Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many concerts and events have been canceled, including awards shows. However, the Video Music Awards (VMA’s) still went on with their show which aired on August 30, 2020.

 Keke Palmer, the host of the show, stated “There were so many amazing acts that we were excited to see win and have perform but Covid regulations made some things impossible.”  Therefore, the VMA’s were forced to make changes for the show to be able to continue while still trying to keep everyone safe.  The show was pre-recorded and all of the performances were either held outside with a small audience that was spaced apart or with no audience at all. 

The show was technically held in New York City even though many performers never made the trip to New York. For instance, Lady Gaga filmed her performances in Los Angeles and BTS filmed their performance in South Korea. It appeared, while watching the show, that Lady Gaga was in New York as she was on stage accepting awards, however, she actually did that in LA. A source indicated, “Performers in Los Angeles were all shot on a green screen.  Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Doja Cat all shot theirs on a screen to make it look like they were in New York but they never came here.”  Other celebrities, such as Taylor Swift, just accepted her award from home.  

The iHeartRadio Music Awards also decided to move forward with their show. The iHeart Awards was originally set to air in March, but that did not happen due to the pandemic. Since there are still many restrictions due to Covid and it seemed like the show would not be able to air as it normally does, they decided to move forward in a different fashion. During Labor Day weekend, certain awards were announced on iHeart’s social media platforms. Each day, about 4 awards were given out with artists accepting their award via video.  

Lastly, with concerts not being able to occur, many artists are finding other ways to connect with their fans.  For instance, Jason Aldean did a live mini concert from his backyard that was aired on Twitter.  Earlier on in the pandemic, concerts from home aired on television showcasing different artists performing from the comfort of their own homes.  Many musicians and artists are very active on their social media platforms to stay connected with their fans.  

Even though the Covid-19 pandemic has prohibited many things that fans look forward to, such as award shows and concerts, the show must still go on but just in a different way.