Cardi B, Beyonce, Jay-Z Lead 2018 MTV VMA Nominations

August 2024 · 10 minute read

Cardi B and “The Carters” — a.k.a. Beyonce and Jay-Z — lead the nominees for the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, which were announced this afternoon. Cardi received 10 nominations — which are gender-neutral — including video, song and artist of the year, while the Carters received eight, including video of the year, best collaboration and best hip-hop for their eye-popping clip for “Apesh–,” released last month. Other top contenders include Childish Gambino and Drake (with seven nominations each), Bruno Mars (six), Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello (five), and Ed Sheeran, Khalid and Young Thug (four). See the complete list below.

The “VMAs” will air live from Radio City Music Hall on Monday, August 20 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“It has already been a monumental year in music, and this year’s ‘VMAs’ will take things to a whole new level,” said Bruce Gillmer, Head of Music and Music Talent, Global Entertainment Group, Viacom. “The extraordinary group of nominees have amazed us with their talent and inspired us with their creativity – and when you get them together for one night, anything is possible.”

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MTV collaborated with Instagram to reveal the nominees on IGTV, marking the first time an awards show has used the new platform in this capacity. Beginning today, fans can vote across eight VMA categories, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Best Collaboration and more by visiting vma.mtv.com until Friday, August 10. Voting for the “Best New Artist” award, presented by Taco Bell, will remain active until the VMA broadcast.

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Radio City Music Hall was the home of the inaugural “VMAs” in 1984 and this will mark the 12th time the show has been held there – the most for any VMAs location. Official sponsors include PEPSI, Swiffer and Taco Bell. Bruce Gillmer and Jesse Ignjatovic are executive producers, Melanie Block serves as executive in charge of production, Amani Duncan is executive in charge of music and Wendy Plaut is executive in charge of celebrity talent.

COMPLETE LIST OF NOMINEES

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
Drake – “God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Bruno Mars – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello – Syco Music/Epic Records
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Drake – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Post Malone – Republic Records

SONG OF THE YEAR
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
Drake – “God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Dua Lipa – “New Rules” – Warner Bros. Records
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
Post Malone ft. 21 Savage – “rockstar” – Republic Records

BEST NEW ARTIST
Bazzi – iamcosmic/Atlantic Records
Cardi B – Atlantic Records
Chloe x Halle – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
Hayley Kiyoko – Atlantic Records
Lil Pump – Warner Bros. Records
Lil Uzi Vert – Atlantic Records

BEST COLLABORATION
Bebe Rexha ft. Florida Georgia Line – “Meant to Be” – Warner Bros. Records
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” – Atlantic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” – i am OTHER/Columbia Records

PUSH ARTIST OF THE YEAR
JULY 2018 – Chloe x Halle – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
JUNE 2018 – Sigrid – Island Records
MAY 2018 – Lil Xan – Columbia Records
APRIL 2018 – Hayley Kiyoko – Atlantic Records
MARCH 2018 – Jessie Reyez – Island Records
FEBRUARY 2018 – Tee Grizzley – 300 Entertainment
JANUARY 2018 – Bishop Briggs – Island Records
DECEMBER 2017 – Grace VanderWaal – Syco Music/Columbia Records
NOVEMBER 2017 – Why Don’t We – Atlantic Records
OCTOBER 2017 – PRETTYMUCH – Syco Music/Columbia Records
SEPTEMBER 2017 – SZA – TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records
AUGUST 2017 – Kacy Hill – Def Jam Recordings
JULY 2017 – Khalid – RCA Records
JUNE 2017 – Kyle – Atlantic Records
MAY 2017 – Noah Cyrus – Republic Records

BEST POP
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” – Republic Records
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” – Syco Music/Epic Records
Demi Lovato – “Sorry Not Sorry” – Island Records
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” – Atlantic Records
P!nk – “What About Us” – RCA Records
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records

BEST HIP HOP
Cardi B ft. 21 Savage – “Bartier Cardi” – KSR/Atlantic Records
The Carters – “APES**T” – Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment
Drake – “God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Record
J. Cole – “ATM” – Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records
Migos ft. Drake – “Walk It Talk It” – Quality Control/Capitol Records
Nicki Minaj – “Chun-Li” – Young Money/Cash Money Records

BEST LATIN
Daddy Yankee – “Dura” – El Cartel Records/UMLE
J Balvin, Willy William – “Mi Gente” – UMLE/Republic Records
Jennifer Lopez ft. DJ Khaled & Cardi B – “Dinero” – Epic Records/Nuyorican Productions
Luis Fonsi, Demi Lovato – “Échame La Culpa” – UMLE/Republic/Island/Universal Music Latino
Maluma – “Felices los 4” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin
Shakira ft. Maluma – “Chantaje” – Sony Music Entertainment US Latin

