MTVannounced the nominees for theΒ 2021 MTV Video Music AwardsΒ on Wednesday, withJustin Biebercoming out on top as this year's most-nominated artist. He receivedΒ seven nods -- including Artist of the Year and Best Pop for "Peaches"Β -- followed closely behind byΒ Megan Thee Stallionwith six.Β
Other top contenders includeΒ Billie Eilish, BTS, Doja Cat, Drake, Giveon and Lil Nas X. Additionally,Β MTV PUSH artists Olivia Rodrigo, The Kid LAROI and 24kGoldn all received multiple first-time nominations.
See the full list of 2021 nominees below:
VIDEO OF THE YEARΒ
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion β "WAP"Β β Atlantic Records
DJ Khaled ft. Drake β "POPSTAR"Β (Starring Justin Bieber) β OVO / We The Best / Epic Records
Doja Cat ft. SZA β "Kiss Me More"Β β Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Ed Sheeran β "Bad Habits"Β β Atlantic RecordsΒ
Lil Nas X β "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)"Β β Columbia Records
The Weeknd β "Save Your Tears"Β β XO / Republic Records
ARTIST OF THE YEARΒ
Ariana Grande β Republic Records
Doja Cat β Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Justin Bieber β Def JamΒ
Megan Thee Stallion β 300 Entertainment
Olivia Rodrigo β Geffen Records
Taylor Swift β Republic Records
SONG OF THE YEARΒ
24kGoldn ft. iann dior β "Mood" β RECORDS LLC / Columbia RecordsΒ
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic β "Leave The Door Open"Β β Aftermath Entertainment / Atlantic RecordsΒ
BTS β "Dynamite" β BIGHIT MUSICΒ
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion β "WAP"Β β Atlantic RecordsΒ
Dua Lipa β "Levitating"Β β Warner RecordsΒ
Olivia Rodrigo β "drivers license"Β β Geffen Records
BEST NEW ARTIST, Presented by FacebookΒ
24kGoldn β RECORDS LLC / Columbia Records
Giveon β Epic Records / Not So FastΒ
The Kid LAROI β Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo β Geffen Records
Polo G β Columbia Records
Saweetie β Warner RecordsΒ
PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
September 2020: Wallows β "Are You Bored Yet?" β Columbia RecordsΒ
October 2020: Ashnikko β "Daisy" β Warner RecordsΒ
November 2020: SAINt JHN β "Gorgeous" β Godd Complexx / HITCOΒ
December 2020: 24kGoldn β "Coco" β RECORDS LLC / Columbia RecordsΒ
January 2021: JC Stewart β "Break My Heart" β Elektra Music GroupΒ
February 2021: Latto β "Sex Lies" β RCA RecordsΒ
March 2021: Madison Beer β "Selfish" β Epic Records / Sing It LoudΒ
April 2021: The Kid LAROI β "WITHOUT YOU" β Columbia RecordsΒ
May 2021: Olivia Rodrigo β "drivers license" β Geffen RecordsΒ
June 2021: girl in red "Serotonin" β world in red / AWALΒ
July 2021: FousheΓ© β "my slime" β RCA RecordsΒ
August 2021: jxdn β "Think About Me"Β β DTA Records / Elektra Music GroupΒ
BEST COLLABORATION
24kGoldn ft. iann dior β "Mood"Β β RECORDS LLC / Columbia RecordsΒ
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion β "WAP"Β β Atlantic RecordsΒ
Doja Cat ft. SZA β "Kiss Me More"Β β Kemosabe Records / RCA RecordsΒ
Drake ft. Lil Durk β "Laugh Now Cry Later"Β β OVO / Republic RecordsΒ
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon β "Peaches"Β β Def JamΒ
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa β "Prisoner"Β β RCA Records
BEST POP
Ariana Grande β "positions"Β β Republic RecordsΒ
Billie Eilish β "Therefore I Am"Β β Darkroom / Interscope RecordsΒ
BTS β "Butter"Β β BIGHIT MUSICΒ
Harry Styles β "Treat People With Kindness"Β β Columbia RecordsΒ
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon β "Peaches" β Def JamΒ
Olivia Rodrigo β "good 4 u"Β β Geffen RecordsΒ
Shawn Mendes β "Wonder"Β β Island RecordsΒ
Taylor Swift β "willow"Β β Republic Records
BEST HIP-HOP
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion β "WAP"Β β Atlantic RecordsΒ
Drake ft. Lil Durk β "Laugh Now Cry Later"Β β OVO / Republic RecordsΒ
Lil Baby ft. Megan Thee Stallion β "On Me (remix)"Β β Quality Control / MotownΒ
