2022 MTV VMAs Nominations: Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow & Kendrick Lamar Lead the Way

Lil Nas X at the American Music Awards in 2019
Lil Nas X at the American Music Awards in 2019. Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety/Shutterstock (10481445am)

The MTV Video Music Awards are coming our way next month and the list of nominees is as epic as it gets! Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow, and Kendrick Lamar are among the main contenders this year, after managing to score seven nominations each.

Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow made quite a splash with their collaboration “Industry Baby” and they’re getting credit where credit is due. This song has been nominated for two of the biggest honors of the night – video and song of the year—but that’s just the beginning!

“Industry Baby” is also in the running for best collaboration, direction, art direction, choreography, and visual effects. Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow will also be going head to head for the artist of the year award, and the list of contenders for this trophy also includes Lizzo and Harry Styles.

Unlike Lil Nas X and Harlow, Lamar isn’t in the running for any of the main awards, but he still managed to collect a total of seven nods with songs “N95”, “The Heart Part 5”, and “Family Ties” ft. Baby Keem. Doja Cat and Harry Styles are right behind with six nominations each, followed by Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd with five.

The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards will be held on August 28 in New Jersey’s Prudential Center in Newark.

FULL LIST OF NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2022 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS:

Video of the Year 

Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was“ – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “brutal” – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

Artist of the Year

Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Drake – OVO/Republic
Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – Columbia Records
Jack Harlow – Generation Now / Atlantic Records 
Lil Nas X – Columbia Records
Lizzo – Atlantic Records 

Song of the Year

Adele – “Easy On Me” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records 
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records 
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records

Best New Artist

Baby Keem – Columbia Records
Dove Cameron – Disruptor Records / Columbia Records 
GAYLE – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
Latto – Streamcut / RCA Records
Måneskin – Arista Records
SEVENTEEN – PLEDIS Entertainment/Geffen Records 

Push Performance of the Year

September 2021: Griff – “One Night” – Warner Records
October 2021: Remi Wolf – “Sexy Villain” – Island Records
November 2021: Nessa Barrett – “i hope ur miserable until ur dead” – Warner Records 
December 2021: SEVENTEEN – “Rock With You” – PLEDIS Entertainment / Geffen Records 
January 2021: Mae Muller – “Better Days” – Capitol Records UK
February 2022: GAYLE – “abcdefu” – Atlantic Records / Arthouse Records
March 2022: Sheneesa – “R U That” – Rich Immigrants / Interscope Records
April 2022: Omar Apollo – “Tamagotchi” – Warner Records
May 2022: Wet Leg – “Chaise Longue” – Domino Recording Company
June 2022: Muni Long – “Baby Boo” – Supergiant Records LLC / Def Jam Recording
July 2022: Doechii – “Persuasive” – Top Dog Entertainment / Capitol Records 

Best Collaboration

Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO/Republic
Elton John & Dua Lipa – “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” – EMI / Interscope Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
Post Malone & The Weeknd – “One Right Now” – Mercury Records / Republic Records 
ROSALÍA ft. The Weeknd – “LA FAMA” – Columbia Records
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records 

Best Pop

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records 
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “traitor” – Geffen Records 

Best Hip-Hop

Eminem & Snoop Dogg – “From The D 2 The LBC” – Shady / Aftermath / Interscope Records 
Future ft. Drake, Tems – “WAIT FOR U” – Freebandz / Epic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 
Latto – “Big Energy” – Streamcut / RCA Records
Nicki Minaj ft. Lil Baby – “Do We Have A Problem?” – Young Money / Cash Money / Republic Records
Pusha T – “Diet Coke” – G.O.O.D. Music / Def Jam 

Best Rock

Foo Fighters – “Love Dies Young” – RCA Records
Jack White – “Taking Me Back” – Third Man Records
Muse – “Won’t Stand Down” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Black Summer” – Warner Records 
Shinedown – “Planet Zero” – Elektra Music Group
Three Days Grace – “So Called Life” – RCA Records 

