The months following MTV’s VMAs can be taxing for awards season buffs. After an event-packed summer, it’s a long stretch from the network’s late August ceremony to the end-of-year American Music Awards. But lucky for eager viewers, MTV is back with the perfect early November pick-me-up: the 2016 European Music Awards. The annual production is already stacking up to be a can’t-miss show, but unless you live in the Netherlands where it’s being held, you’ll have to settle for watching on television. And if catching Sunday night’s 8 p.m. ET broadcast on traditional cable is just as unlikely as you hopping on a flight to Rotterdam, you’ll definitely want to stream the 2016 MTV EMAs.
This year’s red carpet features a lot of recent standouts. Bebe Rexha will man the mic as host, while Shawn Mendes, Lukas Graham, and the Joe Jonas-fronted DNCE are all set to perform. Bruno Mars, who shot back into the spotlight with retro funk dance jam “24k Magic” in October, will also hit the stage. If that’s not reason enough to tune in, check out the list of nominees: Beyoncé, Adele, Drake, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande are just some of the high-profile names up to win.
So what’s a cord-cutter to do? Though streaming award shows can sometimes feel like a lost cause, the EMAs actually have a lot of solid off-air options. Amazon Fire Stick lets you watch directly on the MTV channel, or you can sign up for Sling TV’s week-long free trial and see if you want to spring for the full package. For something a little less traditional, MTV will once again offer a live virtual reality experience via the MTV EMA app — all you have to do is download and watch.
If you’re only interested in the highlights, try MTV’s new Facebook Messenger bot, which will give viewers an “exclusive second-screen experience,” according to a press release. You can ask the bot questions about the show, interact with Facebook Live backstage host Becca Dudley, and see GIFs from Giphy updated in real-time. You can also follow along from MTV’s other social networks: its Instagram and Snapchat stories will feature select coverage, while Twitter will include exclusive content.
Whatever your preference, MTV’s got you covered to make sure that even if you can't watch the full show, you'll be able to see the night's biggest moments.
