Here Are the 2021 MTV VMAs Nominees

Justin Bieber leads the pack this year with seven nominations. As previously announced, the VMAs will return to Barclays Center this September.

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Justin Bieber leads the 2021 class of MTV’s Video Music Awards nominees.

As announced Wednesday, the Justice singer scored seven total nominations, including Artist of the Year. Following not far behind is Megan Thee Stallion with six nominations. First-time VMA nominee Olivia Rodrigo, meanwhile, scored five nods this year while her debut album Sour remains a Billboard charts mainstay. Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, BTS, Drake, Doja Cat, and Giveon also received five noms apiece.

This year, the ceremony will bring the party back to Barclays Center, with voting launching today for fans to make their voices heard across a number of gender-neutral categories. Both MTV and the team at Barclays will be working collaboratively to ensure attendees feel as safe as possible, with health-minded practices in place as health experts continue to highlight the importance of boosting vaccination numbers.

The 2020 edition of the ceremony, of course, was dramatically altered due to the pandemic. Still, the VMAs team managed to put together a viable show that included performances from the Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, BTS, Machine Gun Kelly with Travis Barker, and more. 

Artists expected to perform this year include: Lil Nas X, Lorde, Justin Bieber, Camila Cabello, Olivia Rodrigo, Machine Gun Kelly, Doja Cat, Chlöe, Shawn Mendes, and Twenty One Pilots. Doja Cat will also be hosting.

The 2021 VMAs will air live across 180 countries and territories on Sept. 12 starting at 8 p.m. ET. Below, see the full list of this year’s nominees. Major 2021 categories—including Video of the Year, Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year—had their respective nominee announcements commemorated in partnered campaigns with Marlene Marmolejos, Aja Walton, and Fred Sands IV.


  • Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”

  • DJ Khaled f/ Drake “Popstar”

  • Doja Cat f/ SZA “Kiss Me More”

  • Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits”

  • Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”

  • The Weeknd “Save Your Tears”


  • Ariana Grande

  • Doja Cat

  • Justin Bieber

  • Megan Thee Stallion

  • Olivia Rodrigo

  • Taylor Swift


  • 24kGoldn f/ Iann Dior “Mood”

  • Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak “Leave the Door Open”

  • BTS “Dynamite” 

  • Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”

  • Dua Lipa “Levitating”

  • Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License”


  • 24kGoldn

  • Givēon

  • The Kid Laroi

  • Olivia Rodrigo

  • Polo G

  • Saweetie


  • 24kGoldn f/ Iann Dior “Mood”

  • Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”

  • Doja Cat f/ SZA “Kiss Me More”

  • Drake f/ Lil Durk “Laugh Now Cry Later”

  • Justin Bieber f/ Daniel Caesar and Givēon “Peaches”

  • Miley Cyrus f/ Dua Lipa “Prisoner”


  • Cardi B f/ Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”

  • Drake f/ Lil Durk “Laugh Now Cry Later”

  • Lil Baby f/ Megan Thee Stallion “On Me (Remix)”

  • Moneybagg Yo “Said Sum”

  • Polo G “Rapstar”

  • Travis Scott f/ Young Thug and M.I.A. “Franchise”


  • Ariana Grande “Positions”

  • Billie Eilish “Therefore I Am”

  • BTS “Butter”

  • Harry Styles “Treat People With Kindness”

  • Justin Bieber f/ Daniel Caesar and Givēon “Peaches”

  • Olivia Rodrigo “Good 4 U”

  • Shawn Mendes “Wonder”

  • Taylor Swift “Willow”


  • Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN and WizKid “Brown Skin Girl”

  • Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak “Leave the Door Open”

  • Chris Brown and Young Thug “Go Crazy” 

  • Givēon “Heartbreak Anniversary”

  • H.E.R. f/ Chris Brown “Come Through”

  • SZA “Good Days”


  • Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez “Dákiti”

  • Billie Eilish and Rosalía “Lo Vas A Olvidar”

  • Black Eyed Peas and Shakira “Girl Like Me”

  • J. Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy “Un Dia (One Day)”

  • Karol G “Bichota” 

  • Maluma “Hawái”


  • 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”


  • Bleachers “Stop Making This Hurt” 

  • Glass Animals “Heat Waves”

  • Imagine Dragons “Follow You”

