Afrobeat Stars Face Off at the MTV VMAs 2024: Who Will Win Best Afrobeat Song?

Excitement is building as the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards approach, set to take place on September 10th in New York City. This year’s awards promise intense competition, especially in the Afrobeat Song of the Year category, which features an impressive lineup of some of the biggest names in Afrobeat. Leading the pack is Tyla, but she faces fierce competition from other Afrobeat heavyweights.

Here’s a look at the nominees for Best Afrobeat Song of the Year:

• Ayra Starr ft. Giveon – “Last Heartbreak Song”
• Burna Boy – “City Boys”
• Chris Brown ft. Davido & Lojay – “Sensational”
• Tems – “Love Me JeJe”
• Tyla – “Water”
• Usher, Pheelz – “Ruin”

Other Categories Featuring Afrobeat Artists

BEST NEW ARTIST:

• Benson Boone
• Chappell Roan
• Gracie Abrams
• Shaboozey
• Teddy Swims
• Tyla

BEST R&B:

• Alicia Keys – “Lifeline”
• Muni Long – “Made For Me”
• SZA – “Snooze”
• Tyla – “Water”
• Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – “Good Good”
• Victoria Monét – “On My Mama”

FULL NOMINATION LIST:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR: Ariana Grande — “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”, Billie Eilish — “LUNCH”, Doja Cat — “Paint The Town Red”, Eminem — “Houdini”, SZA — “Snooze”, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight”.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Eminem, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Taylor Swift

SONG OF THE YEAR: Beyoncé — “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”, Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”, Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”, Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso”, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight”, Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”

MTV PUSH PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR: August 2023: Kaliii — “Area Codes”, September 2023: GloRilla — “Lick or Sum”, October 2023: Benson Boone — “In The Stars”, November 2023: Coco Jones — “ICU”, December 2023: Victoria Monét — “On My Mama”, January 2024: Jessie Murph — “Wild Ones”, February 2024: Teddy Swims — “Lose Control”, March 2024: Chappell Roan — “Red Wine Supernova”, April 2024: Flyana Boss — “yeaaa”, May 2024: Laufey — “Goddess”, June 2024: LE SSERAFIM — “EASY”, July 2024: The Warning — “Automatic Sun”.

BEST COLLABORATION: Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA — “Rich Baby Daddy”, GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion — “Wanna Be”, Jessie Murph ft. Jelly Roll — “Wild Ones”, Jung Kook ft. Latto — “Seven”, Post Malone ft. Morgan Wallen — “I Had Some Help”, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight”

BEST POP: Camila Cabello, Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, Taylor Swift

BEST HIP-HOP: Drake ft. Sexyy Red & SZA — “Rich Baby Daddy”, Eminem — “Houdini”, GloRilla — “Yeah Glo!”, Gunna — “fukumean”, Megan Thee Stallion — “BOA”, Travis Scott ft. Playboi Carti — “FE!N”

BEST ALTERNATIVE: Benson Boone — “Beautiful Things”, Bleachers — “Tiny Moves”, Hozier — “Too Sweet”, Imagine Dragons — “Eyes Closed”, Linkin Park — “Friendly Fire”, Teddy Swims — “Lose Control (Live)”

BEST ROCK: Bon Jovi — “Legendary”, Coldplay — “feelslikeimfallinginlove”, Green Day — “Dilemma”, Kings of Leon — “Mustang”, Lenny Kravitz — “Human”, U2 — “Atomic City”

BEST LATIN: Anitta — “Mil Veces”, Bad Bunny — “MONACO”, KAROL G — “MI EX TENÍA RAZÓN”, Myke Towers — “LALA”, Peso Pluma & Anitta — “BELLAKEO”, Rauw Alejandro — “Touching The Sky”, Shakira & Cardi B — “Puntería”

BEST K-POP: Jung Kook ft. Latto — “Seven”, LISA — “Rockstar”, NCT Dream — “Smoothie”, NewJeans — “Super Shy”, Stray Kids — “LALALALA”, TOMORROW X TOGETHER — “Deja vu”

VIDEO FOR GOOD: Alexander Stewart — “if you only knew”, Billie Eilish — “What Was I Made For (From The Motion Picture “Barbie”)”, Coldplay — “feelslikeimfallinginlove”, Joyner Lucas & Jelly Roll — “Best For Me”, RAYE — “Genesis.”, Tyler Childers — “In Your Love”

BEST DIRECTION: Ariana Grande — “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” — Directed by Christian Breslauer, Bleachers — “Tiny Moves” — Directed by Alex Lockett and Margaret Qualley, Eminem — “Houdini”– Directed by Rich Lee, Megan Thee Stallion — “BOA” — Directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr., Sabrina Carpenter — “Please Please Please” — Directed by Bardia Zeinali, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight” — Directed by Taylor Swift

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Ariana Grande — “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” — Cinematography by Anatol Trofimov, Charli xcx — “Von dutch” — Cinematography by Jeff Bierman, Dua Lipa — “Illusion” — Cinematography by Nikita Kuzmenko, Olivia Rodrigo — “obsessed” — Cinematography by Marz Miller, Rauw Alejandro — “Touching The Sky” — Cinematography by Camilo Monsalve, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight” — Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto

BEST EDITING: Anitta — “Mil Veces” — Editing by Nick Yumul, Ariana Grande — “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” — Editing by Luis Caraza Peimbert, Eminem — “Houdini” — Editing by David Checel, LISA — “Rockstar” — Editing by Nik Kohler, Sabrina Carpenter — “Espresso” — Editing by Jai Shukla, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight” — Editing by Chancler Haynes

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Bleachers — “Tiny Moves” — Choreography by Margaret Qualley, Dua Lipa — “Houdini” — Choreography by Charm La’Donna, LISA — “Rockstar” — Choreography by Sean Bankhead, Rauw Alejandro — “Touching The Sky” — Choreography by Felix ‘Fefe’ Burgos, Tate McRae — “Greedy” — Choreography by Sean Bankhead, Troye Sivan — “Rush” — Choreography by Sergio Reis, Mauro Van De Kerkhof

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Ariana Grande — “the boy is mine” — Visual effects by Digital Axis, Eminem — “Houdini” — Visual effects by Synapse Virtual Production, Louise Lee, Rich Lee, Metaphysic, Flawless Post, Justin Timberlake — “Selfish” — Visual effects by Candice Dragonas, Megan Thee Stallion — “BOA” — Visual effects by Mathematic, Olivia Rodrigo — “get him back!” — Visual effects by Cooper Vacheron, Preston Mohr, Karen Arakelian, Justin Johnson, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight” — Visual effects by Parliament

BEST ART DIRECTION: Charli xcx — “360” — Art direction by Grace Surnow, LISA — “Rockstar” — Art direction by Pongsan Thawatwichian, Megan Thee Stallion — “BOA” — Art direction by Brittany Porter, Olivia Rodrigo — “bad idea right?” — Art direction by Nicholas des Jardins, Sabrina Carpenter — “Please Please Please” — Art direction by Nicholas des Jardins, Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone — “Fortnight” — Art direction by Ethan Tobman

Whether you’re cheering for Ayra Starr, Burna Boy, or any other star on the list, it’s clear that Afrobeat is making waves globally. Don’t miss the MTV VMAs on September 10th to see who takes home the award for Best Afrobeat Song of the Year.