Lil Nas X and Kendrick Lamar Lead 2022 VMA Nominations

The VMA nominations are out and there’s something for everyone. Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X — who was most recently shut out from the BET Awards nominations — and Jack Harlow lead the pack with seven nods apiece. Kung Fu Kenny’s “N95,� “The Heart Part 5,� and “family ties,� his collab with cousin Baby Keem, earned multiple nominations, while last year’s most-streamed song, “INDUSTRY BABY,� by Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow, was honored in six different categories. Other standouts across the gender-neutral categories are Doja Cat and Harry Styles with six nods each, closely followed by Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and the Weeknd with five. The press release touts 26 first-time nominees, including Baby Keem, Gayle, Kacey Musgraves (how is this her first nomination?), Måneskin, Anitta, Becky G, ITZY, JID, Muni Long, Tems, and Wet Leg. The VMAs will air live on August 28 from Prudential Center on MTV and simulcast on the CW Network channels. Check out the full list of nominees below.

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) (Taylor’s Version)

Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Harry Styles
Jack Harlow
Lil Nas X
Lizzo

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�

Best New Artist
Baby Keem
Dove Cameron
GAYLE
Latto
MaÌŠneskin
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
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�

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�

Best Latin
Anitta – “Envolver�
Bad Bunny – “Titi� Me Pregunto��
Becky G X KAROL G – “MAMIII�
Daddy Yankee – “REMIX�
Farruko – “Pepas�
J Balvin & Skrillex – “In Da Getto�

Best R&B
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
BTS – “Permission to Dance�
Doja Cat – “Woman�
FKA twigs ft. the Weeknd
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�
ROSAL�A – “SAOKO�
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well� (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)
The Weeknd – “Take My Breath