The MTV VMAs are Headed Back to Jersey for 2022! Here's What We Know About Host, Nominees and How to Watch
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Some MTV Video Video Awards moments are so shocking and memorable that people still talk about them without realizing how long ago they happened.
That Madonna-Britney Spears-Christina Aguilera kiss? Happened back in 2003. Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech? That was 2009. Lady Gaga’s meat dress? Yeah, that was 2010. Nicki Minaj beefing with host Miley Cyrus? That was 2015!
There’s always something to talk about after the VMAs, making the event must-see TV—even if it's the only MTV broadcast you tune into all your long. So get ready: MTV has announced that the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards will be back on August 28 of this year, and just as in 2019 (the last VMAs before the pandemic hit), they’ll air live from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
“We are thrilled to be back in New Jersey for this year’s VMAs live from Prudential Center,” said Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events for Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music for Paramount+. “Our 2019 show in Newark was undoubtedly one of our biggest and most successful shows yet and we’re excited to bring back the incredible fan energy for one of music’s most anticipated and iconic nights.”
Even though COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease, those who attend the 2022 VMAs—including performers, staff and the public—will still need to be aware of the rules in place. “Health and safety remains the No. 1 priority for MTV and Prudential Center. We are working hand-in-hand with state and local officials to implement stringent protocols in order to maintain the safety and well-being of artists, fans, staff, and partners,” Prudential Center said in a statement.
So who’s hosting? Who’s performing? Who has a shot at a Moon Man statue? How can you get tickets? Here’s what we know so far about the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards—and keep checking back for the latest VMA news!
Related: Stop, Look and Listen—Here Are the 75 Best Music Videos of All Time!
When are the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards?
The 2022 VMAs will air on Sunday, August 28, 2022 at 8 p.m. local time.
Who is hosting the 2022 VMAs?
Nicki Minaj, Jack Harlow and LL Cool J will emcee the 2022 VMAs together. It's the first time the show will have multiple hosts since 1986, with MTV saying in a statement that the network wanted a "more innovative and unique approach" than traditional hosting would allow.
That said, there doesn’t really need be a host. MTV has gone without a host seven times, four times since 2013. Still, last year, Doja Cat did the honors.
In 2020, the host was Keke Palmer. Past hosts have included entertainers, comedians, and VJs (remember when MTV had those?). The last time the VMAs were at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, the host was comedian Sebastian Maniscalco. “We’re celebrating music the way it always was intended,” Maniscalco said the last time Prudential hosted the show. “In a hockey rink in the middle of Newark.”
Fans got some special Jersey moments that year, including a Stone Pony set from the Jonas Brothers, who hail from the Garden State; Jersey native Queen Latifah even rolled up on a red motorcycle to close out the show with fellow Jerseyans Fetty Wap, Wyclef Jean, Naughty by Nature and Redman.
Who is nominated for Video Music Awards in 2022?
Last year, videos released between July 2020 and June 30, 2021 were eligible, so it stands to reason that 2022 eligibility is likely to stretch from July of last year to May or June of 2022.
Not only could 2021 hits like “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X and “Way 2 Sexy” by Drake be nominated, but the music you’re listening to right now could make the cut too, like “As It Was” by Harry Styles. Even K-Pop star PSY, who performed his hit “Gangnam Style” on the VMA stage almost a decade ago, could be in the running for a Moon Man if his brand new collab with BTS rapper Suga, “That That,” takes off. Speaking of BTS, they’ve got a new album coming out in June; their as-yet-unnamed lead single could get a nod, too.
Last year, the biggest awards of the night went to Lil Nas X (Video of the Year, “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”), Olivia Rodrigo (Song of the Year, “driver’s license”) and Justin Bieber (Artist of the Year).
The Red Hot Chili Peppers will be honored with the Global Icon Award. They've previously won eight VMAs, most recently in 2006 for "Dani California."
However, the biggest honor for 2022 goes to Nicki Minaj, who will be presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
"Nicki has broken barriers for women in hip-hop with her versatility and creative artistry. She has shifted the music industry and cemented her status as a global superstar with her crossover appeal, genre-defying style and continuing to be unapologetically 'Nicki,'" Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming and Events for Paramount and Chief Content Officer, Music for Paramount+, said in a statement.
Related: How Justin and Hailey Bieber Went From No Strings to a Happily Married Quarantining Couple
Who are the performers at the 2022 VMAs?
The following artists are confirmed to perform at the 2022 VMAs:
Nicki Minaj
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Eminem and Snoop Dogg
Blackpink
Lizzo
Måneskin
Kane Brown
Panic! At the Disco
Anitta
J Balvin
Marshmello x Khalid
Flo Milli
Dove Cameron
JID
Yung Gravy
Lauren Spencer Smith
Conan Gray
Saucy Santana
As for other artists potentially taking the stage: The MTV VMAs often features surprise entertainers that aren’t announced beforehand.
How do you get tickets for the 2022 VMAs?
While the bottom of Prudential Center’s announcement of the event features a “Get Tickets” button, right now the only thing fans can do is submit an interest form for Single Suites on VMAs night. Tickets will likely go on sale in the weeks before the show.
When can fans vote for the 2022 VMAs?
Many of the awards can be voted on by fans, such as Push Best New Artist, Best Pop, Best Alternative, Best Hip-hop and even Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year.
Typically, voting happens about one month before the show; that would mean July 2022. Voting will take place on MTV.com and the MTV app.
How can you watch the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards?
The VMAs will air live on August 28, 2022 at 8 p.m. ET in over 170 countries. MTV and MTV2 will carry the broadcast, as will ViacomCBS networks like VH1, Comedy Central and the CW. If you want to watch online, you can watch on the MTV website and MTV app. Streamers like Paramount+, Hulu (Live) and YouTube TV will also have it.
Will Johnny Depp be at the 2022 VMAs?
TMZ and the New York Post each reported that Johnny Depp will make a comeback appearance at the 2022 MTV VMAs, possibly dressed as a Moonman.
If true, it will be his first mainstream TV appearance since his defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages in his defamation claim against Heard, which he filed over a Washington Post op-ed she penned with the aid of the American Civil Liberties Union about the penalties she faced for speaking out against sexual violence. The article never mentions Depp's name and also refers to incidents that Heard claimed occurred before she ever met him.
Heard was awarded $2 million for one of her three defamation claims against Depp. Heard is appealing the decision.
Depp previously sued News Group Newspapers LTD in the U.K. for libel after The Sun ran an article with a headline calling Depp a "Wife Beater." Depp's lawsuit against the publisher was tossed after a judge deemed the majority of the abuse claims Heard alleged were "substantially true." Depp was denied an appeal in the case.
