The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards are just around the corner, so get your metro card ready and your space helmet on!
The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best in the music video medium, will air live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City — the location that served as the venue for the first ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1984 — on Monday, Aug. 20, at 8 p.m. ET. The 35th annual awards show will mark the 17th time that the show has been held in the city and the 12th time that it has been hosted at the venue, the most of any previous venue in its history.
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“We’re thrilled that the ‘MTV Video Music Awards’ will be returning to Radio City Music Hall, where they began in 1984,” said Andy Lustgarten, President of The Madison Square Garden Company. “The VMAs are unlike any other event — combining history-making music with exciting and unexpected moments that create an unforgettable experience, and Radio City, as the Showplace of the Nation, is the perfect backdrop for this celebration.”
This year’s VMAs will be unlike any other in past, featuring gender neutral categories with artists whose “reach and influence have elevated music’s relevancy within the cultural conversation,” and with the Moonman being a “Moon Person” for the second year in a row.
The awards show also will include a tribute to Aretha Franklin, the queen of soul who passed away Thursday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
“It has already been a monumental year in music, and this year’s VMAs will take things to a whole new level,” said Bruce Gillmer, Head of Music and Music Talent, Global Entertainment Group, Viacom. “The extraordinary group of nominees have amazed us with their talent and inspired us with their creativity – and when you get them together for one night, anything is possible.”
Leading the pack of nominees is “Bartier Cardi” rapper Cardi B, who garnered 10 nominations, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist, with most of her nominations stemming from her collaboration with Bruno Mars, “Finesse (Remix).”
Competing with Cardi B for Artist of the Year are Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Camilla Cabello, Drake and Post Malone. The new mom will also be going head-to-head with Bazzi, Chloe x Halle, Hayley Kiyoko, Lil Pump and Lil Uzi Vert in the Best New Artist category.
Trailing just behind Cardi B in number of nominations is The Carters, who scored eight nominations in categories including Video of the Year, Best Collaboration and Best Hip Hop for their hit single APES**T.”
The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Monday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. ET.