Best Alternative

Avril Lavigne ft. blackbear – “Love It When You Hate Me” – Elektra Music Group / DTA Records
Imagine Dragons x JID – “Enemy” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
Machine Gun Kelly ft. WILLOW – “emo girl” – Bad Boy / Interscope Records
Måneskin – “I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE” – Arista Records
Panic! At The Disco – “Viva Las Vengeance” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group 
Twenty One Pilots  – “Saturday” – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group
WILLOW, Avril Lavigne ft. Travis Barker – “G R O W” – MSFTSMusic / Roc Nation Records

Best Latin

Anitta – “Envolver” – Warner Records
Bad Bunny – “Tití Me Preguntó” – Rimas Entertainment
Becky G X KAROL G – “MAMIII” – Kemosabe Records / Sony Music Latin / RCA Records 
Daddy Yankee – “REMIX” – Republic Records
Farruko – “Pepas” – Sony Music US Latin
J Balvin & Skrillex – “In Da Getto” – Sueños Globales, LLC /Universal Music Latino / Asylum Records UK 

Best R&B

Alicia Keys – “City of Gods (Part II)” – AKW
Chlöe – “Have Mercy” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
H.E.R. – “For Anyone” – RCA Records
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool/RCA Records
Summer Walker, SZA & Cardi B – “No Love (Extended Version)” – LVRN / Interscope Records 
The Weeknd – “Out Of Time” – XO / Republic Records 

Best K-Pop

BTS – “Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment)” – BIGHIT Music / Geffen Records 
ITZY – “LOCO” – JYP Entertainment
LISA – “LALISA” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
SEVENTEEN – “HOT” – PLEDIS Entertainment/Geffen Records
Stray Kids – “MANIAC” – JYP Entertainment
TWICE – “The Feels” – JYP Entertainment

Video for Good

Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records
Latto – “P*ssy” – Streamcut / RCA Records
Lizzo – “About Damn Time” – Atlantic Records
Rina Sawayama – “This Hell” – Dirty Hit
Stromae – ”Fils de joie” – Mosaert Label / The Darkroom / Interscope Records 

Best Metaverse Performance

BLACKPINK The Virtual | PUBG – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
BTS | Minecraft – BIGHIT Music / Geffen Records
Charli XCX | Roblox – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – An Interactive Virtual Experience | Wave – Def Jam
Rift Tour ft. Ariana Grande | Fortnite – Republic Records
Twenty One Pilots Concert Experience | Roblox – Fueled By Ramen / Elektra Music Group 

Best Longform Video

Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles – Darkroom / Interscope Records 
Foo Fighters – Studio 666 – RCA Records
Kacey Musgraves – star-crossed – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville
Madonna – Madame X – Interscope Records
Olivia Rodrigo – driving home 2 u – Geffen Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

Best Cinematography

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records
Camila Cabello ft. Ed Sheeran – “Bam Bam” – Epic Records
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – “N95” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

Best Direction

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Ed Sheeran – “Shivers” – Atlantic Records 
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 

Best Art Direction

Adele – “Oh My God” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug – “Way 2 Sexy” – OVO / Republic Records 
Kacey Musgraves – “simple times” – Interscope Records / MCA Nashville 
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment 

Best Visual Effects

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Coldplay X BTS – “My Universe” – Atlantic Records
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5” – pgLang/Top Dawg Entertainment/Aftermath/Interscope Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records
Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa – “Sweetest Pie” – 300 Entertainment
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber – “STAY” – Columbia Records

Best Choreography

BTS – “Permission to Dance” – BIGHIT Music/Geffen Records
Doja Cat – “Woman” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
FKA twigs ft. The Weeknd – “Tears In The Club” – Atlantic Records 
Harry Styles – “As It Was” – Columbia Records
Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “INDUSTRY BABY” – Columbia Records 
Normani ft. Cardi B – “Wild Side” – Keep Cool / RCA Records 

Best Editing

Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “family ties” – Columbia Records
Doja Cat – “Get Into It (Yuh)” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “brutal” – Geffen Records
ROSALÍA – “SAOKO” – Columbia Records
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well” (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) – Republic Records 
The Weeknd – “Take My Breath” – XO / Republic Records