2021 MTV VMAs: Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Olivia Rodrigo Lead Nominations

Shortly after announcing the VMAs would be heading back to Brooklyn this year, MTV has revealed the 2021 nominees.

Justin Bieber leads with seven nominations, with “Peaches” receiving nods for Best Pop, Best Collaboration, and Best Editing. Megan Thee Stallion follows with six nominations, with “WAP” sweeping up categories that include Video of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Collaboration.

Bieber and Megan were both nominated for Artist of the Year, alongside Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, Doja Cat, and Ariana Grande. Rodrigo’s five nominations also include “Drivers License” for Song of the Year and Performance of the Year, as well as “Good 4 U” for Best Pop.

The awards event will air live from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on September 12th at 8 p.m. ET. It will hopefully top the weirdness of last year, which featured no audience and was filmed in various locations across New York City.

Video of the Year
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “Popstar” (Starring Justin Bieber)
Doja Cat ft. SZA – “Kiss Me More”
Ed Sheeran – “Bad Habits”
Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
The Weeknd – “Save Your Tears”

Artist of the Year
Ariana Grande
Doja Cat
Justin Bieber
Megan Thee Stallion
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift

Song of the Year
24kGoldn ft. iann dior – “Mood”
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
BTS – “Dynamite”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Dua Lipa – “Levitating”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Drivers License”

Best New Artist
24kGoldn
Giveon
The Kid Laroi
Olivia Rodrigo
Polo G
Saweetie

Push Performance of the Year
September 2020: Wallows – “Are You Bored Yet?”
October 2020: Ashnikko – “Daisy”
November 2020: Saint Jhn – “Gorgeous”
December 2020: 24kGoldn – “Coco”
January 2021: JC Stewart – “Break My Heart”
February 2021: Latto – “Sex Lies”
March 2021: Madison Beer – “Selfish”
April 2021: The Kid Laroi – “Without You”
May 2021: Olivia Rodrigo – “Drivers License”
June 2021: Girl in Red “Serotonin”
July 2021: Fousheé – “My Slime”
August 2021: Jxdn – “Think About Me”

Best Collaboration
24kGoldn ft. iann dior – “Mood”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Doja Cat ft. SZA – “Kiss Me More”
Drake ft. Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon – “Peaches”
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa – “Prisoner”

Best Pop
Ariana Grande – “Positions”
Billie Eilish – “Therefore I Am”
BTS – “Butter”
Harry Styles – “Treat People With Kindness”
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon – “Peaches”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Good 4 U”
Shawn Mendes – “Wonder”
Taylor Swift – “Willow”

Best Hip-Hop
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “WAP”
Drake ft. Lil Durk – “Laugh Now Cry Later”
Lil Baby ft. Megan Thee Stallion – “On Me (remix)”
Moneybagg Yo – “Said Sum”
Polo G – “Rapstar”
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A. – “Franchise”

Best Rock
Evanescence – “Use My Voice”
Foo Fighters – “Shame Shame”
John Mayer – “Last Train Home”
The Killers – “My Own Soul’s Warning”
Kings Of Leon – “The Bandit”
Lenny Kravitz – “Raise Vibration”

Best Alterative
Bleachers – “Stop Making This Hurt”
Glass Animals – “Heat Waves”
Imagine Dragons – “Follow You”
Machine Gun Kelly ft. Blackbear – “My Ex’s Best Friend”
Twenty One Pilots – “Shy Away”
Willow ft. Travis Barker – “Transparent Soul”

Best Latin
Bad Bunny x Jhay Cortez – “Dákiti”
Billie Eilish & Rosalía – “Lo Vas A Olvidar”
Black Eyed Peas and Shakira – “Girl Like Me”
J. Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Tainy – “Un Dia (One Day)”
Karol G – “Bichota”
Maluma – “Hawái”

Best R&B
Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn, WizKid – “Brown Skin Girl”
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
Chris Brown and Young Thug – “Go Crazy”
iveon – “Heartbreak Anniversary”
H.E.R. ft. Chris Brown – “Come Through”
SZA – “Good Days”

Best K-Pop
(G)l-dle – “Dumdi Dumdi
Blackpink and Selena Gomez – “Ice Cream”
BTS – “Butter”
Seventeen – “Ready to love”
Twice – “Alcohol-Free”

Video For Good
Billie Eilish – “Your Power”
Demi Lovato – “Dancing With The Devil”
H.E.R. – “Fight For You”
Kane Brown – “Worldwide Beautiful”
Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Pharrell Williams ft. Jay-Z – “Entrepreneur”

Best Direction
Billie Eilish – “Your Power”
DJ Khaled ft. Drake – “Popstar (Starring Justin Bieber)”
Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Taylor Swift – “Willow”
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A – “Franchise”
Tyler, The Creator – “Lumberjack”

Best Cinematography
Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, Saint Jhn, WizKid – “Brown Skin Girl”
Billie Eilish – “Therefore I Am”
Foo Fighters – “Shame Shame”
Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper – “Holy”
Lady Gaga – “911″
Lorde – “Solar Power”

Best Art Direction
Beyoncé, Shatta Wale, Major Lazer – “Already”
Ed Sheeran – “Bad Habits”
Lady Gaga – “911”
Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Saweetie ft. Doja Cat – “Best Friend”
Taylor Swift – “Willow”

Best Visual Effects
Bella Poarch – “Build A Bitch”
Coldplay – “Higher Power”
Doja Cat & The Weeknd – “You Right”
Glass Animals – “Tangerine”
Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Pink – “All I Know So Far”

Best Choreography
Ariana Grande – “34+35”
BTS – “Butter”
Ed Sheeran – “Bad Habits”
Foo Fighters – “Shame Shame”
Harry Styles – “Treat People With Kindness”
Marshmello & Halsey – “Be Kind”

Best Editing
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
BTS – “Butter”
Drake – “What’s Next”
Harry Styles – “Treat People With Kindness”
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon – “Peaches”
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa – “Prisoner”