MTV wants to let the music speak, and sing, for itself.
In a move that will likely surprise fans, MTV’s Video Music Awards (VMAs) will not have a host this year.
Executive producer Bruce Gillmer explained why, saying “We want to let the music do the talking a little bit more. We love having a host, if it’s somebody that is pin-point and dead-on for what we’re looking for.”
It sounds like this year, they couldn’t find a perfect fit and chose to make it all about the music. The event kicks off this evening (August 20th) at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
MTV’s VMAs have been running since 1984 and remain one of the largest music awards ceremonies in the country. Past years’ hosts have included Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Chelsea Handler, and Jaimie Fox.
But this isn’t the first time that the show hasn’t had an emcee. In 2004, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2016 they chose not to have an announcer. All of which suggest we’ll see this trend continue to grow.
Letting the music speak—or sing—for itself is probably a good move for 2018, a year that has seen new music from some of the industry’s biggest names, including Beyoncé & Jay-Z and Drake.
Emcee aside, the VMAs are going to have a stacked line-up this year. Ariana Grande, who just released her newest album Sweetener, will be singing “God Is A Woman.” Shawn Mendes will perform “In My Blood,” and Logic, along with Ryan Tedder from One Republic, will sing “One Day.”
Nicki Minaj, whose anticipated album Queen just dropped, will perform from a location in New York.
Jennifer Lopez, who is receiving this year’s Vanguard Award, will also perform. Previous winners of the Vanguard have included Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Justin Timberlake.
Fans of Cardi B will also be in for a treat. It’s unknown whether or not the “Bodak Yellow” singer will be performing, but she’ll definitely be in attendance and has a surprise in store for the audience.