MTV Video Music Awards 2015: The Top 5 Things To Look Forward To Ahead Of The VMAs Sunday

Featuring plenty of fanfare and style, MTV’s 2015 Video Music Awards (VMAs) presentation Sunday is the centerpiece of one of the most highly anticipated nights in both music and pop culture. After producing a relatively low-key show last year, the network is pulling out all the stops and making things extra-extravagant this time around.

The 2014 event fell a little flat, in large part because of a lack of celebrity hosting power. Now, with the year in music being so stellar and the summer drawing to a close, MTV plans to conclude the season with a bang when the 2015 presentation gets under way Aug. 30, at 9 p.m. EDT. Although the show doesn’t begin until 9 p.m., the party starts at 8 p.m. with the “2015 MTV Video Music Awards Pre-Show,” which promises to be every bit as filled with celebrities, music and premiere videos as the real show.

To help make sure fans know exactly what they’re in for Sunday, below is a rundown of the top things to expect at the 2015 VMAs on MTV.

The Host

After Miley Cyrus sent everyone into a complete frenzy with her racy 2013 VMAs performance, the network has naturally invited her back in the most expanded capacity it has to offer: host. The performer was announced as the headliner of the 2015 presentation, and she’s already done a lot to prove that she’s ready to make this one the most outrageous show to date. Based on her appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” while wearing nipple pasties or telling the New York Times that people can expect the VMAs to be “raw,” there’s just no telling what the former Disney Channel star has in store to drop jaws this time around.

Performers

Obviously, no music-awards presentation is complete without a cadre of high-profile performers showcasing their biggest hits of the year. The VMAs will be no different. In addition to a pretty stellar lineup of pre-show acts, it will feature about 10 guests who will take the stage during the show’s proper airing. According to Entertainment Weekly, Nicki Minaj will open it with a performance before handing the reins over to Cyrus. Throughout the night, A$AP Rocky, Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Pharrell Williams, The Weeknd, Tori Kelly and Twenty One Pilots also will perform as they wait to find out whether they’ll be taking home any of the coveted Moonman trophies. Speaking of which ...

The Award

An awards show is only as good as its trophy: Just ask Oscar. In that spirit, MTV decided to switch things up in 2015 by redesigning the famous Moonman trophy with a more modern spin. The network revealed the new design via Twitter and thanked fashion designer Jeremy Scott for coming up with the concept. Each winner will be bringing home one of Scott’s new Moonman trophies, complete with a groovy peace-sign medallion around its neck.

The Premiere

The Venn diagram of VMA fans and Taylor Swift fans likely has a great deal of overlap. As a result, the pre-show will encompass the debut of her newest music video, “Wildest Dreams,” the fifth single released from her hit “1989” album. According to MTV News, the 25-year-old singer announced the premiere on her Twitter page by posting a very cryptic short clip of the video. Fans who tune in to the pre-show festivities will be among the first to see the “Bad Blood” singer’s latest music video.

The Kanye

One performer kept off the above list of celebrities taking the stage Sunday is Kanye West. Although nobody loves Kanye West more than Kanye West, MTV is still going to attempt to show its pride in the 38-year-old by awarding him the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The “All Day” rapper will take the stage during the show to accept his award and join the long line of prestigious artists to receive it, which includes Beastie Boys, Beyonce, David Bowie and Justin Timberlake.

Will you be tuning into the MTV 2015 VMAs? Comment below or tweet your thoughts to @TylerMcCarthy.