2022 MTV VMAs: Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X lead nominations

American cable channel MTV has unveiled the highly-anticipated nominations for the 2022 Video Music Awards (VMAs) and, according to the channel, the list features artists whose cultural impact and work over the past year have transformed the music industry and created global conversations. 

The list of VMAs nominees shows hip hop’s continued dominance as Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X lead this year’s nominations with seven each and they are closely followed by Doja Cat and Harry Styles with six each. 

Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd all come in next with five nominations each.

Considering the fact that the collaboration Industry Baby premiered live on the 2021 VMAs stage, it comes as no surprise that the song and the accompanying visuals are what scored both Jack Harlow and Lil Nas X multiple nominations. 

Kendrick Lamar – on the other hand – is nominated for the first time since 2018. 

According to MTV, Madonna (who reigns as the most awarded artist in MTV history with 20 wins) becomes the only artist to be nominated in each of the VMAs five decades (1980s-2020s) with her 69th nomination for Madame X.” 

Another milestone for this year’s awards includes the fact that there are 26 first-time nominees, among them; Baby Keem, MTV Push artist Gayle, Kacey Musgraves and Måneskin, all receiving multiple nods. 

They’re nominated alongside Anitta, Becky G, Dove Cameron, Karol G, ITZY, JID, Muni Long, Tems, Wet Leg and more.

When will the 2022 VMAs air?

The 2022 VMAs will return to celebrate the biggest names in music on Sunday, 28 August at 8pm ET/PT. 

Organisers promise show-stopping surprises, epic performances and a fan-filled audience live from New Jersey’s famed Prudential Center and airing across MTV’s global footprint of linear and digital platforms in over 170 countries, reaching 422 million households in nearly 30 different languages. 

“For the third consecutive year, the VMAs will simulcast on The CW Network, making the show available to an expanded broadcast audience, in addition to BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TVLand and VH1,” said MTV. 

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Fans can vote for their favourites across 22 gender-neutral categories, including “Video of the Year,” “Artist of the Year,” “Best Collaboration” and two all-new categories “Best Longform Video” and “Best Metaverse Performance,” by visiting vote.mtv.com through Friday, 19 August 2022. 

Voting for “Best New Artist” will remain active into the show on Sunday, 28 August 2022. 

Nominations for social categories including “Group of the Year” and “Song of Summer” will be announced at a later date.

Full list of 2022 VMAs nominees:

Video of the Year

• Doja Cat – Woman
• Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – Way 2 Sexy
• Ed Sheeran – Shivers 
• Harry Styles – As It Was
• Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
• Olivia Rodrigo – brutal
• Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) 

Artist of the Year

• Bad Bunny 
• Drake 
• Ed Sheeran
• Harry Styles 
• Jack Harlow 
• Lil Nas X 
• Lizzo 

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Song of the Year

• Adele – Easy On Me
• Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
• Doja Cat – Woman
• Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) 
• Lizzo – About Damn Time
• The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – Stay

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Best new artist   

• Baby Keem
• Dove Cameron 
• GAYLE 
• Latto 
• Måneskin 
• SEVENTEEN        

PUSH Performance of the Year

• September 2021: Griff – “One Night” 
• October 2021: Remi Wolf – “Sexy Villain” 
• November 2021: Nessa Barrett – “i hope ur miserable until ur dead” 
• December 2021: SEVENTEEN – “Rock With You” 
• January 2021: Mae Muller – “Better Days”
• February 2022: GAYLE – “abcdefu”
• March 2022: Sheneesa – “R U That” 
• April 2022: Omar Apollo – “Tamagotchi” 
• May 2022: Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” 
• June 2022: Muni Long – “Baby Boo” 
• July 2022: Doechii – “Persuasive” 

Best collaboration

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• Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – Way 2 Sexy
• Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)
• Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
• Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – Sweetest Pie
• Post Malone & The Weeknd – One Right Now 
• ROSALÍA ft. The Weeknd – La Fama
• The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – Stay

