New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The 2018 MTV Video
Music Awards are back in the Big Apple. The annual awards ceremony kicks off Monday, Aug. 20 from the
Radio City
Music Hall in New York City at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on MTV.
Hosting: Well here's the first surprise... there isn't a host! While
Katy Perry took on the emcee reins last year, this year the show is going host-less. That doesn't mean there won't be someone to kick things off. Rapper
Cardi B will open the 2018 show, in what will be her first public appearance since welcoming daughter Kulture Kiari less than two months ago.
Performances: Most of the major nominees will take the stage, including Grande, who will perform her latest single "God Is a Woman."
Shawn Mendes (singing ""
In My Blood"), Panic! At the
Disco (doing "
High Hopes"),
Logic with Ryan Tedder (doing "
One Day"),
Maluma and Malone are all on the schedule too.
Travis Scott will also be making his first solo VMA performance with songs from his newly released album Astroworld.
Meanwhile,
Nicki Minaj will be performing too, but not from
Radio City. The Trinidadian-American rapper, who grew up in Queens, will perform on the VMAs for the seventh time, but from a remote New York location.
The night's most anticipated performance might just be Jennifer Lopez, though - who is receiving MTV's biggest honor, the
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. And if that weren't enough, a selection of MTV's Push Artists from the past year will be showcased on their very own stage. Look for sets from
Jessie Reyez, PRETTYMUCH, Hayley Kiyoko, Juice WRLD, and Bazzi.
Additionally, the Backstreet Boys,
Bazzi and Bryce Vine will perform at the VMAs red carpet pre-show.
Nominations:
Cardi B leads the nominations this year with 10 nods, with the
Carters (Beyoncé and JAY-Z) behind her with eight.
Childish Gambino and
Drake round out the most-honored, with both receiving seven nominations. It'll be a tight race for Video of the Year, which includes
Ariana Grande's "No
Tears Left to Cry," the Carters' "APES**T," Childish Gambino's "This Is America,"
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B's "Finesse (Remix)," Drake's "
God's Plan" and
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug's "Havana."
Special Awards:
Jennifer Lopez will receive the coveted
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award and will be performing for the first time at the VMAs since 2001.
Presenters: Backstreet Boys, Tiffany Haddish,
Kevin Hart,
Millie Bobby Brown, Amandla Stenberg, Bebe Rexha,
Blake Lively, DJ Khaled, Common, G-Eazy, Gucci Mane, Keegan-Michael Key, KYLE, Lenny Kravitz, Lil Uzi Vert,
Olivia Munn, Shay Mitchell, Rita Ora, Liam Payne, Zedd and Teyana Taylor.
