VMA live stream: How to watch tonight's MTV Video Music Awards online right now

2020 Mtv Vma Logo (Image credit: MTV)

Just like other major events this year, the 2020 MTV Video Music Awards will be held virtually though there will also be live performances held at small venues throughout New York City and we have all the details on how you can watch this year's award show online or on TV from anywhere in the world.

This year's VMAs were originally scheduled to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. However, due to the pandemic, the network has instead decided to host the event virtually as well at various undisclosed outdoor locations throughout the city. The live performances at the VMAs will take place at various iconic locations that span all of NYC's five boroughs, so you may get to see your favorite artists perform in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, Queens or in Manhattan.

The VMAs kick off with the pre-show at 6:30pm ET/PT and Chloe X Halee, Jack Harlow, Lewis Capaldi, Tate Mcrae and Machine Gun Kelly will all be performing live. The main show on the other hand will feature performances from Ariana Grande, the Black Eyed Peas, BTS, Miley Cyrus, The Weeknd and more.

The pandemic has affected more than the event's location though as MTV has decided to add two new categories for this year's show: best quarantine performance and best music video from home. While Blink 182, Drake, Twenty One Pilots, Post Malone and Lady Gaga have all been nominated for these categories, John Legend might end up taking home the awards for both of them thanks to his excellent performance at Lady Gaga's One World: Together at Home benefit concert and his Bigger Love music video that showcased how people all over the world tried to make the best out of their time in lockdown.

Whether you're an avid music fan that's been keeping up with all of this year's new releases or you just want to tune in to see your favorite artists perform at iconic locations across NYC, we'll show you how to get a 2020 MTV VMA live stream from wherever you are in the world.

2020 Video Music Awards - Where and when?

The 2020 VMAs will take place in New York City on Sunday, August 30th beginning at 8pm ET/PT and the VMAs Pre-Show will begin an hour and half earlier at 6:30pm ET/PT on MTV. However, this year's main show will be simultaneously broadcast across BET, BET Her, CMT, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV2, Nick at Nite, Paramount Network, Pop, TV Land, VH1 and The CW in addition to MTV.

How to watch the VMAs from anywhere

We have all the details on how you can watch the MTV Video Music Awards in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia further down in this guide. However, if you're currently traveling or live in a country without an official broadcast option you won't be able to watch this year's hottest video music awards show.

That's where one of the best VPNs (Virtual Private Network) can really come in handy. They allow you to virtually change the IP address of your laptop, tablet or mobile to one that's back in your home country which will let you watch as if you were back there.

VPNs are incredibly easy to use and have the added benefit of providing you with an additional layer of security when surfing the web. There are also a lot of options but we recommend ExpressVPN as our top pick due to its speed, security and ease of use. The service can even be used on a wide array of operating systems and devices (e.g. iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, Roku, game consoles, etc). Sign up for ExpressVPN now and enjoy a 49% discount and 3 months FREE with an annual subscription. You can even test it out for yourself thanks to the service's 30-day money back guarantee. Looking for more options?

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Watch the 2020 VMAs in the U.S. for free

If you live in the US and have a cable subscription, you'll be able to watch the 2020 VMAs on MTV or any of the other ViacomCBS networks listed above beginning at 8pm ET/PT. You can also stream the award show in its entirety on MTV's website but you will need to login with the credentials from your cable provider to do so. Alternatively, the network also offers a free one time 24-hour viewing pass but you will need to login with your Facebook account or create an MTV account to stream the 2020 VMAs online using this option.

Don't want to sign up for cable just to watch the MTV Video Music Awards? Don't worry s there are now a number of streaming services, all at different price points, which will give you access to MTV so you can watch this year's award show. We've listed a few of our favorites below to help you decide.

Sling TV - $30 per month - In order to get access to MTV, you'll have to sign up for either Sling TV's Sling Blue or Sling Orange plan and add the Comedy Extra package for an additional $5 per month. The service also lets you watch on three screens simultaneously and record live TV with its Cloud DVR.
YouTube TV - $65 per month - YouTube TV gives you access to MTV as well as over 70 other TV channels and a free 7-day trial is available.
AT&T TV Now - $65 per month - AT&T TV Now may be more expensive than the competition but in addition to MTV you also get access to HBO with your plan. The service allows you to watch over 45 live TV channels and you can also record up to 20 hours of content using its cloud DVR.
FuboTV - starting at $54.99 per month. FuboTV gives you access to MTV as well as over 80 other channels. The service also includes a 7-day free trial so you can test it out for yourself.

SlingTV your best bet

Regardless of whether you choose Sling TV's Sling Orange or Sling Blue plan, you will still need to add the Comedy Extra package for an additional $5 per month bringing your total monthly cost to $35. This is still cheaper than signing up for AT&T TV Now or fuboTV and you also get access to Paramount Network, truTV, TV Land, GSN and more.

Sling TV

To get MTV with Sling you can sign up for either the Blue or Orange package and then add the Comedy Extra package for an additional $5 per month.

Live stream the 2020 VMAs in Canada

Canadian music fans will be able to watch the 2020 VMAs on MTV Canada, Much E! and CTV2 beginning at 8pm ET/PT on Sunday. You can also stream the whole award show live online via CTV's website but you will need to login with the credentials from your cable provider to do so.

How to watch the 2020 VMAs in the UK

UK viewers will be able to watch the 2020 VMAs on MTV from 1am BST on Monday, August 31. You can also stream the event online on MTV's website but just like in the US and Canada, you'll need to login with the credentials from your cable provider to do so.

Get a 2020 VMA live stream in Australia

If you live in Australia and want to tune in to watch this year's MTV Video Music Awards, you can do so on Foxtel (channel 124) or on Fetch (channel 104) beginning at 10am AEST on Monday, August 31st. Alternatively, cord cutters can watch an encore screening of the awards on 10 Peach beginning at 9pm AEST later in the evening.