  • Machine Gun Kelly f/ Blackbear “My Ex’s Best Friend”

  • Twenty One Pilots “Shy Away”

  • Willow f/ Travis Barker “Transparent Soul”


  • (G)I-dle “DUMDi DUMDi”

  • Blackpink and Selena Gomez “Ice Cream”

  • BTS “Butter”

  • Monsta X “Gambler”

  • Seventeen “Ready to Love”

  • Twice “Alcohol-Free”


  • Billie Eilish “Your Power” (Directed by Billie Eilish)

  • DJ Khaled f/ Drake “Popstar” (Directed by Director X)

  • Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (Directed by Lil Nas X and Tanu Muino) 

  • Taylor Swift “Willow” (Directed by Taylor Swift)

  • Travis Scott f/ Young Thug and M.I.A “Franchise” (Directed by Travis Scott)

  • Tyler, The Creator “Lumberjack” (Directed by Wolf Haley)


  • Beyoncé, Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN and WizKid “Brown Skin Girl” (Cinematography by Benoit Soler, Malik H. Sayeed, Muhammad Atta Ahmed, Santiago Gonzalez, and Ryan Helfant)

  • Billie Eilish “Therefore I Am” (Cinematography by Rob Witt)

  • Foo Fighters “Shame Shame” (Cinematography by Santiago Gonzalez)

  • Justin Bieber f/ Chance the Rapper “Holy” (Cinematography by Elias Talbot)

  • Lady Gaga “911” (Cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth)

  • Lorde “Solar Power” (Cinematography by Andrew Stroud)


  • Beyoncé, Shatta Wale, and Major Lazer – “Already” (Art direction by Susan Linns and Gerard Santos) 

  • Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” (Art direction by Alison Dominitz)

  • Lady Gaga “911” (Art direction by Tom Foden and Peter Andrus)

  • Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (Art direction by John Richoux)

  • Saweetie f/ Doja Cat “Best Friend” (Art direction by Art Haynes)

  • Taylor Swift “Willow” (Art direction by Ethan Tobman and Regina Fernandez)


  • Bella Poarch “Build a Bitch” (Visual effects by Andrew Donoho, Denhov Visuals, Denis Strahhov, Rein Jakobson, Vahur Kuusk, Tatjana Pavlik, and Yekaterina Vetrova)

  • Coldplay “Higher Power” (Visual effects by Mathematic)

  • Doja Cat and The Weeknd “You Right” (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, and David Rouxel)

  • Glass Animals “Tangerine” (Visual effects by Ronan Fourreau)

  • Lil Nas X “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” (Visual effects by Mathematic)

  • Pink “All I Know So Far” (Visual effects by Dave Meyers and Freenjoy Inc)


  • Ariana Grande “34+35” (Choreography by Brian Nicholson and Scott Nicholson)

  • BTS “Butter” (Choreography by Son Sung Deuk with BHM Performance directing team)

  • Ed Sheeran “Bad Habits” (Choreography by Natricia Bernard)

  • Foo Fighters “Shame Shame” (Choreography by Nina McNeely)

  • Harry Styles “Treat People With Kindness” (Choreography by Paul Roberts)

  • Marshmello and Halsey “Be Kind” (Choreography by Dani Vitale)


  • Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak “Leave the Door Open” (Editing by Troy Charbonnet)

  • BTS “Butter” (Editing by Yong Seok Choi from Lumpens)

  • Drake “What’s Next” (Editing by Noah Kendal)

  • Harry Styles “Treat People With Kindness” (Editing by Claudia Wass)

  • Justin Bieber f/ Daniel Caesar and Givēon “Peaches” (Editing by Mark Mayr and Vinnie Hobbs)

  • Miley Cyrus f/ Dua Lipa “Prisoner” (Editing by William Town at Modern Post)


  • 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 f/ Jay-Z “Entrepreneur”


  • Wallows “Are You Bored Yet?”

  • Ashnikko “Daisy”

  • SAINt JHN “Gorgeous”

  • 24kGoldn “Coco”

  • JC Stewart “Break My Heart”

  • Latto “Sex Lies”

  • Madison Beer “Selfish”

  • The Kid Laroi “Without You”

  • Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”

  • Girl in Red “Serotonin”

  • Fousheé “My Slime”

  • Jxdn “Think About Me”

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