Can Megan Thee Stallion Make You Watch the VMAs on a Wednesday?
ByJustin Curto,
who covers music, TV, and celebrity for Vulture
Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Yes, we want our MTV, but MTV just doesn’t want to get in the way of democracy. (Or compete with those debate numbers. You think they just fell out of a coconut tree?) So the 2024 VMAs are now taking place September 11, to avoid competing with the presidential debate scheduled for September 10, which was the show’s original date. No, a Wednesday-night awards show isn’t brat, but a Tuesday-night one wasn’t really either — to say nothing of airing the show live from Long Island at UBS Arena. At least Megan Thee Stallion is hosting. Eminem, set to open the show, is the latest performer added to the lineup, and top nominee Taylor Swift will likely be in the house. So will Paris Hilton, Tinashe, and Addison Rae, all joining the list of presenters last minute. Oh, and Katy Perry will be receiving the Video Vanguard Award — yeah, now.
Who’s performing?
Two of the summer’s biggest breakouts, for starters. The VMAs locked down top nominee Sabrina Carpenter and Best New Artist nominee Chappell Roan to each make their main show debuts. (Carpenter played the pre-show last year.) Best New Artist nominee Benson Boone will also make his VMAs stage debut, while Halsey is set to perform a new song off her upcoming album. Shawn Mendes is set to take the stage with a song from his upcoming album Shawn, while his ex Camila Cabello will also be performing — and we all know they have history on that stage! Nominee Eminem is set to open with a performance from The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), 14 years after he previously opened the show in 2010. It’s also set to be an especially international year at the VMAs, with Best Latin nominees Anitta, Karol G, and Rauw Alejandro all performing, as well as Best K-Pop nominee Lisa from Blackpink. Glorilla, Lenny Kravitz, and LL Cool J are also set to perform.
Multi-time nominees Teddy Swims and Jessie Murph will be performing on the Extended Play Stage during the show, while rising K-pop group Le Sserafim will play the pre-show.
Who’s presenting?
The freaky-hot list of presenters includes Tinashe and Paris Hilton, for starts. Diet Pepsi fan Addison Rae and women’s water-polo fan Flavor Flav will also present, along with Lil Nas X, Cyndi Lauper, DJ Khaled, Halle Bailey, Big Sean, Suki Waterhouse, Busta Rhymes, Miranda Lambert, Fat Joe, and French Montana. And the list goes international, as well, with Mexican singers Danna and Thalía along with Måneskin’s Damiano David. The Voice host Carson Daly and Chicken Shop Date host Amelia Dimoldenberg will present, too, along with model Alessandra Ambrosio, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles, and actor Naomi Scott.
Who’s hosting?
Hot Girl Summer stretches into September, so MTV tapped Megan Thee Stallion for the job. She’ll be holding down the show after releasing her third album, Megan, earlier this year and recently headlining Lollapalooza. And yes, the hosting gig will come with a performance from that album.
Who’s nominated?
Unsurprisingly, Taylor Swift comes in on top, with ten nominations. Most of those are for her “Fortnight” music video, which means her collaborator Post Malone is just behind with nine nods. Ariana Grande, Eminem, and Sabrina Carpenter each have six nominations, while Megan Thee Stallion and SZA have five. Swift is going for a three-peat in Video of the Year (after winning for “All Too Well” in 2022 and “Anti-Hero” in 2023), but she’ll have to beat Grande’s “we can’t be friends (wait for your love),” Billie Eilish’s “Lunch,” Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red,” Eminem’s “Houdini,” and SZA’s “Snooze.”
You’ll need to clear your Wednesday night, with the VMAs shifting to September 11 to accommodate the presidential debate. The show will air on MTV at 8 p.m. ET and PT. MTV has yet to announce streaming plans, but the VMAs have previously streamed on Paramount+.
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