Moneybagg Yo β "Said Sum"Β β N-Less Entertainment / Interscope RecordsΒ
Polo G β "RAPSTAR"Β β Columbia RecordsΒ
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A. β "FRANCHISE"Β β Cactus Jack / Epic RecordsΒ
BEST ROCK
Evanescence β "Use My Voice"Β β BMGΒ
Foo Fighters β "Shame Shame"Β β Roswell Records / RCA RecordsΒ
John Mayer β "Last Train Home"Β β Columbia Records
The Killers β "My Own Soul's Warning"Β β IslandΒ
Kings Of Leon β "The Bandit"Β β RCA RecordsΒ
Lenny Kravitz β "Raise Vibration"Β β Roxie Records / BMG
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Bleachers β "Stop Making This Hurt"Β β RCA RecordsΒ
Glass Animals β "Heat Waves"Β β Republic RecordsΒ
Imagine Dragons β "Follow You"Β β KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
Machine Gun Kelly ft. blackbear β "my exβs best friend"Β β Bad Boy / Interscope RecordsΒ
twenty one pilots β "Shy Away"Β β Fueled By RamenΒ
WILLOW ft. Travis Barker β "t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l"Β β MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation
BEST LATIN
Bad Bunny x Jhay Cortez β βDΓ‘kitiβ β The OrchardΒ
Billie Eilish & ROSALΓA β βLo Vas A Olvidarβ β Darkroom / Interscope RecordsΒ
Black Eyed Peas and Shakira β βGIRL LIKE MEβ β Epic RecordsΒ
J. Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Tainy β βUN DIA (ONE DAY)β β Universal Music Latino / NEON16Β
Karol G β βBichotaβ β Universal Music LatinoΒ
Maluma β βHawΓ‘iβ β Sony Music US Latin
BEST R&B
BeyoncΓ©, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, WizKid β βBROWN SKIN GIRLβ β Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia RecordsΒ
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic β βLeave The Door Openβ β Aftermath Entertainment / Atlantic RecordsΒ
Chris Brown and Young Thug β βGo Crazyβ β Chris Brown Entertainment/RCA RecordsΒ
Giveon β βHEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARYβ β Epic Records / Not So FastΒ
H.E.R. ft. Chris Brown β βCome Throughβ - MBK Entertainment / RCA RecordsΒ
SZA β βGood Daysβ β Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
BEST K-POP
(G)I-DLE β βDUMDi DUMDiβ β Republic RecordsΒ
BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez β βIce Creamβ β YG Entertainment / Interscope RecordsΒ
BTS β βButterβ β BIGHIT MUSIC Monsta X β βGamblerβ β Starship EntertainmentΒ
SEVENTEEN β βReady to loveβ β Pledis EntertainmentΒ
TWICE β βAlcohol-Freeβ β JYP Entertainment CompanyΒ
VIDEO FOR GOODΒ
Billie Eilish β βYour Powerβ β Darkroom / Interscope RecordsΒ
Demi Lovato β βDancing With The Devilβ β IslandΒ
H.E.R. β βFight For Youβ β MBK Entertainment / RCA RecordsΒ
Kane Brown β βWorldwide Beautifulβ β Sony Music Nashville / RCA RecordsΒ
Lil Nas X β βMONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)β β Columbia Records
Pharrell Williams ft. JAY-Z β βEntrepreneurβ β Columbia Records
BEST DIRECTION
Billie Eilish β βYour Powerβ β Darkroom / Interscope Records β Directed by: Billie EilishΒ
DJ Khaled ft. Drake β βPOPSTAR (Starring Justin Bieber)β β OVO / We The Best / Epic Records β Directed by: Julien Christian Lutz aka Director XΒ
Lil Nas X β βMONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)β β Columbia Records β Directed by: Lil Nas X and Tanu MuinoΒ
Taylor Swift β βwillowβ β Republic Records β Directed by: Taylor SwiftΒ
Travis Scott ft. Young Thug & M.I.A β βFranchiseβ β Cactus Jack / Epic Records β Directed by: Travis ScottΒ
Tyler, The Creator β βLUMBERJACKβ β Columbia Records β Directed by: Wolf Haley
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BeyoncΓ©, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, WizKid β βBROWN SKIN GIRLβ β Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records β Cinematography by: Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, MOHAMMAED ATTA AHMED, Santiago Gonzalez, Ryan HelfantΒ
Billie Eilish β βTherefore I Amβ β Darkroom / Interscope Records β Cinematography by: Rob WittΒ
