Deadline reports that the awards will stage a series of outdoor performances with limited or no audience in various NYC boroughs.
The VMAs were originally slated to be the first live and in-person award show since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but have switched to the new strategy due to case numbers still rising in the United States.
Up for Video of the Year are Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande for their spacey "Rain on Me," Taylor Swift for her feminist anthem "The Man," and The Weeknd for his sleek "Blinding Lights." Also competing for the honor of Artist of the Year are Justin Bieber, DaBaby, and Post Malone.
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