The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards are going to Astroworld. However, the show might make a pit stop in a post-apocalyptic wasteland if one Texan has his way. Travis Scott and Post Malone are bringing their unique brand of melodic havoc and destruction to the stage this year.
Scott’s first solo VMA performance, after he partnered with Thirty Seconds to Mars last year, will be a medley from his third studio album. The Houston rapper will have a lot of fan-favorite material to choose from. Astroworld’s standout “Sicko Mode” featuring Drake and Swae Lee is headed for a top 10 debut on the Billboard Hot 100. Not to be outdone, “Stop Trying To Be God,” featuring Kid Cudi, James Blake, Stevie Wonder, and Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind & Fire, already has a superb Dave Meyers-directed visual that sees Travis playing the role of Jesus, while Kylie Jenner is a golden sparkling goddess.
Post Malone has a slew of hits to pick from as well off his platinum-certified album, beerbongs & bentleys. Will he perform the tried and true “rockstar” featuring 21 Savage, decide to go with “Psycho” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, or show off his solo chops with “Better Now?”
Both musicians lay claim to the most successful first-week totals for an album in 2018, behind Drake’s Scorpion. If projections hold, Scott’s Astroworld, will debut with 450,000 to 500,000 equivalent album units. His only competition for the second biggest release is Malone’s beerbongs & bentleys, which debuted on the Billboard 200 with 461,000.
Scott and Post will be joining a packed performance slate, which includes Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, and Logic with Ryan Tedder. Jennifer Lopez will perform too, in addition to accepting this year’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The 2018 VMAs is set to be the year pop’s new ruling class takes over.
The 2018 MTV Video Music Awards will air live from Radio City Music Hall on Monday, August 20 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Voting is now open at vma.mtv.com!