It feels like just yesterday we were all collectively losing our minds over the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards nominations. Honestly, looking back from 2026, that night at the UBS Arena in New York really marked the moment the "new guard" of pop officially took the keys to the kingdom. If you weren't glued to your screen on September 11, 2024, you missed a bizarre, glittering, and highly political night that basically turned into a Taylor Swift victory lap.
But it wasn't just about the usual suspects.
The current nominations for 2024 mtv video music awards—at least they were current until the trophies started flying—set up a battlefield between industry titans and the "Midwest Princess" herself, Chappell Roan. Before the show even started, everyone was betting on Taylor Swift to shatter records. Spoiler alert: she did. But the real story was in the names that filled out the rest of the ballot.
Taylor Swift and Post Malone: The "Fortnight" Domination
You couldn't escape "Fortnight." You really couldn't. Taylor Swift entered the night with 12 nominations, a massive chunk of them tied to her collaboration with Post Malone. By the time the credits rolled, she had scooped up seven awards.
This win was huge. It brought her career total to 30 VMAs.
That number is significant because it tied her with Beyoncé for the most-awarded artist in the show's history. Swift specifically took home Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Collaboration. When she went up to grab the Video of the Year moon person, she didn't just thank the fans; she gave a shout-out to her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. She mentioned how he was on set, cheering everyone on after every take. It was a peak "Tayvis" moment that dominated social media for days.
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Post Malone was basically her right-hand man for the evening, finishing with five wins of his own. It’s kinda wild to think how much his pivot toward the pop-country-adjacent space with Taylor and Morgan Wallen solidified his "everyone's favorite collaborator" status.
The Rise of the New Pop Royalty
If Taylor was the queen, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan were the undisputed princesses of the 2024 nominations.
Sabrina’s "Espresso" was the song of the summer—period. There was no debating it. She won Song of the Year, beating out heavy hitters like Beyoncé’s "Texas Hold 'Em" and Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us." Her performance was a trip, too. She literally danced with a space alien and a moon man while singing a medley of "Please Please Please," "Taste," and "Espresso." It was campy, it was polished, and it proved she had finally arrived.
Then there was Chappell Roan.
She won Best New Artist, which felt less like a "newcomer" win and more like a coronation. Her performance of "Good Luck, Babe!" was medieval-themed, featuring her in full chainmail armor shooting a flaming crossbow at a castle. Honestly, it was the most visually ambitious set of the night. In her speech, she read from her diary and dedicated the win to the queer and trans people who "fuel pop." It was a heavy, emotional moment that stood in stark contrast to the usual "thanks to my label" speeches.
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Winners You Might Have Forgotten
- Eminem: He opened the show with a literal army of Slim Shady clones. He won Best Hip-Hop and Best Visual Effects for "Houdini," making him the male artist with the most VMAs at 14.
- Lisa (Blackpink): She made history. Winning Best K-Pop for "Rockstar," she became the first solo artist to win that category twice.
- Anitta: She’s basically the queen of the Best Latin category now. Her win for "Mil Veces" marked her third consecutive win in that slot.
- Tyla: "Water" took home Best Afrobeats, continuing her global streak.
- SZA: "Snooze" rightfully bagged Best R&B.
The Katy Perry Vanguard Moment
We have to talk about the Video Vanguard Award. Katy Perry received the lifetime achievement honor, and she didn't just give a speech; she did a 10-minute medley that reminded everyone why she owned the 2010s.
She flew. Literally.
She started the set suspended in a gravity-defying harness before transitioning into hits like "Dark Horse," "Teenage Dream," and "Firework." It was a massive production, even more impressive when she later revealed she performed the whole thing on the first day of her period. That’s the kind of "too much information" honesty that makes the VMAs feel human.
Why These Nominations Mattered
The current nominations for 2024 mtv video music awards were a reflection of a shifting industry. We saw the "Best Group" award go to SEVENTEEN, and the "Best Push Performance" go to LE SSERAFIM. The global influence of K-pop and Latin music is no longer a side-story; it’s the main event.
The nominations also showed a pivot toward "high-concept" music videos again. After a few years of low-budget, "vibey" videos, the 2024 list was packed with cinematic efforts like Ariana Grande’s "We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)" and Megan Thee Stallion’s "BOA."
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What to Watch for Next
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the legacy of the 2024 VMAs, start by re-watching the technical category winners. Often, the "Best Direction" and "Best Editing" (both won by "Fortnight") tell you more about where music video trends are headed than the big flashy categories.
Also, keep an eye on the "Best New Artist" alumni. Historically, the VMA Best New Artist winner either becomes a permanent fixture (like Lady Gaga) or disappears. Given Chappell Roan’s trajectory, she’s clearly in the former camp.
Go back and watch the performances by Benson Boone and Tyla from that night. They represented a raw, vocal-heavy talent that balanced out the heavy synth-pop of the other acts. The 2024 awards weren't just a trophy ceremony; they were a roadmap for the pop landscape we are living in right now.
Check out the full credits for the "Best Direction" nominees to see the cinematographers who are currently shaping the look of modern music videos. Many of them moved on to major film projects in late 2025.