List of MTV Europe Music Award categories explained

The MTV Europe Music Award are awarded in a series of categories, each of which isolate a specific contribution to the recording industry or geographical region.

Firstly awarded in 1994, in its originating idea, was to promote European local artists, become since 2011 an occasion to honor artists not only from the EMEA region. In 1994 MTV acknowledged local European artists by introducing Local Hero award.[1] Award was discontinued, but since 1998 there was a process of adding awards to regional musicians, starting with United Kingdom/Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Nordics.[2] In 2000 MTV launched awards to French, Spanish, Polish, Dutch. Within the next couple of years, the number of regional award categories systematically increased by adding awards to the musicians from Russia, Romania, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Adria (former Yugoslavia: Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Hercegovina), Baltics (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia), Hungary, Ukraine, Turkey, Greece, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

In 2005 award for best African act has been awarded, which was the first case when European in its name award was granted outside to the artists from geographical Europe. In 2007 awarded Arabic artists, and in 2008 awarded best Israeli act.

Since 2007 viewers were able to select Best European Act from the winners of the regional categories, where Israeli act were included, but African and Arabic musicians were excluded from the category.[3]

In 2011 MTV rebranded the award, and removed European from its name, shortening to MTV EMA only. It was the first year when Best Worldwide Act was granted. Award was given to the artists previously awarded in the regional categories for Best European Act, Best North American Act, Best Latin American Act, Best Africa, Middle East and India Act, Best Asian and Pacific Act.

There are only 3 categories that were awarded in every edition: Best Song, Best New Act, Best Rock.

Current main categories

Social media categories

Special Awards

European regional categories

Non-European regional categories

Worldwide categories

Defunct categories

Timeline

Main categories

Editions:19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Best Song
Best Video
Best Longform Video
Best New Act
Best Female
Best Male
Best Artist
Best Act
Best Act Ever
Best Group
Best Collaboration
Best Rock
Best Hard Rock
Best Alternative
Best Dance/Electronic
Best Pop
Best Rap/Hip-Hop
Best R&B
Best Urban
Best Live
Best Virtual Live
Best World Stage Performance
Best Metaverse Performance
Best Album
Best Push
Artist On The Rise
Artist's Choice
Best Cover
MTV Amour
MTV Select
Best Song with a Social Message / Video for Good
Best Latin
Best K-Pop

Non-music awards

Editions:19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Best Website
Biggest Fans
Best Look

Honorary awards

Editions:19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Ultimate Legend
Global Icon
Video Visionary
Rock Icon

Awards for contributions to activism

Editions:19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Free Your Mind
MTV Voices
Power of Music
Generation Change

European regional categories

Editions:19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Best European
Best European - East
Best European - West
Best European - Central
Best European - South
Best UK & Ireland
Best German
Best Italian
Best French
Best Polish
Best Dutch
Best Dutch & Belgian
Best Belgian
Best Spanish
Best Nordic
Best Norwegian
Best Swedish
Best Finnish
Best Danish
Best Russian
Best Romanian
Best Romanian & Moldovan
Best Portuguese
Best Adria
Best Baltic
Best Hungarian
Best Ukrainian
Best Turkish
Best Israeli
Best Greek
Best Swiss
Best Czech & Slovak

Local Hero Award

MTV Select

Non-European regional categories

Editions:19941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Best Worldwide
Best AMEI/AI
Best African
Best Arabia/Middle East
Best Indian
Best North American
Best Canadian
US Artist About to Go Global
Best US
Best Latin American
Best Brazilian
Best Latin America North
Best Latin America Central
Best Latin America South
Best Latin America Caribbean
Best Asian & Pacific
Best Australia & New Zealand
Best Australian
Best New Zealander
Best Asian
Best Japanese
Best Korean
Best Southeast Asian
Best Mainland China&Hong Kong
Best Taiwanese
Best Greater China

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://books.google.com/books?id=MAoEAAAAMBAJ Billboard
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZQgEAAAAMBAJ Billboard
  3. https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/65px3b/what-the-fuck-are-the-mtv-emas-award-show-2014 Why Don't the MTV European Music Awards Support European Music?