The 2021 MTV Video Music Awards will take place tonight (September 12) in Brooklyn, New York. The broadcast and livestream of the main ceremony are set to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific) on MTV and MTV.com. (ViacomCBS networks such as BET, Comedy Central, MTV2, and VH1 will also simulcast the show.) After last year’s slate of remote performances, the VMAs return to Barclays Center and will be hosted by Doja Cat.
Follow all of Pitchfork’s coverage of the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards.
How to Watch the VMAs Pre-Show
The MTV VMAs pre-show begins at 6:30 p.m. Eastern (3:30 p.m. Pacific) and will feature 90 minutes of performances and celebrity interviews. The pre-show will air on MTV, and, starting at 6:15 p.m. Eastern, it’ll stream on the @MTV Twitter, too. Among the artists slated to perform are Kim Petras, Polo G, and Swedish House Mafia. MTV’s Nessa Diab and Jamila Mustafa return to host the pre-show, which will also feature Tinashe as a celebrity correspondent.
How to Watch the VMAs Main Ceremony
The main 2021 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific). You can watch the broadcast on MTV or on MTV.com (with an authenticated cable login). The show will also simulcast across BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1, and the CW. Doja Cat will host the ceremony, and presenters include Billie Eilish, Ashanti, Cyndi Lauper, 50 Cent, Megan Fox, Travis Barker, and Rita Ora. 2021 VMAs performers include Kacey Musgraves, Camila Cabello, Lil Nas X, Normani, Foo Fighters, Chlöe, and Justin Bieber. Check out the full list of nominees, featuring Eilish and more, here.