MTV EMAs (European Music Awards) Canceled For the First Time Ever

The 2023 MTV EMAs (European Music Awards) have been canceled due to the "volatility of world events." It's the first time that the annual event has been canceled since it began in 1994.

This year's EMAs were set to take place on Nov. 5 in Paris, France but those plans have been discarded with respect to, in particular, the war that erupted between Israel and Hamas almost two weeks ago.

A spokesperson for Paramount Global said in a statement (via Billboard),

Given the volatility of world events, we have decided not to move forward with the 2023 MTV EMAs out of an abundance of caution for the thousands of employees, crew members, artists, fans and partners who travel from all corners of the world to bring the show to life. The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music. As we watch the devastating events in Israel and Gaza continue to unfold, this does not feel like a moment for a global celebration. With thousands of lives already lost, it is a moment of mourning. We look forward to hosting the MTV EMAs again in November of 2024.

The awards show was going to be broadcast in more than 150 countries and it was going to be an especially big night for some newer artists as there were 26 first-time nominees (which also included some veteran artists and new undertakings).