Dalam acara penghargaan MTV EMA setidaknya dibagi menjadi dua kategori yang di dalamnya terdapat belasan nominasi.
Kategori utama terdapat 18 nominasi. Adapun di antaranya Best Video, Best Artist, Best Song, Best Collaboration, Best Pop, Best Live, Best New, Biggest Fans, Best Latin, Best Rock, Best Hip Hop, Best Electronic, Best Alternative, Best Push, Best K-Pop, Best R&B, Best Group, Best Afrobeats.
Kategori lokal terdapat 23 nominasi. Deretan nominasinya, yaitu Best African Act, Best Australian Act, Best Brazilian Act, Best Canadian Act, Best Caribbean Act, Best French Act, Best German Act, Best Hungarian Act, Best India Act, Best Israeli Act, Best Italian Act, Best Dutch Act, Best Lat Am Central Act, Best Lat Am North Act, Best Lat Am South Act, Best New Zealand Act, Best Polish Act, Best Portuguese Act, Best Asia Act, Best Spanish Act, Best Swiss Act, Best UK & Ireland Act, Best US Act.
