Awards & Winners

MTV Video Music Award for Artist to Watch

MTV Video Music Award

The MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist is one of the four original general categories that have been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. From then to 2006, the award was named Best New Artist in a Video; in 2007 its name was changed to Best New Artist, as the category underwent a format change to award the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video. For the 2008 ceremony, though, while the award retained its 2007 name, it returned to the format of awarding a specific video rather than the artist's full body of work. The category was later renamed Artist to Watch for the 2013 ceremony while still keeping the format of an award going to a certain video. This award is often poked fun at as the "Death Award", as it represented the peak of some winners' careers. Five artists who won the award were technically ineligible since the winning song did not come off of their respective debut records. Justin Bieber is the youngest artist so far to win this award or any Video Music Award at the age of 16. Avril Lavigne is the youngest female to win this award at age 17 in 2002.
Date Established : 1984

Check all the winners of MTV Video Music Award for Artist to Watch presented under MTV Video Music Award since 1984 .


Fifth Harmony

Honored for : Miss Movin\u2019 On

Nominations 2014 »

Nominee Nominated Work
5 Seconds of Summer She Looks So Perfect
Charli XCX Boom Clap
Fifth Harmony Miss Movin\u2019 On
Sam Smith Stay With Me
Schoolboy Q Man of the Year

Austin Mahone

Honored for : What About Love

Nominations 2013 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Iggy Azalea Work
Twenty One Pilots Holding on to You
The Weeknd Wicked Games
Zedd Clarity
Foxes Clarity
Austin Mahone What About Love

One Direction

Honored for : What Makes You Beautiful

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
One Direction What Makes You Beautiful
Carly Rae Jepsen Call Me Maybe
Frank Ocean Swim Good
Fun We Are Young
The Wanted Glad You Came

Tyler, the Creator

Honored for : Yonkers

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tyler, the Creator Yonkers
Big Sean My Last
Chris Brown My Last
Foster the People Pumped Up Kicks
Kreayshawn Gucci Gucci
Wiz Khalifa Black and Yellow

Justin Bieber, Ludacris

Honored for : Baby

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Broken Bells The Ghost Inside
Justin Bieber Baby
Ludacris Baby
Jason Derülo In My Head
Kesha Tik Tok
Nicki Minaj Massive Attack
Sean Garrett Massive Attack

Lady Gaga

Honored for : Poker Face

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
3OH!3 Don't Trust Me
Asher Roth I Love College
Drake Best I Ever Had
Lady Gaga Poker Face
Kid Cudi Day N' Nite

Tokio Hotel

Honored for : Ready, Set, Go!

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tokio Hotel Ready, Set, Go!
Katy Perry I Kissed a Girl
Jordin Sparks No Air
Miley Cyrus 7 Things
Taylor Swift Teardrops on My Guitar

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Peter Bjorn and John
Amy Winehouse
Carrie Underwood
Gym Class Heroes
Lily Allen

Avenged Sevenfold

Honored for : Bat Country

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Avenged Sevenfold Bat Country
Rihanna SOS
Angels & Airwaves The Adventure
Panic! at the Disco I Write Sins Not Tragedies
James Blunt You're Beautiful
Chris Brown Run It!
Juelz Santana Run It!

The Killers

Honored for : Mr. Brightside

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Legend Ordinary People
My Chemical Romance Helena
Jayceon Terrell Taylor Dreams
Ciara 1,2 Step
Missy Elliott 1,2 Step
The Killers Mr. Brightside

Maroon 5

Honored for : This Love

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Maroon 5 This Love
The Darkness I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Kanye West All Falls Down
Syleena Johnson All Falls Down
Yellowcard Ocean Avenue
JoJo Leave (Get Out)
Jet Are You Gonna Be My Girl

50 Cent

Honored for : In da Club

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sean Paul Get Busy
Simple Plan Addicted
50 Cent In da Club
The All-American Rejects Swing, Swing
Evanescence Bring Me to Life
Paul McCoy Bring Me to Life
Kelly Clarkson Miss Independent