Foo Fighters β βShame Shameβ β Roswell Records / RCA Records β Cinematography by: Santiago GonzalezΒ
Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper β βHolyβ β RBMG/Def Jam β Cinematography by: Elias TalbotΒ
Lady Gaga β β911β β Interscope Records β Cinematography by: Jeff CronenwethΒ
Lorde β βSolar Powerβ β LAVA/Republic Records β Cinematography by: Andrew Stroud
BEST ART DIRECTION
BeyoncΓ©, Shatta Wale, Major Lazer β βALREADYβ β Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records β Art Direction by: Susan Linns, Gerard SantosΒ
Ed Sheeran β βBad Habitsβ β Atlantic Records β Art Direction by: Alison DominitzΒ
Lady Gaga β β911β β Interscope Records β Art Direction by: Tom Foden, Peter AndrusΒ
Lil Nas X β βMONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)β β Columbia Records β Art Direction by: John Richoux
Saweetie ft. Doja Cat β βBest Friendβ β Warner Records β Art Direction by: Art HaynesΒ
Taylor Swift β βwillowβ β Republic Records β Art Direction by: Ethan Tobman, Regina FernandezΒ
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Bella Poarch β βBuild A Bitchβ β Warner Records β Visual Effects by: Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, Yekaterina VetrovaΒ
Coldplay β βHigher Powerβ β Atlantic Records β Visual Effects by: MathematicΒ
Doja Cat & The Weeknd β βYou Rightβ β Kemosabe Records / RCA Records β Visual Effects by: La Pac, Anthony Lestremau, Julien Missaire, Petr Shkolniy, Alexi Bailla, Micha Sher, Antoine Hache, Mikros MPC, Nicolas Huget, Guillaume Ho Tsong Fang, Benjamin Lenfant, Stephane Pivron, MPC Bangalore, Chanakya Chander, Raju Ganesh, David RouxelΒ
Glass Animals β βTangerineβ β Republic Records β Visual Effects by: Ronan Fourreau
Lil Nas X β βMONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)β β Columbia Records β Visual Effects by: MathematicΒ
P!NK β βAll I Know So Farβ β RCA Records β Visual Effects by: Dave Meyers, Freenjoy Inc
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Ariana Grande β β34+35β β Republic Records β Choreography by: Brian Nicholson & Scott NicholsonΒ
BTS β βButterβ β BIGHIT MUSIC β Choreography by: SON SUNG DEUK With BHM PERFORMANCE DIRECTING TEAMΒ
Ed Sheeran β βBad Habitsβ β Atlantic Records β Choreography by: Natricia BernardΒ
Foo Fighters β βShame Shameβ β Roswell Records / RCA Records β Choreography by: Nina McNeelyΒ
Harry Styles β βTreat People With Kindnessβ β Columbia Records βΒ Choreography by:Paul Roberts
Marshmello & Halsey β βBe Kindβ β Astralwerks / Capitol Records β Choreography by: Dani Vitale
BEST EDITING
Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Silk Sonic β βLeave The Door Openβ β Aftermath Entertainment/Atlantic Records β Editing by: Troy CharbonnetΒ
BTS β βButterβ β BIGHIT MUSIC β Editing by: Yong Seok Choi from LumpensΒ
Drake β βWhat's Nextβ β OVO/Republic Records β Editing by: Noah KendalΒ
Harry Styles β βTreat People With Kindnessβ β Columbia RecordsΒ βΒ Editing by: Claudia Wass
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon β βPeachesβ β Def JamΒ βΒ Editing by: Mark Mayr, Vinnie Hobbs
Miley Cyrus ft. Dua Lipa β βPrisonerβ β RCA Records
The2021 MTV Video Music Awardsreturn to New York City on Sunday, Sept. 12, and will air live from the Barclays Center at 8 p.m. ET/PTΒ across 180 countries globally. The VMAs areΒ set to be one of the first fan-filled awards shows in NYC since the cityβs reopening, a press release states, adding that theΒ health and safety of artists, fans, staff and partners remain the number one priority.
Beginning Tuesday, fans can vote for their favorites across 14 gender-neutral categories by visitingΒ vma.mtv.comΒ through Friday, Sept. 3. In the meantime, check out highlights from last year's show below!
RELATED CONTENT:Β
VMAs 2020: Lady Gaga's Big Night Featuring Ariana Grande, 5 Wins and Wild Costumes
2020 VMAs: All Your Questions Answered