The MTV Europe Music Awards are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an alternative to the MTV Video Music Awards, which are hosted annually in the United States. The Europe Music Awards are held every year in a different country; it has been hosted mostly in the United Kingdom and Germany. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by prominent artists, and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video is an award category presented at the MTV Europe Music Awards. The award was first presented in 1994 under the name Best Director, awarded to Whale's "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe". This is the only MTV EMA award - excluding special awards - whose winner is chosen by MTV, rather than by the public. "Hey Ya!", "Born This Way" and "Havana" are the only music videos to also win Best Song. The artist with the most wins is Taylor Swift with four wins. Taylor Swift is the artist with the most nominations, with seven. Swift and Kendrick Lamar are the only performers to have won the award for a video they co-directed: Lamar for "Humble" in 2017 and Swift for "Me!" in 2019.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Group is one of the original general awards that has been handed at the MTV Europe Music Awards. It was awarded every year from 1994 to 2009 and from 2018 to 2021. The award was revived once again in 2023, but ultimately it was one of the three categories for which no winner was announced, along with the awards for the Biggest Fans and Best Israeli Act.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Europe Music Awards in 1994. Originally called Breakthrough Artist (1994—1999), it was briefly retitled to Future Sounds in 2006 and the winner was chosen by their peers. In 2007 the category featured only European artists chosen by viewers in each region of Europe, every day the artist with the fewest votes was eliminated and the winner would play live at the EMAs. In 2008 the award was once again retitled, this time to its current name. The current holder by this award is Benson Boone.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Rock has been awarded since 1994. During the 2002 ceremony the category was separated, creating an additional award entitled Best Hard Rock Act. The category was briefly retitled to this during the 2007 and 2008 ceremonies, before reverting to its original name during the following year. Linkin Park holds the most wins, with five, followed by Coldplay with four.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Pop was first presented in 1998. British girl group the Spice Girls were the first ever act to receive the award. American singer Britney Spears was the first solo female artist to win the award in 1999, while American singer Justin Timberlake was the first male solo artist to win in 2003. South Korean boy group BTS are the first Kpop act to be nominated in this category in 2020. British boy band One Direction are currently the act with the most award wins in this category, receiving a total of three.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Electronic was originally entitled Best Dance and was first awarded in 1994 until 2003. It was one of the original two genre categories that were added to the MTV Europe Music Awards that year. After an interruption of eight years, the category was revived in 2012, in which it was renamed to its current title.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Biggest Fans is an award category at the MTV Europe Music Awards. The award was first presented in 2011 and has been given every year since except 2023. BTS is the most awarded artist in this category, with five wins. Taylor Swift is the most nominated artist in this category, with nine nominations.
Lalisa Manobal known mononymously as Lisa (Korean: 리사), is a Thai rapper, singer, and dancer. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, which debuted under YG Entertainment in August 2016. She is set to make her acting debut in 2025 in the HBO television series The White Lotus.
The MTV Video Music Award for Best K-Pop award was first introduced at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2019. It was criticized by K-pop fans for segregating their artists from major categories such as Video of the Year and Artist of the Year.
The 2020 MTV Europe Music Awards were held on 8 November 2020 at the Breakfast Television Centre in London. The ceremony was hosted by Little Mix, making them the first group ever to host; however, only three members -- Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, appeared; Jesy Nelson did not participate for health reasons. In similar fashion to its American counterpart held earlier in August, the performances were filmed at various locations across Europe and the world due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The two-hour long show was broadcast in 180 countries.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Collaboration is an award category at the MTV Europe Music Awards. The award was first presented in 2015 and not given from 2016 to 2018, making a return in 2019. Karol G and Rosalía are the only artists to win this award twice, Karol G for "Tusa" with Nicki Minaj in 2020 and "TQG" with Shakira in 2023, and Rosalía for "Con Altura" with J Balvin and El Guincho in 2019 and "New Woman" with Lisa in 2024.
The 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards were held on 13 November 2022 at the PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany. This marks the sixth time the award show is hosted in Germany. The show aired live on MTV with an hour long pre-show leading up to the main show. New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi hosted the ceremony with British singer Rita Ora, marking Ora's second time as a host.
The MTV Europe Music Award for Best Latin has been awarded since 2020. During the 2010s, the award show implemented the first Latin categories since the ceremony of 2013, including regional categories and the Best Latin American Act being the predecessor of Best Latin.