Avril Lavigne

Honored for : Complicated

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Puddle of Mudd Blurry
B2K Uh Huh
Ashanti Foolish
John Mayer No Such Thing
Avril Lavigne Complicated

Alicia Keys

Honored for : Fallin

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alicia Keys Fallin
Sum 41 Fat Lip
Coldplay Yellow
David Gray Babylon
Nikka Costa Like A Feather

Macy Gray

Honored for : I Try

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sisqó Thong Song
Papa Roach Last Resort
P!nk There You Go
Macy Gray I Try
Christina Aguilera What A Girl Wants

Eminem

Honored for : My Name Is

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jennifer Lopez If You Had My Love
Orgy Blue Monday
Kid Rock Bawitdaba
Eminem My Name Is

Natalie Imbruglia

Honored for : Torn

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Chumbawamba Tubthumping
Fastball The Way
Cherry Poppin' Daddies Zoot Suit Riot
Natalie Imbruglia Torn
Mase Feel So Good

Fiona Apple

Honored for : Sleep To Dream

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Hanson MMMBop
Jamiroquai Virtual Insanity
Meredith Brooks Bitch
The Wallflowers One Headlight
Fiona Apple Sleep To Dream

Alanis Morissette

Honored for : Ironic

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alanis Morissette Ironic
Tracy Bonham Mother Mother
Jewel Who Will Save Your Soul
Garbage Stupid Girl

Hootie & the Blowfish

Honored for : Hold My Hand

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Jeff Buckley Last Goodbye
Hootie & the Blowfish Hold My Hand
Des'ree You Gotta Be
Filter Hey Man, Nice Shot

Counting Crows

Honored for : Mr. Jones

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Björk Human Behaviour
Beck Hansen Loser
Lisa Loeb Stay
Nine Stories Stay
Counting Crows Mr. Jones
Green Day Longview

Stone Temple Pilots

Honored for : Plush

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Tasmin Archer Sleeping Satellite
Stone Temple Pilots Plush
Belly Feed the Tree
Porno for Pyros Pets

Nirvana

Honored for : Smells Like Teen Spirit

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nirvana Smells Like Teen Spirit
Tori Amos Silent All These Years
Arrested Development Tennessee
Cracker Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now)

Jesus Jones

Honored for : Right Here, Right Now

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Deee-Lite Groove Is in the Heart
C+C Music Factory Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
Gerardo Rico Suave
Seal Crazy
Jesus Jones Right Here, Right Now

Michael Penn

Honored for : No Myth

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lisa Stansfield All Around the World
Alannah Myles Black Velvet
Michael Penn No Myth
Jane Child Don't Wanna Fall in Love
Bell Biv DeVoe Poison
Lenny Kravitz Let Love Rule
The Black Crowes Jealous Again

Living Colour

Honored for : Cult of Personality

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians What I Am
Paula Abdul Straight Up
Living Colour Cult of Personality
Neneh Cherry Buffalo Stance

Guns N' Roses

Honored for : Welcome To The Jungle

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Guns N' Roses Welcome To The Jungle
Swing Out Sister Breakout
Jody Watley Some Kind Of Lover
The Godfathers Birth, School, Work, Death
David Johansen Hot, Hot, Hot

Crowded House

Honored for : Don't Dream It's Over

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Timbuk 3 The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
Crowded House Don't Dream It's Over
The Georgia Satellites Keep Your Hands To Yourself
The Robert Cray Band Smoking Gun
Bruce Hornsby & The Range The Way It Is

A-ha

Honored for : Take on Me

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Simply Red Holding Back the Years
A-ha Take on Me
Whitney Houston How Will I Know
Pet Shop Boys West End Girls
The Hooters And We Danced

'Til Tuesday

Honored for : Voices Carry

Nominations 1985 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Sade Smooth Operator
Frankie Goes to Hollywood Two Tribes
'Til Tuesday Voices Carry
Sheila E. The Glamorous Life
Julian Lennon Too Late for Goodbyes

Eurythmics

Honored for : Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Nominations 1984 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Wang Chung Dance Hall Days
Madonna Borderline
Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Eurythmics Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Cyndi Lauper Time After Time