All eyes will be on the biggest names in music at MTV VMAs 2023 so here’s everything you need to know: from performances to the location.

Get ready for killer red carpets and performances to remember as music stars flock to the MTV Video Music Awards this September.

Last year saw rap queen Nicki Minaj perform a medley of her greatest hits to mark her Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award win, while the Red Hot Chili Peppers took home the Global Icon Award.

So who will be wowing the crowd in 2023?

Taylor Swift attends the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Photo by Catherine Powell/Getty Images for MTV/Paramount Global

MTV VMAs 2023 list of performances and presenters

Performers

Main show:

  • Anitta
  • Demi Lovato
  • Diddy
  • Doja Cat
  • Karol G
  • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Lil Wayne
  • Måneskin
  • Shakira (Video Vanguard Award recipient)
  • Stray Kids
  • Tomorrow X Together

The 2023 award show welcomes familiar faces from last year: Måneskin performed Supermodel in 2022, while Anitta had the crowd dancing to five of her hits.

It’s unknown what Måneskin has planned, but it’s likely that their newest track, Honey (Are You Coming?) will be on the setlist.

Extended Play Stage:

  • Kaliii
  • Renee Rapp
  • The Warning

Pre-Show:

  • NLE Choppa
  • Sabrina Carpenter

Presenters

  • Bebe Rexha
  • Charli D’Amelio
  • Coco Jones
  • Dixie D’Amelio
  • Emily Ratajkowski
  • French Montana
  • GloRilla
  • Ice Spice
  • Jared Leto
  • Madelyn Cline
  • Rita Ora
  • Sabrina Carpenter

The host of the main show has yet to be named but the Pre-Show will be led by Saweetie, Nessa, Dometi Pongo, and Kevan Kenney.

How to watch, location, and when is it?

The VMAs will air on MTV on Tuesday, September 12 at 8pm ET. It will be broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

This is the third time that it will be held at the Prudential Center, following on from 2022. It is typically hosted in Los Angeles or New York City.

Those who prefer streaming can watch via Paramount+.

The Pre-Show will begin at 6:30pm ET, showcasing iconic fashion moments, celebrity interviews, and two performances.

The main award show will run for three hours until 11pm ET.

Full list of VMAs 2023 nominees

Colombian icon Shakira will be receiving the Video Vanguard Award for her influence throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Expect the singer to perform hits such as Whenever, Wherever, Hips Don’t Lie, and Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

Diddy is set to receive the Global Icon Award.

The new fan-voted category, Show Of The Summer, has been introduced to find out which artist had the best tour of the season. That means the big shots – Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Drake, Blackpink, and more – will be pitted against each other.

Tay Tay leads the awards with an impressive eight nominations, including three in the major categories: Video Of The Year, Artist Of The Year, and Song Of The Year.

Video Of The Year

  • Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
  • Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
  • Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records
  • Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
  • Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
  • SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
  • Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero”

Artist Of The Year

  • Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
  • Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
  • KAROL G – Interscope Records
  • Nicki Minaj – Republic Records
  • Shakira – Sony Music US Latin
  • Taylor Swift – Republic Records

Song Of The Year

  • Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
  • Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
  • Rema and Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment /SMG Music / Interscope Records
  • Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
  • Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records
  • SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records
  • Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records

Best New Artist

  • GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records
  • Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records
  • Kaliii – Atlantic Records
  • Peso Pluma – Double P Records
  • PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment
  • Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records

Push Performance Of The Year

  • August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records
  • September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
  • October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL
  • November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records
  • December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records
  • January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All The Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment
  • February 2023: Armani White – “GOATED” – Def Jam
  • March 2023: FLETCHER – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records
  • April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
  • May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy On It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records
  • June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records
  • July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records

Best Collaboration

  • David Guetta and Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records
  • Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
  • Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
  • KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
  • Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
  • Rema and Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records

Best Pop

  • Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
  • Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records
  • Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records
  • Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
  • Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
  • P!NK – “TRUSTFALL” – RCA Records
  • Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
Dua Lipa attends the "Barbie" European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 12, 2023 in London, England.
Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage

Best hip-hop

  • Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
  • DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “STAYING ALIVE” – We The Best / Epic Records
  • GloRilla and Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records
  • Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now
  • Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records
  • Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records
  • Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records

Best R&B

  • Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records
  • Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia
  • Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
  • SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
  • Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records
  • Yung Bleu and Nicki Minaj – “Love In The Way” – Empire Distribution

Best Alternative

  • blink-182 – “EDGING” – Columbia Records
  • boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records
  • Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like A Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen
  • Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records
  • Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
  • Thirty Seconds To Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records / Concord

Best Rock

  • Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records
  • Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records
  • Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records
  • Måneskin – “THE LONELIEST” – Arista Records
  • Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings
  • Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records

Best Latin

  • Anitta – “Funk Rave” – Republic Records
  • Bad Bunny – “WHERE SHE GOES” – Rimas Entertainment
  • Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” – DEL Records, Inc. / Prajin Parlay, Inc. Grupo Frontera
  • Bad Bunny – “un x100to” – Rimas Entertainment
  • KAROL G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
  • ROSALÍA – “DESPECHÁ” – Columbia Records
  • Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin

Best K-Pop

  • aespa – “Girls” – SM ENTERTAINMENT Co., Ltd.
  • BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
  • FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
  • SEVENTEEN – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records
  • Stray Kids – “S-Class” – JYP / Republic
  • TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records

Best Afrobeats

  • Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings
  • Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd
  • Davido ft. Musa Keys – “UNAVAILABLE” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
  • Fireboy DML and Asake – “Bandana” – Empire Distribution
  • Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
  • Rema and Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
  • Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records

Video For Good

  • Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral) – NETFLIX
  • Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente” – Rimas Entertainment
  • Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
  • Dove Cameron – “Breakfast” – Columbia Records
  • Imagine Dragons – “Crushed” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
  • Maluma – “La Reina” – Sony Music US Latin

Best Direction

  • Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño
  • Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
  • Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar
  • Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley
  • Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
  • SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer
  • Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift

Best Cinematography

  • Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
  • Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
  • Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
  • Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
  • Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
  • Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
  • Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rina Yang

Best Visual Effects

  • Fall Out Boy – “Love From The Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
  • Harry Styles – “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
  • Melanie Martinez – “VOID” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
  • Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
  • Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
  • Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament

Best Choreography

  • BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX)
  • Dua Lipa – “Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna
  • Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece
  • Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
  • Panic! At The Disco – “Middle Of A Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
  • Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel

Best Art Direction

  • boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap
  • BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
  • Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Art Direction by Spencer Graves
  • Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez
  • Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Art Direction by Niko Philipides
  • SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch

Best Editing

  • BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
  • Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell
  • Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter
  • Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel
  • SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
  • Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes

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