Best Pop

• Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever 
• Doja Cat – Woman
• Ed Sheeran – Shivers
• Harry Styles – As It Was
• Lizzo – About Damn Time
• Olivia Rodrigo – traitor 

Best hip-hop

• Eminem & Snoop Dogg – From The D 2 The LBC
• Future ft. Drake, Tems – WAIT FOR U
• Kendrick Lamar – N95 
• Latto – Big Energy
• Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby – Do We Have A Problem?
• Pusha T – Diet Coke 

Best rock

• Foo Fighters – Love Dies Young
• Jack White – Taking Me Back
• Muse – Won’t Stand Down
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Black Summer
• Shinedown – Planet Zero
• Three Days Grace – So Called Life 

READ: MTV VMAs 2019: The best looks from the red carpet

Best alternative

• Avril Lavigne ft. blackbear – Love It When You Hate Me
• Imagine Dragons x JID – Enemy
• Machine Gun Kelly ft. WILLOW – emo girl
• Måneskin – I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE
• Panic! At The Disco – Viva Las Vengeance 
• Twenty One Pilots  – Saturday
• WILLOW, Avril Lavigne ft. Travis Barker – G R O W

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Best Latin

• Anitta – Envolver
• Bad Bunny – Tití Me Preguntó
• Becky G X KAROL G – MAMIII 
• Daddy Yankee – REMIX
• Farruko – Pepas
• J Balvin & Skrillex – In Da Getto 

Best RnB

• Alicia Keys – City of Gods (Part II)
• Chlöe – Have Mercy
• H.E.R. – For Anyone
• Normani ft. Cardi B – Wild Side
• Summer Walker, SZA & Cardi B – No Love (Extended Version) 
• The Weeknd – Out Of Time

Best K-Pop

• BTS – Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment) 
• ITZY – LOCO
• LISA – LALISA
• SEVENTEEN – HOT
• Stray Kids – MANIAC
• TWICE – The Feels

Video for Good

• Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5
• Latto – P*ssy
• Lizzo – About Damn Time
• Rina Sawayama – This Hell
• Stromae – Fils de joie 

Best Metaverse performance

• BLACKPINK The Virtual | PUBG 
• BTS | Minecraft 
• Charli XCX | Roblox 
• Justin Bieber – An Interactive Virtual Experience | Wave
• Rift Tour ft. Ariana Grande | Fortnite 
• Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience | Roblox 

Best longform video

• Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles 
• Foo Fighters – Studio 666 
• Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed 
• Madonna – Madame X 
• Olivia Rodrigo – driving home 2 u 
• Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

Best cinematography

• Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – family ties
• Camila Cabello ft. Ed Sheeran – Bam Bam 
• Harry Styles – As It Was 
• Kendrick Lamar – N95 
• Normani ft. Cardi B – Wild Side 
• Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

Best direction

• Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – family ties 
• Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever 
• Ed Sheeran – Shivers 
• Harry Styles – As It Was 
• Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
• Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 

Best art direction

• Adele – Oh My God 
• Doja Cat – Get Into It (Yuh)
• Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – Way 2 Sexy
• Kacey Musgraves – simple times
• Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
• Megan Thee Stallion ft. Dua Lipa – Sweetest Pie

Best visual effects

• Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
• Coldplay X BTS – My Universe
• Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5
• Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – Industry Baby
• Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – Sweetest Pie
• The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – STAY

Best choreography

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• BTS – Permission to Dance
• Doja Cat – Woman
• FKA twigs ft. The Weeknd – Tears In The Club 
• Harry Styles – As It Was
• Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – Industry Baby 
• Normani ft. Cardi B – Wild Side  

Best editing 

• Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – family ties
• Doja Cat – Get Into It (Yuh)
• Olivia Rodrigo – brutal
• ROSALÍA – SAOKO
• Taylor Swift – All Too Well(10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) 
• The Weeknd – Take My Breath 

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