
Lenny Kravitz – “Human” – ?? 2024 Roxie Records Inc. under exclusive license to BMG Rights Management GmbH
U2 – “Atomic City” – Interscope Records
Best Latin
Anitta – “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment
Bad Bunny – “MONACO” – Rimas Entertainment
KAROL G – “MI EX TENíA RAZóN” – Bichota / Interscope Records
Myke Towers – “LALA” – Warner Music Latina
Peso Pluma & Anitta – “BELLAKEO” – Double P Records
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment
Shakira & Cardi B – “Puntería” – Sony Music US Latin
Best Afrobeats
Ayra Starr ft. Giveon – “Last Heartbreak Song” – Mavin / Republic
Burna Boy – “City Boys” – Spaceship / Bad Habit / Atlantic Records
Chris Brown ft. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational” – Chris Brown Entertainment / RCA Records
Tems – “Love Me JeJe” – Since '93 / RCA Records
Tyla – “Water” – FAX Records / Epic Records
USHER, Pheelz – “Ruin” – mega / gamma.
Best K-pop
Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records
NCT Dream – “Smoothie” – SM Entertainment / Virgin Music Group
NewJeans – “Super Shy” – ADOR / Geffen Records
Stray Kids – “LALALALA” – JYP Entertainment / Imperial / Republic Records
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Deja vu” – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records
Video for good
Alexander Stewart – "if you only knew" – FAE grp
Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For (From The Motion Picture “Barbie”)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Coldplay – “feelslikeimfallinginlove” – Atlantic Records
Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll – “Best For Me” – Twenty Nine Music Group
RAYE – “Genesis.” – Human Re Sources
Tyler Childers – “In Your Love” – Hickman Holler Records / RCA Records
Best direction
Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records – Directed by
Christian Breslauer
Bleachers – “Tiny Moves” – Dirty Hit – Directed by Alex Lockett & Margaret Qualley
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Rich Lee
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr.
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Directed by Bardia Zeinali
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
Best cinematography
Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records - Cinematography by Anatol Trofimov
Charli xcx – “Von dutch” – Atlantic Records - Cinematography by Jeff Bierman
Dua Lipa – “Illusion” – Warner Records - Cinematography by Nikita Kuzmenko
Olivia Rodrigo – “obsessed” – Geffen Records - Cinematography by Marz Miller
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment - Cinematography by Camilo Monsalve
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records - Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto
Best editing
Anitta - “Mil Veces” – Floresta Records / Republic Records / Universal Music Latin Entertainment – Editing by Nick Yumul
Ariana Grande – “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” – Republic Records – Editing by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Editing by David Checel
LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Editing by Nik Kohler
Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso” – Island – Editing by Jai Shukla
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes
Best Choreography
Bleachers – Tiny Moves – Dirty Hit – Choreography by Margaret Qualley
Dua Lipa – “Houdini” – Warner Records – Choreography by Charm La'Donna
LISA – “Rockstar” – Lloud Co. / RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Rauw Alejandro – “Touching The Sky” – Sony Music Latin / Duars Entertainment – Choreography by Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos
Tate McRae – “Greedy” – RCA Records – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records – Choreography by Sergio Reis, Mauro Van De Kerkhof
Best Visual Effects
Ariana Grande – “the boy is mine” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Digital Axis
Eminem – “Houdini” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Synapse Virtual
Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post
Justin Timberlake – “Selfish” – RCA Records – “Selfish” – RCA Records – Visual Effects by Candice Dragonas
Megan Thee Stallion – “BOA” – Hot Girl Productions – Visual Effects by Mathematic
Olivia Rodrigo – “get him back!” – Geffen Records – Visual Effects by Cooper Vacheron, Preston
Mohr, Karen Arakelian, Justin Johnson
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament
Best art direction
Charli xcx – “360” – Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Grace Surnow
LISA - “Rockstar” - Lloyd Co. / RCA Records – Art Direction by Pongsan Thawatwichian
Megan Thee Stallion - “BOA” - Hot Girl Productions – Art Direction by Brittany Porter
Olivia Rodrigo – “bad idea right?” – Geffen Records – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please” – Island – Art Direction by Nicholas des Jardins
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – “Fortnight” – Republic Records – Art Direction by Ethan Tobman
First-time VMA nominees:
Sabrina Carpenter
Teddy Swims
Benson Boone
Tyla
Chappell Roan
Jelly Roll
Jessie Murph
Rauw Alejandro
Sexyy Red
Victoria Monét
Alexander Stewart
Burna Boy
Coco Jones
Flyana Boss
Gracie Abrams
Gunna
Joyner Lucas
Laufey
LE SSERAFIM
Lojay
Morgan Wallen
Myke Towers
NCT Dream
Pheelz
Playboi Carti
RAYE
Shaboozey
Tyler Childers
The Warning
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: VMA nominations: Taylor Swift and 29 first-timers