IT WOULDN’T BE MTV
"WITHOUT" EMINEM

A number of new faces will intermingle with the usual suspects when MTV puts on its annual Video Music Awards Aug. 29 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Along with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Eminem and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, the 19^th edition of the show will feature such emerging stars as P.O.D., Shakira and the White Stripes.

The VMAs, which will be held in New York for the fourth straight year, are topped by the six nominations garnered by Eminem ("Without Me"), Elliott ("One Minute Man") and P.O.D. ("Alive" and "Youth of a Nation"). Tied for four nominations each are Shakira for her "Whenever, Wherever" and the White Stripes for its "Fell in Love With a Girl."

Springsteen & the E Street Band, Pink and Eminem are among the first performers announced, while Saturday Night Live veteran Jimmy Fallon will host. He co-hosted lthe 2001 MTV Movie Awards with Kirsten Dunst.

"We're incredibly excited about this year's diverse list of nominees from the worlds of rock, pop, soul, hip-hop, and rap," said MTV/MTV2 President Van Toffler. "Every year we're at Radio City Music Hall, something unexpected happens, and with the multitalented Jimmy Fallon hosting, and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Pink and Eminem performing, this year's show is sure to be just as unpredictable. Best of all, because the awards are in New York, there’s less chance the HITS losers will try to crash."

In the Best Video of the Year category, Eminem's "Without Me" will take on NSYNC's "Gone," Linkin Park's "In the End," P.O.D.’s "Alive," Nas' "One Mic" and the White Stripes' "Fell in Love With a Girl."

Best Male Video: Craig David "Walking Away," Eminem "Without Me," Enrique Iglesias "Hero," Elton John "This Train Don’t Stop There Anymore," Nelly "#1" and Usher "U Got It Bad."

Best Female Video: Ashanti "Foolish," Michelle Branch "All You Wanted," Pink "Get the Party Started," Shakira "Whenever, Wherever" and Britney Spears "I’m a Slave 4 U."

Best Group Video: NSYNC f/Nelly "Girlfriend," Blink 182 "First Date," Dave Matthews Band "Everyday," Linkin Park "In the End" and No Doubt f/Bounty Killer "Hey Baby."

Best New Artist Video: Ashanti "Foolish," B2K "Uh Huh," Avril Lavigne "Complicated," John Mayer "No Such Thing" and Puddle of Mudd "Blurry."

Breakthrough Video: Cake "Short Skirt/Long Jacket," Coldplay "Trouble," The Crystal Method "Name of the Game," DMX "Who We Be," Maxwell "This Woman’s Work" and the White Stripes "Fell in Love With a Girl."

This year, the channel is offering a special VMA bonus allowing fans to buy the CDs from all the nominees online at MTV.com for $8.29.

A complete list of nominees can be found on www.mtv.com.