BEST DANCE
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” – Geffen Records
Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa – “One Kiss” – Columbia Records
The Chainsmokers – “Everybody Hates Me” – Disruptor Records/Columbia Records
David Guetta & Sia – “Flames” – Atlantic Records
Marshmello ft. Khalid – “Silence” – RCA Records/Ultra Records
Zedd & Liam Payne – “Get Low (Street Video)” – Interscope Records

BEST ROCK
Fall Out Boy – “Champion” – Island Records
Foo Fighters – “The Sky Is A Neighborhood” – RCA Records
Imagine Dragons – “Whatever It Takes” – KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records
Linkin Park – “One More Light” – Warner Bros. Records
Panic! At The Disco – “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” – Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Walk On Water” – Interscope Records

VIDEO WITH A MESSAGE
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” – mcDJ / RCA Records
Dej Loaf and Leon Bridges – “Liberated” – Columbia Records
Drake – ‘God’s Plan” – YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records
Janelle Monáe – “PYNK” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records
Jessie Reyez – “Gatekeeper” – Island Records
Logic ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid – “1-800-273-8255” – Def Jam Recordings

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alessia Cara – “Growing Pains” –  Def Jam Recordings – Cinematography by Pau Castejón
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” –  Republic Records – Cinematography by Scott Cunningham
The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Cinematography by Benoit Debie
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Cinematography by Larkin Seiple
Eminem ft. Ed Sheeran – “River” – Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Cinematography by Frank Mobilio & Patrick Meller
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Cinematography by Jonathan Sela

BEST DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Directed by Ricky Saix
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Directed by Hiro Murai
Drake – “God’s Plan” –  YMCMB/Cash Money/Republic Records – Directed by Karena Evans
Ed Sheeran – “Perfect” –  Atlantic Records – Directed by Jason Koenig
Justin Timberlake ft. Chris Stapleton – “Say Something” –  RCA Records – Directed by Arturo Perez Jr.
Shawn Mendes – “In My Blood” – Island Records – Directed by Jay Martin

BEST ART DIRECTION
The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Art Direction by Jan Houlevigue
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Art Direction by Jason Kisvarday
J. Cole – “ATM” –  Dreamville/Roc Nation/Interscope Records – Art Direction by Miles Mullin
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” –  Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Art Direction by Pepper Nguyen
SZA – “The Weekend” –  TDE/RCA Records – Art Direction by SZA and Solange
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” –  Big Machine Records – Art Direction by Brett Hess

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ariana Grande – “No Tears Left to Cry” –  Republic Records – Visual Effects by Vidal and Loris Paillier for Buf
Avicii ft. Rita Ora – “Lonely Together” –  Geffen Records – Visual Effects by KPP
Eminem ft. Beyoncé – “Walk On Water” –  Shady/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects Supervisor Rich Lee for Drive Studios
Kendrick Lamar & SZA – “All The Stars” –  TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by Loris Paillier for BUF Paris
Maroon 5 – “Wait” –  222/Interscope Records – Visual Effects by TIMBER
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” – Big Machine Records – Visual Effects by Ingenuity Studios

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” –  Atlantic Records – Choreography by Phil Tayag & Bruno Mars
Camila Cabello ft. Young Thug – “Havana” –  Syco Music/Epic Records – Choreography by Calvit Hodge and Sara Bivens
The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Jaquel Knight
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Choreography by Sherrie Silver
Dua Lipa – “IDGAF” –  Warner Bros. Records – Choreography by Marion Motin
Justin Timberlake – “Filthy” –  RCA Records – Choreography by Marty Kudelka, AJ Harpold, Tracy Phillips, and Ivan Koumaev

BEST EDITING
Bruno Mars ft. Cardi B – “Finesse (Remix)” –  Atlantic Records – Editing by Jacquelyn London
The Carters – “APES**T” –  Roc Nation/Parkwood Entertainment – Taylor Ward and Sam Ostrove
Childish Gambino – “This Is America” –  mcDJ / RCA Records – Editing by Ernie Gilbert
Janelle Monáe – “Make Me Feel” – Bad Boy Records/Atlantic Records – Editing by Deji Laray
N.E.R.D & Rihanna – “Lemon” –  i am OTHER/Columbia Records – Editing by Taylor Ward
Taylor Swift – “Look What You Made Me Do” –  Big Machine Records – Editing by Chancler Haynes for Cosmo

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