MTV's VMA nominations are here, and there are some big changes

'Best Fight Against the System' is here to stay.
 By 
Proma Khosla
 on 
MTV's VMA nominations are here, and there are some big changes
Credit: mashable composite/shutterstock

MTV began announcing this year's Video Music Award nominations on Instagram Live for the first time this year, and the changes don't stop there. As with the Movie and TV Awards, MTV is moving away from gendered categories, combining Best Female Video and Best Male Video into Artist of the Year and adding Best Fight Against the System to celebrate the resistance.

Starting today, fans can vote online for eight categories, and additionally for Best New Artist by direct messaging @MTV (starting 8/18) on Twitter.  The top two artists will be revealed during the pre-show, followed by a live hashtag vote. Nominees for Best Song of Summer will be announced at a later date.

View the full list of nominees below.

VIDEO OF THE YEAR Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam) DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records)

ARTIST OF THE YEAR Bruno Mars (Atlantic Records) Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) Ed Sheeran (Atlantic Records) Ariana Grande (Republic Records) The Weeknd (XO/Republic Records) Lorde (Republic Records)

BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by Taco Bell®) Khalid (RCA Records) Kodak Black (Atlantic Records) SZA (TDE/RCA Records) Young M.A (3D) Julia Michaels (Republic Records) Noah Cyrus (Records)

BEST COLLABORATION Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez – “We Don’t Talk Anymore” (Atlantic Records) DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records) The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records) Calvin Harris ft. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean – “Feels” (Columbia Records) Zayn & Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)” (Republic Records)

BEST POP Shawn Mendes – “Treat You Better” (Island Records) Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You” (Asylum/Atlantic Records) Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records) Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) Miley Cyrus – “Malibu” (RCA Records)

BEST HIP HOP Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) Big Sean – “Bounce Back” (Def Jam) Chance the Rapper – “Same Drugs” (Chance the Rapper LLC) D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli” (Atlantic Records) Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad & Boujee” (300 Entertainment) DJ Khaled ft. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne – “I’m The One” (Epic Records/We The Best) BEST DANCE Zedd and Alessia Cara – “Stay” (Interscope) Kygo x Selena Gomez – “It Ain’t Me” (Ultra/Interscope) Calvin Harris – “My Way” (Columbia Records) Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ – “Cold Water” (Mad Decent) Afrojack ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Gone” (Wall Recordings/Latium/RCA Records)

BEST ROCK Coldplay – “A Head Full of Dreams” (Parlophone/Atlantic Records) Fall Out Boy – “Young And Menace” (Island) Twenty One Pilots – “Heavydirtysoul” (Fueled by Ramen/Atlantic Records) Green Day – “Bang Bang” (Warner Bros. Records) Foo Fighters – “Run” (RCA Records)

BEST FIGHT AGAINST THE SYSTEM Logic ft. Damian Lemar Hudson – “Black SpiderMan” (Def Jam)The Hamilton Mixtape – “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” (Atlantic Records)Big Sean – “Light” (Def Jam)Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam)Taboo ft. Shailene Woodley – “Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL”John Legend – “Surefire” (Columbia Records)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Scott Cunningham) Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (KIDinaKORNER/Interscope) (Matthew Wise) Ed Sheeran – “Castle On The Hill” (Asylum/Atlantic Records) (Steve Annis) DJ Shadow ft. Run The Jewels – “Nobody Speak” (Mass Appeal Records LLC) (David Proctor) Halsey – “Now or Never” (Astralwerks/Capitol) (Kristof Brandl)

BEST DIRECTION Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Dave Meyers & the little homies) Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Mathew Cullen) Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records)  (Cameron Duddy & Bruno Mars) Alessia Cara – “Scars To Your Beautiful” (Def Jam) (Aaron A) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Glenn Michael)

BEST ART DIRECTION Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Spencer Graves) Bruno Mars – “24K Magic” (Atlantic Records) (Alex Delgado) Katy Perry ft. Migos – “Bon Appetit” (Capitol Records) (Natalie Groce) DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts” (Epic Records/We The Best) (Damian Fyffe) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Creative Director: Lamar C Taylor / Co-creative Director: Christo Anesti)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope) (Company: Timber/Lead: Jonah Hall) A Tribe Called Quest – “Dis Generation” (Epic Records) (Company: Bemo/Lead: Brandon Hirzel) KYLE ft. Lil Yachty – “iSpy” (Atlantic Records) (Company: Gloria FX/Leads: Max Colt & Tomash Kuzmytskyi) Katy Perry ft. Skip Marley – “Chained To The Rhythm” (Capitol Records) (Company: MIRADA) Harry Styles – “Sign Of The Times” (Columbia Records) (Company: ONE MORE/Lead: Cédric Nivoliez)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY Kanye West – “Fade” (Def Jam) (Teyana Taylor, Guapo, Jae Blaze & Derek ‘Bentley’ Watkins) Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side To Side” (Republic Records) (Brian & Scott Nicholson) Kendrick Lamar – “HUMBLE.” (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope)  (Dave Meyers) Sia – “The Greatest” (Monkey Puzzle Records/RCA Records) (Ryan Heffington) Fifth Harmony ft. Gucci Mane – “Down” (Syco Music/Epic Records) (Sean Bankhead)

BEST EDITING Future – “Mask Off” (Epic Records/Freebandz/A1) (Vinnie Hobbs of VHPost) Young Thug – “Wyclef Jean” (300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records) (Ryan Staake & Eric Degliomini) Lorde – “Green Light” (Republic Records) (Nate Gross of Exile Edit) The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer” (Disruptor Records/Columbia Records) (Jennifer Kennedy) The Weeknd – “Reminder” (XO/Republic Records) (Red Barbaza)

The MTV VMAs will air Sunday, August 27 at 8 p.m. EDT.

Mashable Image
Proma Khosla

Proma Khosla is a Senior Entertainment Reporter writing about all things TV, from ranking Bridgerton crushes to composer interviews and leading Mashable's stateside coverage of Bollywood and South Asian representation. You might also catch her hosting video explainers or on Mashable's TikTok and Reels, or tweeting silly thoughts from @promawhatup.

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