The show will take place Sept. 10 at the UBS Arena on Long Island
The VMAs are headed home — well, close enough — to celebrate its 40th anniversary: After two years on the other side of the Hudson River, MTV’s flagship awards show will return to New York, taking place Sept. 10 at the UBS Arena in Elmont, just outside of New York City.
The Video Music Awards debuted in 1984 at Radio City Music Hall. While that storied NYC venue has hosted the show numerous times over the decades, it hasn’t been held there since 2018.
For the past two years, the VMAs have taken place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It’s also recently been held in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but this is the first time the VMAs have ventured out to Long Island. It’ll also be the first time the UBS Arena — which opened in 2021 — has hosted an awards show.
The return of the VMAs to New York even warranted a press release quote from the state’s governor, Kathy Hochul, who said in a statement: “We are excited to welcome back the MTV Video Music Awards to New York State. From its origins at Radio City Music Hall in 1984 to this September’s event at the UBS Arena, the VMAs continue to captivate millions, showcasing the very best in music video artistry. As we prepare to host this 40th anniversary event, let’s embrace the spirit of creativity and innovation that defines our state’s cultural landscape.”
It’s unclear at the moment if the VMAs have anything special in store for their 40th anniversary. Show details, as well as nominees, will be announced in the coming months.
Last year’s VMAs were hosted by Nicki Minaj and featured performances from artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, and Shakira, plus an all-star 50th-anniversary hip-hop tribute to close out the night (probably best not to remember the whole Global Icon Award hubbub around Diddy, though). Taylor Swift took home the most awards, with nine, and ‘NSync even reunited to present the prize for Best Pop Video. It was enough to earn a rousing review of “didn’t even suck this year” from Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield.
