MTV VMAs 2020: Everything you need to know about the performers, host and how to watch
Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, this year's MTV Video Music Awards will be like none since the ceremony launched in 1984.
This year, rather than being held at a single venue in front of an audience, the show will feature outdoor performances across New York. While we'll miss the glitz of music stars walking the red carpet and the chance of an on-stage faux pas (we're still celebrating John Travolta accidentally handing a 2019 VMA award to Taylor Swift's drag queen double), there's plenty to look forward to from the 2020 awards.
Ahead of Sunday's ceremony, here are some things you need to know:
When are the VMAs?
The awards, among the first to take place live since the coronavirus put a halt on large gatherings, will take place Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Keke Palmer hosts. A 90-minute pre-show will be shown on MTV beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. Chloe x Halle, Jack Harlow, Tate McRae, Lewis Capaldi and Machine Gun Kelly are among the pre-show performers.
A statement by MTV and the Barclays Center promised the show would “pay homage to the incredible resiliency of New York" and that the ceremony would return to the venue in 2021.
How can I watch?
The ceremony will air on 11 Viacom-owned cable networks, including MTV (of course), MTV2, BET, TV Land, Nickelodeon, VH1, Comedy Central, Spike, Pop, Logo and CMT.
For the first time, the event will be broadcast on the CW Network, making it accessible to folks without cable TV.
Who are the nominees?
Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga tied for the most nominations, each scoring nine nods. Seven of those came from their dance-floor track “Rain On Me,” appearing in such categories as video of the year, best collaboration and best pop.
Grammy darling Billie Eilish and chart-topper The Weeknd are next up, with six shots at taking home a “Moon Person” statue. Eilish’s “everything i wanted” is up for video of the year and song of the year. The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” is in the running for video of the year and best R&B. He’s also up for artist of the year, along with DaBaby, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Megan Thee Stallion and Post Malone.
Special coronavirus categories have been added this year, as well, including best quarantine song and best performance from home.
Who is performing?
Miley Cyrus will take the stage to perform her new single, "Midnight Sky," for the first time worldwide. Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande will return to the show after being absent for several years. K-pop group BTS will make the worldwide live debut performance of "Dynamite", their first song performed fully in English.
The Weeknd, CNCO, Doja Cat, Maluma, Black Eyed Peas and "Song of Summer" front-runner DaBaby are scheduled to perform.
BTS interview: K-pop stars BTS tackle 'interesting kind of challenge' with first all-English song 'Dynamite'
Grammy-winning rapper Roddy Ricch and Colombian superstar J Balvin canceled their VMA performances.
“My team and I did everything in our power to make this work, due to COVID compliance issues at the last minute we had to call off the performance,” Ricch said on Instagram Live the weekend prior to the show.
Balvin had previously revealed he had contracted COVID-19. While he accepted an award at Premios Juventud 2020, he told viewers: “This is not a joke ... It’s very dangerous. Take a lot of care of yourselves.”
What COVID-19 precautions are being taken?
New York relaxed the isolation requirements for VMA performers who traveled to the state for the show. In a statement, the New York State Department of Health said MTV had requested and received permission for the artists to perform in New York despite coming from states on the quarantine list.
According to the agency, the VMA performers will be required to follow similar restrictions as Major League Baseball players and other professional athletes, who have to stay in their hotel or living accommodations when not doing work related their their job.
See the full list of 2020 MTV VMA nominees below:
Video of the year
Billie Eilish – “everything i wanted”
Eminem ft. Juice WRLD – “Godzilla”
Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
Taylor Swift – “The Man”
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights”
Artist of the year
DaBaby
Justin Bieber
Lady Gaga
Megan Thee Stallion
Post Malone
The Weeknd
Song of the year
Billie Eilish – “everything i wanted”
Doja Cat – “Say So”
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage”
Post Malone – “Circles”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
Best collaboration
Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U”
Black Eyed Peas ft. J Balvin – “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”
Ed Sheeran ft. Khalid – “Beautiful People”
Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa”
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
PUSH best new artist
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Lewis Capaldi
Roddy Ricch
Tate McRae
Yungblud
Best pop
BTS – “On”
Halsey – “You should be sad”
Jonas Brothers – “What a Man Gotta Do”
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo – “Intentions”
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me”
Taylor Swift – “Lover”
Best hip-hop
DaBaby – “BOP”
Eminem ft. Juice Wrld – “Godzilla”
Future ft. Drake – “Life Is Good”
Megan Thee Stallion – “Savage”
Roddy Ricch – “The Box”
Travis Scott – “Highest in the Room”
Best rock
blink-182 – “Happy Days”
Coldplay – “Orphans”
Evanescence – “Wasted On You”
Fall Out Boy ft. Wyclef Jean – “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)”
Green Day – “Oh Yeah!”
