MTV Video Music Awards: 5 Moments to Watch For

Taylor Swift's Video Premiere

The moment that is sure to get the most buzz is when Taylor Swift premieres the music video for her new single, "Look What You Made Me Do." She won't be performing, but will air the new clip at some point during the broadcast.

While the song has gotten mixed reviews, when one of the biggest pop stars in the world drops a new video, people pay attention.

One thing to watch will be the online reaction. The video's teaser drew some comparisons to Beyonce's "Formation" video, so watch and see if that argument is strengthened or weakened. Plus, Swift has attracted all kinds of online ridicule this week in general, so there's bound to be some funny takes on Twitter after the video airs.

Katy Perry's Hosting

Katy Perry is hosting this year's spectacle, and that will be interesting to watch for various reasons.

First off, she's never really been a host on an event like this. It's not clear whether she'll simply segue between segments, or whether she'll be heavily involved in skits and monologues throughout the night. If the latter is true, that could lead to some hilarious (or cringeworthy) moments.

Furthermore, Perry and Swift have had a rough dynamic in the past, so it will be interesting to see if Perry has to introduce the "Look What You Made Me Do" video.

P!nk's Video Vanguard Performance

P!nk will be receiving the show's Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, which is a lifetime achievement award.

Past performers, such as Justin Timberlake and Beyonce, have performed a medley of their hits, and P!nk's expected to do the same.

These performances are always VMA highlights, so be prepared for her renditions of "Just Give Me a Reason," "Get the Party Started" and "Raise Your Glass" to amaze.

Kendrick Lamar's Performance

On the hip-hop front this year, all eyes are on Kendrick Lamar.

He's nominated for Video of the Year for "HUMBLE" and is set to perform at the event as well.

Lamar's never shied away from getting political, so don't be surprised if he has a political message that ruffles some feathers. He's also known to bust out never-performed unreleased songs for TV appearance, so fans might get a tease of some unique material.

Best New Artist

The Best New Artist category always stirs up some online controversy. The polls for the award stay up throughout the show, so the artists' fans are in a constant frenzy to vote for their favorite musician.

This year's nominees are Julia Michaels, Khalid, Kodak Black, Noah Cyrus, SZA and Young Ma.

The critical favorite here is SZA, who has gained critical acclaim and a passionate fan base. If she doesn't win, expect a small uproar on Twitter.

The best chances to upset her are Kodak Black, who has a lot of Internet popularity, and Khalid, who has had a minor hit this year with "Location" and some high-profile features.

It also wouldn't be a stretch for Noah Cyrus to completely upset the others if her sister Miley's fans have a concentrated push to get her the award.

Photo Credit: RCA Records / Ryan Aylsworth, Instagram / @holyperry / getty / Harry Durrant, Getty / John Shearer