The MTV Video Music Award 2018 for Best New Artist have been given out since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. From then to 2006, the award was named Best New Artist in a Video. In 2007 its name was changed to Best New Artist, as the category underwent a format change to award the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video. For the 2008 ceremony, though, while the award retained its 2007 name, it returned to the format of awarding a specific video rather than the artist's full body of work. The category was later renamedArtist to Watch for the 2013 ceremony while still keeping the format of an award going to a certain video.
Five artists who won the award, being them Eurythmics, Nirvana, Eminem, Avenged Sevenfold and Gym Class Heroes, were technically ineligible since the winning song did not come off of their respective debut records, which were released in 1981, 1989, 1996, 2001 and 2004, respectively. Justin Bieber is the youngest artist to win this award or any Video Music Award at the age of 16. The youngest female to win this award was Dinah Jane Hansen of the girl group Fifth Harmony who was 17 at the time. Only three acts have won the VMA for Best New Artist and also the Grammy Award for Best New Artist: Alicia Keys, Hootie & The Blowfish and Maroon 5.