MTV Names Metallica in Best Rock Category for EMA 2023

Metallica Earns a Nod for an MTV European Music Award—But Don’t Get Too Excited

Since the infamous moment when Jethro Tull snagged a Grammy over Metallica, metalheads everywhere learned that mainstream award shows are, for the most part, a waste of time. Yet, every year, fans muster some faint hope that maybe—just maybe—someone behind the scenes actually gets it.

This year’s MTV European Music Awards will land at the Paris Nord Villepinte in Paris, France. If you’re one of those who can’t resist seeing it through, the event is set for November 5.

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The band’s Garage Inc. album was a tribute to all the songs they used to cover in the early days, from Mercyful Fate to Bob Seger. If nothing else, it proved they can pull off just about anything.

But don’t expect any wild surprises. The whole thing’s already giving off the unmistakable stench of another easily forgettable awards show. However, if you’ve got an appetite for disappointment, by all means, mark your calendar.

MTV’s nominations for “Best Rock” and “Best Alternative” have rolled out, and it’s as close as we’ll get to a “metal” category in 2023. Here’s the lineup:

Best Rock:

• Arctic Monkeys
• Foo Fighters
• Måneskin
• Metallica
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• The Killers

Best Alternative:

• Blur
• Fall Out Boy
• Lana Del Rey
• Paramore
• Thirty Seconds To Mars
• Yungblud

A few choices are worth a nod. Metallica’s presence is a rare bright spot. And while Måneskin and Yungblud aren’t exactly everyone’s flavor, they’re undeniably big names right now. But let’s be honest—Lana Del Rey? Arctic Monkeys? The whole list feels like a random shuffle of acts, some of whom haven’t been remotely relevant to rock in years. It’s as if they’re more intent on rehashing old names than recognizing where modern rock—and metal, for that matter—is really moving.

Missing genres like death metal or nu-metal, which have massive underground momentum, isn’t shocking anymore. But it’s hard not to sigh at the way major shows consistently overlook the actual pulse of heavy music.

For more info visit mtvema.com.