Los Angeles, Jul 26 (IANS): MTV has unveiled the much-anticipated nominations for the 2022 VMAs. Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X are leading the race with seven each, closely followed by Doja Cat and Harry Styles with six, and Billie Eilish, Drake, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and the Weeknd with five, reports 'Variety'.

The show takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday, August 28. Voting by fans for their favourites across 22 gender-neutral categories started on Tuesday, July 26. They can cast their vote by visiting vote.mtv.com up until Friday, August 19, but voting for 'Best New Artist' will remain active well into the show on August 28.

Harlow and Lil Nas X both earned multiple nods for their No. 1 hit collaboration "Industry Baby". Lamar has been nominated for the first time since 2018. And Madonna, who is the most-awarded artiste in MTV history with 20 wins, also becomes the only artiste to be nominated in each of the VMAs' five decades (1980s-2020s), as she earns her 69th nomination for "Madame X", notes 'Variety'.

2022 also sees 26 first-time nominees, including Baby Keem with four and Gayle, Kacey Musgraves and Maneskin with two each, plus first nominations for Anitta, Becky G, Dove Cameron, Karol G, Itzy, Jid, Muni Long, Tems, Wet Leg, and more.