The Killers – “Caution”
Best alternative
The 1975 – “If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)”
All Time Low – “Some Kind Of Disaster”
Finneas – “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night”
Lana Del Rey – “Doin’ Time”
Machine Gun Kelly – “Bloody Valentine”
Twenty One Pilots – “Level of Concern”
Best Latin
Anuel AA ft. Daddy Yankee, Ozuna, Karol G & J Balvin – “China”
Bad Bunny – “Yo Perreo Sola”
Black Eyed Peas ft. Ozuna & J. Rey Soul – “Mamacita”
J Balvin – “Amarillo”
Karol G ft. Nicki Minaj – “Tusa”
Maluma ft. J Balvin – “Qué Pena”
Best R&B
Alicia Keys – “Underdog”
Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
H.E.R. ft. YG – “Slide”
Khalid ft. Summer Walker”
Lizzo – “Cuz I Love You”
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights”
Best K-pop
(G)I-DLE – “Oh My God”
BTS – “On”
EXO – “Obsession”
Monsta X – “Someone’s Someone”
Tomorrow X Together – “9 and Three Quarters (Run Away)”
Red Velvet – “Psycho”
Video for good
Anderson .Paak – “Lockdown”
Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell”
Demi Lovato – “I Love Me”
H.E.R. – “I Can’t Breathe”
Lil Baby – “The Bigger Picture”
Taylor Swift – “The Man”
Best music video from home
5 Seconds of Summer – “Wildflower”
Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber – “Stuck with U”
Blink-182 – “Happy Days”
Drake – “Toosie Slide”
John Legend – “Bigger Love”
Twenty One Pilots – “Level of Concern”
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” – Directed by Billie Eilish
Doja Cat – “Say So” Directed by Hannah Lux Davis
Dua Lipa – “Don't Start Now” Directed by Nabil
Harry Styles – “Adore You” Directed by Dave Meyers
Taylor Swift – “The Man” Directed by Taylor Swift
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” Directed by Anton Tammi
Best cinematography
5 Seconds of Summer – “Old Me” Cinematography by Kieran Fowler
Camila Cabello ft. DaBaby – “My Oh My” Cinematography by Dave Meyers
Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” Cinematography by Christopher Probst
Katy Perry – “Harleys In Hawaii” Cinematography by Arnau Valls
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” Cinematography by Thomas Kloss
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” Cinematography by Oliver Millar
Best art direction
A$AP Rocky – “Babushka Boi” Art Direction by A$AP Rocky & Nadia Lee Cohen
Dua Lipa – “Physical” Art Direction by Anna Colomé Nogu ́
Harry Styles – “Adore You” Art Direction by Laura Ellis Cricks
Miley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” Art Direction by Christian Stone
Selena Gomez – “Boyfriend” Art Direction by Tatiana Van Sauter
Taylor Swift – “Lover” Art Direction by Ethan Tobman
Best visual effects
Billie Eilish – “all the good girls go to hell” Visual Effects by Drive Studios
Demi Lovato – “I Love Me” Visual Effects by Hoody FX
Dua Lipa – “Physical” Visual Effects by EIGHTY4
Harry Styles – “Adore You” Visual Effects by Mathematic
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios
Travis Scott – “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” Visual Effects by Artjail, Scissor Films and Frender
Best choreography
BTS – “On” Choreography by Son Sung Deuk, Lee Ga Hun, Lee Byung Eun
CNCO & Natti Natasha – “Honey Boo” Choreography by Kyle Hanagami
DaBaby – “BOP” Choreography by Dani Leigh and Cherry
Dua Lipa – “Physical” Choreography by Charm La'Donna
Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande – “Rain On Me” Choreography by Richy Jackson
Normani – “Motivation” Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Best editing
Halsey – “Graveyard” Edited by Emilie Aubry, Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
James Blake – “Can't Believe the Way We Flow” Edited by Frank Lebon
Lizzo – “Good As Hell” Edited by Russell Santos & Sofia Kerpan
Miley Cyrus – “Mother’s Daughter” Edited by Alexandre Moors, Nuno Xico
ROSALÍA – “A Palé” Edited by Andre Jones
The Weeknd – “Blinding Lights” Edited by Janne Vartia & Tim Montana
Contributing: Jennifer McClellan, USA TODAY; Jon Campbell, New York State Team; The Associated Press
Follow Gary Dinges on Twitter @gdinges
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: VMAs: Who's performing, who's hosting and how to watch the 2020 show
