MTV Video Music Awards to proceed in NYC

MTV today announced that the 2020 VMAs will return to New York City on Monday, August 31st AEST.

It will be the first event to be held at Barclays Center since the pandemic.

This year’s event will pay homage to the strength, spirit and incredible resilience of NYC and its residents. Spanning all five boroughs—Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, Queens and Manhattan—it will feature performances from various iconic locations.

“We’re elated to bring the 2020 VMAs back to NYC, the cultural mecca of the world where music and entertainment are woven into the DNA,” said Bruce Gillmer, President of Music, Music Talent, Programming & Events for ViacomCBS Media Networks.

“The 2020 MTV VMAs will be the first Barclays Center event since the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York,” said Oliver Weisberg, CEO of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets. “We’re very excited to once again host this legendary night of music, and are especially proud of the impact it will have on our Brooklyn community through the creation of local jobs. We deeply appreciate the support and advice of state and local government officials, as well as our internal management and team of medical experts, all of whom have been working hard to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved, and we will continue to closely follow their guidance throughout every step of the planning process with our partners at ViacomCBS.”

An artist line-up and broadcast details are yet to be announced.

The health and safety of artists, fans, industry, staff, and partners is of the utmost importance. Show producers alongside Barclays Center management have been working closely with state and local officials to implement best practices for everyone involved. Among the measures all parties involved have aligned to include extensive social distancing procedures, meaningful capacity limitations, the virtualization of components where possible, and limited capacity or no audience. Details and potential options to come at a later date based on the science and data in New York. Barclays Center and ViacomCBS are unequivocally committed to ensuring that the show does not compromise the health and safety of anyone involved in the event.

The “MTV Video Music Awards” (VMAs) is the year’s biggest celebration of music. With unparalleled performances and watershed moments, the show provides an open forum for artistry and expression that leaves an indelible mark on pop culture. Signature awards include “Video of the Year” and the “Video Vanguard Award,” the latter of which has been given to Missy Elliot, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Kanye West, Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake, among others.

The VMAs airs across MTV’s global footprint of linear and digital platforms in more than 180 countries and territories, reaching 450 million households in nearly 30 different languages.